Need a website: Creating a internet marketing campaign

So you want to get on the internet and make money. Your been told you need a web site for your business and you cannot succeed with out one. This article will explore the basics of creating your presence on the web.

Selecting a web designer

This is a very competitive market and and many static designers willing to put together a site for you. You need to carefully consider what your goals are for the site.

Some goals to consider

• Who is your target market.?
• How will they use your site?
• Why they would choose your site?
• Will the information be static or dynamic?
• Will you need transaction faculties? How will this be done?
• How will you build trust into your site?
• How will you communicate with your visitor?
• How do you get visitors to come to site?
• How will you deliver the goods and services?
• How will you provide support for you product or service?

Readability of text

Your web designer also needs to have web copy expertise. This means that the text on your site must be readable by the visitor.  Readers of web page read differently to how they read a book or a newspaper. Generally they scan the page hoping to find what they are looking for.

Usability of the Site

Some designers a good designer but poor designers for usability. If its difficult to navigate your site then your site will fail to keep the visitor on site.

Collaboration and Participation

Most websites do not allow for this but it is an essential ingredient to successful web design. User who participate in your site will return to your site and refer other to your site.  Your site should include comments and ratings.  Forums are dead. 

Fresh content

Insure you have fresh content on your site. This takes a lot of time and money but if your site is old then your ranking will drop of the search engines. Visitors will not return and your site will fail.

Responding to visitors

If your visitor makes a comment then you  need to respond in a timely manner. Use auto responders to inform you visitor that you have noted the comment and will reply shortly.

Networking

Create a network through social media channels  and become involved with others in social network.  as they get to know and trust you they will participate in your web site. Do not spam them with sales material but socialise with them as you would in normal life. Then tell them when you have put fresh content on the site.

This covers only a few things on planning your web site and to get professional advice from a consultant before diving into the deep of the internet

Chriso

Internet Consultant.

Don’t waste your money on a web site

This week there has been a lot of discussion amongst some colleagues regarding everyone should have a web site.  I argue this point as most websites are a waste of time and money.

 

Brochure Sites

A brochure web site normally consist of 4 or 5 pages of broadcast material to inform people who you are and what your about. Majority of these sites are a complete waste of money. Designers have tapped into this market advising their client they need to have good design and SEO (Search Engine Optimised). I do agree to this in principle how ever this is very much a baby step in your online presence.

As these sites are costing about $2000 au it is a complete waste of money.  You just become another web site in the ocean of millions of other who have exactly the same content. Drop In the Ocean.

 

eCommerce Site

eCommerce sites are also a must have for all small business so they can get on the world stage and compete at a international level.  This is good if you have a product that everyone wants and your the only one that has the product otherwise it a complete waste of time and money.  Driving traffic to your site is not something that happens overnight and there is also the art of motivating a visitor to purchase while on the site.  

Affiliate Sites

Affiliate web site who provide links to other suppliers has some merit but of little value unless you have content that attracts people to your site.  Becoming affiliate to other websites requires good planning and spam marketing. Having said that there is value if your can provide value to the site.

 

No longer a broadcast Medium

The internet is not a broadcast medium as traditional media like TV and Radio.  Your web site needs to be an experience for the visitor and allow them to participate in your site. Your site needs to create a two way  conversation and user generated content.  Your web site needs to create relationships with people just as you do in your bricks and mortar business.

 

What do I need to do?

When considering your web site ask yourself what value is the web site to your visitor. Will they use  it and can we both benefit from the use. This takes some good analyses about where does your business fit on the web.

• Why would people come to your site?
• What will they do when on your site?
• Will they bookmark your site for future reference?
• Will they tell other about your site?
• Will they make positive claims about your site?
• Will they come back to your site?
• Will your site make them do business with you

Quality Not Quantity

Visitor to your site are looking for an experience and if they do not get that experience they will keep searching until they get what they are looking for.  Been number 1 on Google does not guarantee to make you money.  100,000 hits a month means nothing unless you getting value from the 100,000 hits.

The quality of your visitor to your site is one that participates in your site and adds value to your site. 100 visitor who do that are more valuable than the 1000 people who visit for 30 seconds.

 

Conclusion

Before you invest in a web designer get some professional consulting done before hand. Have a qualified consultant evaluate your business and make recommendations on how you should approach the internet and web presences.

 

Chris Johnson

Internet consultant.

Don’t waste your money on a web site

This week there has been a lot of discussion amongst some colleges  regarding everyone should have a web site.  I argue this point as most websites are a waste of time and money.

 

Brochure Sites

A brochure web site normally consist of 4 or 5 pages of broadcast material to inform people who you are and what your about. Majority of these sites are a complete waste of money. Designers have tapped into this market advising their client they need to have good design and SEO (Search Engine Optimised). I do agree to this in principle how ever this is very much a baby step in your online presence.

As these sites are costing about $2000 au it is a complete waste of money.  You just become another web site in the ocean of millions of other who have exactly the same content. Drop In the Ocean.

 

eCommerce Site

eCommerce sites are also a must have for all small business so they can get on the world stage and compete at a international level.  This is good if you have a product that everyone wants and your the only one that has the product otherwise it a complete waste of time and money.  Driving traffic to your site is not something that happens overnight and there is also the art of motivating a visitor to purchase while on the site.  

Affiliate Sites

Affiliate web site who provide links to other suppliers has some merit but of little value unless you have content that attracts people to your site.  Becoming affiliate to other websites requires good planning and spam marketing. Having said that there is value if your can provide value to the site.

 

No longer a broadcast Medium

The internet is not a broadcast medium as traditional media like TV and Radio.  Your web site needs to be an experience for the visitor and allow them to participate in your site. Your site needs to create a two way  conversation and user generated content.  Your web site needs to create relationships with people just as you do in your bricks and mortar business.

 

What do I need to do?

When considering your web site ask yourself what value is the web site to your visitor. Will they use  it and can we both benefit from the use. This takes some good analyses about where does your business fit on the web.

• Why would people come to your site?
• What will they do when on your site?
• Will they bookmark your site for future reference?
• Will they tell other about your site?
• Will they make positive claims about your site?
• Will they come back to your site?
• Will your site make them do business with you

Quality Not Quantity

Visitor to your site are looking for an experience and if they do not get that experience they will keep searching until they get what they are looking for.  Been number 1 on Google does not guarantee to make you money.  100,000 hits a month means nothing unless you getting value from the 100,000 hits.

The quality of your visitor to your site is one that participates in your site and adds value to your site. 100 visitor who do that are more valuable than the 1000 people who visit for 30 seconds.

 

Conclusion

Before you invest in a web designer get some professional consulting done before hand. Have a qualified consultant evaluate your business and make recommendations on how you should approach the internet and web presences.

 

Chris Johnson

Internet consultant.

Amazing photo’s sent to me today of a Death Adder eating a Goanna

 

The Death Adder some miners in the Pilbara Mine came across the adder eating a Goanna. Some amazing photos as proof.

 

Taken at a Pilbara Mine Site

          

 

About the Death Adder

(QM, Bruce Cowell)

Identification: Length to 40 cm. Head arrow-shaped. Tail sharply tapered to spine-like scale. Reddish or brown above, often banded with black flecks or darker brown; greyish or cream below. Mid-body scales 17-21; anal single; subcaudals, front single, back divided; ventrals 126-152.
Habitat and Range: Open forest. TNQ, Cooktown to Townsville. Australia, north­ern WA, NT, northern Qld.
Notes: Preys on frogs, Cane Toads (snake dies), small reptiles, birds, mammals. Live-bearer, number of young not known, probably about 8.
Potentially dangerous. Venom strongly neurotoxic, weakly haemolytic and anti­coagulant. (Queensland Museum, 2000)

 

QM,Bruce Cowell, 2000,Wildlife Of tropical North Queensland [image], Queensland Museum

Queensland Museum. 2000 ,Wild Life Of Tropical Northern Queensland, Queensland Museum 

How should Australians stimulate the economy?

Vote 1 Ausi1 What should we do with the Boat People

Social Media Experiment 1: Australian Politics, What Policy would you like to have pass in Federal Parliament

As a Social Media experiment how powerful are we here in Australia to influence direction in Australian politics?

If you where able to make political policy statements what would you believe would be a good policy that would make Australia a better place that people would volte for?

The idea extends from my studies of Internet studies at Curtin University about the roll politician play in social media with the Kevin07 campaign and his presence on social media sites.

To get real value from the presence it would be Ideal to be able to contribute to the decisions making process and prove the power of social media. The idea is this. If we where to create our own candidate for Federal parliament what would the policies be made of?

Leave your Ideas as a comment. If you a twitter please Follow me @ausi1 and leave your twitter handle in your comment.

 

If you support on of the another comments then just add a comment, “I am in support author Author NAME”

The Politics of the Internet

The Kevin007 team where  very adapt at making the most of all media during 2007  federal election campaign and at the time I followed him very closely on how they used the internet to make contact with those younger social network  people.

Barack Obama used the social media to get his campaign financed and collect voters by becoming a part of their world. Its is however that the Australian Political parties are still a little confused on how to make the most of what it has to offer.

By visiting Malcolm Turnbulls website you are confronted with a user form to enter your details about getting a news letter from him. I felt it was a little confronting and not expecting to have to log onto the site with personnel details. After studding it for a few minutes I realised that you could skip the process.

The Kevin Rudd web site was similar but not has confronting as Malcolm Turnbull but still offered the registration for getting a news letter from him.

This of course is adoption of the American sell method that may not work as well in Australia. I have noticed on Twitter that the Australians are more lay backed about jamming things down your throat.  There still seems to be a long way for the politician to go  before they understand what Social Media is about but lets not forget they have recognised it.

I do have Kevin Rudd on my Twitter and Facebook. I am member of his facebook and I have him as a Favourite on Youtube.

Barack Obama if very much a friend of the Social network movement and is very out spoken about the openness and the future of freedom on the Internet despite  the push by other members of congress wanting to control the Internet.

We have similar attempts here by Senator Stephen Conroy with the Clean Feed proposal.  Despite all the good advice from industry experts he still insists that it will still go ahead.  Is this political suicide for Senator Steven Conroy as the Social media gains the momentum and the public does not want him to place controls on the Internet?

The scary part is that the rejection of the Alchopop tax this week and a key voter is Steve Fielding the Family First member who wants the clean feed for religious reasons may get the clean feed passed as a deal to get the Alchopop Tax vote. The government has a plan here and you have to wonder why they will bring it back to parliament in the face of a double dissolution.

I think although Australia is very active on the Internet with politics it still will be  awhile where it will influence the out come of elections or even policy. This I believe that the understanding of social media both with the politicians and the Australian public have a long way to go yet to  grasp the concept.    

BuzzNet Tags: Australian Politics,Kevin Rudd,Malcolm Turnbull

Great Aussie Anzac Day Tweetup: The Great Aussie Tweetup - Anzac Day

Great Aussie Anzac Day Tweetup: The Great Aussie Tweetup - Anzac Day

Tweetup Australia 25th Of April 2009 ANZAC Day

Tweetup is a craze where people meet up that are twitters. Twitter is what called a blog of 140 characters.  The popularity of Twitter is fast becoming main stream and now has the focus of the main stream media where there is not a day go by that main stream media has not written,spoken or commented about Twitter.

Tweetup Australia is an initiative of @womencan and myself @ausi1 to create a national day where all Australians who are on Twitter have the opportunity to meet other Twitterverse.

How it works

Organise an event

Decide where the event will take place. A cafe or a park.  If you decide on a park you could arrange a BYO Barbeque.

Keep it simple as some followers may not be cashed enough to do anything elaborate.

Inform your local media of the event as Twitter has now got there focus and will make a good story for them.

Promote the event

If your using Twitter then publicise the your event on the 25th of April 2009 in your local area inviting followers to meet.

By using the hash tags you will be able to promote the event and invite people to attend from your area

Please use hashtags  #aussietweetpup to Identify the event and #yourtown (the name of your town or city) An example of this would be #Perth #Adelaide #Melbourne #Sydney #Brisbane #Hobart #Darwin

Use the PLEASE RT or the pls RT in your message.

Some examples of the tweets.

#aussietweetup #Perth 25/4 @ Kings Park Cafe (next to Frasers) 2pm - invite all your tweet buddies Pls RT http://tinyurl.com/c25fx8

PLEASE RT: #aussietweetup #Perth 25/4 2pm @ Kings Park Cafe –All invited http://tinyurl.com/c25fx8

Pls RT:#aussietweetup #Perth Join Us @ King park Cafe 25/4 Please invite others http://tinyurl.com/c25fx8

Also promote it on your other Social networks such as you Facebook wall. http://tinyurl.com/c25fx8

Comment

Leave a comment of your event and example of your message and help each other to promote the event.

Have Fun

The most important part is to have some fun. An example of having fun can be seen here at a  Twetup event in Perth on Youtube 

 

 

How Does One Become Friends On The Internet

 

David I will draw you a Fire Truck

While Studding internet communications I came across the story of the 7 legged spider David story influenced me when through a discussion forum for another subject I was doing I had a comment made by Mr P that me and another student Mrs M should get a room.  Now this other student lives 3000klm away from me so if we where to get a room then a considerable investment would be required. The Victorian Bushfires was the hot topic of the time so I offered to draw him a fire truck for $3000.

This started some very hot negotiations on the sales of this drawing and weather the drawing was valued correctly.  I told Mr. P if he was able to obtain a profit from the sale then he was more than welcome to any gains he made from the investment only to be told he does not like fire trucks but his son does.  I thought what a great idea he can purchase the drawing and keep it for his son who likes fire trucks. Mr P informs me that he collect empty beer cans not drawings. I then felt sorry for him as I found this website describing Mr P living arrangements .

Its been some time now and I had drawn the fire truck for Mr P however to date the cheque has not arrives. I know this is not as good as David’s7 legged spider there must be an opportunity for some one to have and place it on coffee mugs and   TEE Shirts and make a bloody fortune from it. The fool that did not buy the 7 legged spider from David on EBay for $15000 missed a great opportunity to  franchise it

I now offer the same deal to the open market.

Drawing of the fire truck $3000

Firemen and extra $2000 each

Bargain

Anyhow the reality is that Mr P and Mrs M and myself are now all very good friends.  But my room still awaits my sale.

 

Reference

The seven legged spider story

I'll spend the money on drugs instead http://www.27bslash6.com/overdue.html

Living arrangements

70,000 Beer Cans Found in Ogden Townhouse http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=268346

 

Cited

eBay.com 

NET11 Tess: Module 5 - Information Ecologies

NET11 Tess: Module 5 - Information Ecologies

My Students At University of Ballarat (Horsham Campus)

Last Week I started teaching again at Ballarat University CIV Info Tech Students. What a fantastic group I have. They are all enthusiastic and gasping for knowledge.  I have a great deal of faith in this group an Believe they all should graduate by the years end. But I am not the only one with this view. Jim Carter the teacher of the other units also come out and said the same statement. As CIV is some what entry level for IT professionals and provide a place of students to hide from the dole queue it often attracts people who only there to waste your time.  As a  teacher it is so rewarding to have students who respond to your work and willing participants in your topics

 

The challenge for me and Jim Carter is keeping up to their quest for knowledge as they sponge in everything we give them and keep asking for more. How fantastic is that.

Social Networking in the Workplace

The epidemic of social network places such as Facebook and My Space have created problems for employers as the compulsion of users to spend  time  poking their friends and telling them what their doing now when the payroll need to me finalised and the deadlines to meet. Now lets face sitting at a computer screen all day processing boring data  like watching grass grow and focusing to insure the accuracy at some sort of standard acceptable by the employer. But a good employee set goals for the day on what needs to be achieved and makes a commitment to achieve these goals. This morning I am going to get this done sort of goal. You start the computer wait for windows update to complete then restart windows so you can get the latest virus definition update and restart windows again because there's has been an update to the antivirus that also needs to scan 6 million files before you can log in again. After 20 minutes process your have opened the mail, filed all the work from yesterday, cleaned your monitor, had the first morning coffee and you finally ready to start today's goals. The first thing that happens is  a gadget  from the task bars says you have mail. You open your mail to find you have 30 emails sent form several department over night that all seem important. The first email says  Hi mate did you like the joke I sent you yesterday. The second email informing you that attached is the minutes of the meeting you attended yesterday. With 28 more emails to address your goals for the morning looks to be impossible but you know if you do not achieve this then several people will not get paid.

Achieving the impossible Goals

The impossible tasks then gets hampered by  a pop up saying Fred has commented on your photo in Facebook so you just have to know what Fred has said about you so you login to Facebook only to find he has written “Cute kid”. So you type a comment “Thanks” then proceed to logon to the system to start work. You then start entering data and another pop up saying that Wilma has posted on your wall. So you return to your Facebook and see Wilma has written  Have a great day. Now that was nice of her so you quickly reply “You to sweetie”. Now back to work and the phone rings. The  HR manager Mr Stonehead cannot find his payroll report from last week and ask you do you have copy. You reply that I will get you a copy. So you find you copy you filed last week, Photocopy it and take it to him.  By this time more than the 1st hour has passed and you only managed to open the payroll system but have not endeavoured to enter the needed data.

 

Returning to your desk you begin entering the data and another pop up invades your screen saying Betty has just Poked you. At this point you say I have to get this work done so I am ignoring Betty. you put your head down and bum up and go for it at a rapid pace as you are so far behind in you goal that you think I am never going to get this done. Your mid morning coffee urge is upon you but no time for coffee you keep plugging away so the goal is achieved. Ignoring all emails and phone calls because you had lost so much time this morning. By midday you are almost through and Barney suggests we go to the Bedrock Cafe for lunch. You inform Barney I would love to but I have work to finish so I will be having trouble getting out of here. can you get bring me back a salad.

By the time barney gets back with your salad you are on top of it. You have it beat all the data is entered and the reports are rolling of the printer.  You sit at your desk to eat your salad and open your Facebook account and as you scoff down a olive stone you are busily answering all your friends pokes and comments  and Mr Stonehead walks behind you and see your on Facebook. He remarks that haven't you got better things to be doing.

 

Well the obvious answer is to explain in anger what sort of a morning you had and I now finally now have the chance to satisfy my midday cravings and catch up on some friends. No you gracefully close Facebook and  continue with your salad feeling guilty about his comments.

The Ban on Facebook

Later in the afternoon things settle down and you decide again to check out Facebook only to find that you cannot log into the site. You ring tech support  and say you cannot access the internet. After considerable dialog you finally admit that its Facebook giving you the trouble to be informed that social network sites have been blocked an the request of Mr Stonehead. The guilt set in as it was just an hour ago when Mr Stonehead had commented on my use of Facebook. I then dig out my iPhone and announce to all may social network friends what a jerk Mrs Stonehead is because he banned my Facebook.

Job offer

Within a hour a network friend send me an email and say why don't you come and work for me as I need some one with your skills. Some one that can use Facebook and build relationships online. Some one that can develop a social network on behalf of our company and build a solid reputation. You are just the person.

Job acceptance.

No you say wow this is a great offer so you open you email and send Mr Stonehead an email

to:Mr Stonehead

From: Me

Dear Sir

Owing to the fact that I think your a jerk for banning Facebook in the workplace I have accepted a position with your competitor Stone Hedge Corporation  as a network marketer. My role will be to build a social network for the company to help  gain market share and acceptance of there new product range. The 33000 of your customers I have on my Facebook will find this new product range very exciting and will see the benefits  of the instant support and help they will gain directly from there Facebook account.

I understand that you feel that it is a waste of time and that loosing 33,000 customers to Stone Hedge Corporation is not a big issue because your priority today is your payroll report are on your desk in time.

Thank you

Me

Reaction

Mr Stonehead is stunned. He no 1 employee would do such a thing. He  quickly organises you to be removed from the office and demand that you remove you Facebook account and makes out rages claims that you will not succeeds. He scoff at the fact that you cannot gain a market share through that rubbish and people on Facebook  are losers.

 

Success

After your first week in the position you established 6000 new accounts for Stone Hedge Corporation  and increase your social network to now 40,000 members. You creditability on line has increase and people are seeking you out about the solutions to their problems. Mr Stonehead however is shrinking by the day and is called to the board room to explain the slump in sales.

 

What happened here?

What happened is Mr Stonehead failed to identify the value of social networking in the workplace. If he did he would have been excited to know that you had  33000 network friends and that you had a high degree of social networks skill. The arrogance failed him and his policy and lack of understanding that this is the future for the success of the business.

 

Questions

Should have Mr Stonehead embraced you as a guru and capitalises on your skill?

Is it possible to have achieve 6000 new accounts in a week with a social network account?

What product range or industry could this relate to?

 

I am keen to read your comments.

 

   Cited

Facebook

My Space

Control of Vigilant Groups On the Internet

 

An interesting development happened here in Australia this week with the Arrest of  a suspected arsonist in Victorian Bushfire.  The man arrested first sitting of the local courts in Morwel  and obtained a suppression order for his name and address not to be released. He was then taken to Melbourne lockup for his own protection as angry residents bated the police van as he left the court. By Monday he faced court again and the suppression order was reduced and allowed his name to be released but his photos and address remained suppressed.

The internet soon learned about this fellow and vigilantly groups and angry people stated blogs about him fuelled along with major news feeds providing information. His MY Space account was soon  discovered and his Photo and address suppressed under the order was distributed like wild fire over the internet.  Facebook groups where created and within minutes there where 1000’s of members. By lunchtime there where news reports by main stream media that this had happened and that a request to have them removed as it may jeopardise the case was pleaded.  Police where contacting Facebook to have the groups removed.

 

Facebook

I logged onto Facebook at 11 am and found one group with the full details of the accused with 1667 members. This was within minutes of the suppression order been lifted. At 12.30 pm the group had been deleted along with 6 other groups. By 2pm 4 more groups had formed to replace the 6 that had been deleted. 

2pm 17th Feb 2009  24 hours after the suppression order was lifted.

Brendan Sokaluk is the man who was arrested for arson 2622 members

Yvette Langstaff  Who created the group stated yesterday that she obtained the suspects details form the court list on the internet through the Magistrate  Court. The legal system failed their own orders.

This group had been modified and discussion are taking place to what is a legal standing and whether members of the groups could stand prosecution for contempt of court.

 

It does raise some interesting issues.

1. Can the DPP (Department of Public Prosecutions) track down the Vigilante groups and Prosecute them? If you live in Australia then maybe. But as Facebook owns the data will the DPP need a court order to obtain that data from Facebook and other social network sites? Does that mean that the Privacy Policy of Facebook is invalid in this case? Does the Police have the rights to dictate to Facebook to remove the group?
2. If the Magistrate Court Published the details on the internet then did it become public domain?
3. Can all the blogs written be filtered by the DPP and removed from the Internet? I would suggest this is almost an impossible task.
4. Does this give Senator Conroy more reason to want to introduce Clean Feed Filtering to the Australian Internet? (Scary thought!!!)
5. Can the Legal System in Australia stop this from happening?

Considering the mechanics of the  the internet it is hardly likely that the control of people actions on the Internet will ever be successful but there has been a swing in mood when news broke that it could jeopardize the case and the man could walk free because of these blogs and and social network groups. But its still not hard to find his photo and details through a simple Google search.

 

References

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25067218-661,00.html

 Brendan Sokaluk is the man who was arrested for arson  

Cited

Facebook

Google

My Space

BuzzNet Tags: Sokuluk,Facebook,Bushfires,My Space,Social Networking

Samboy Facebook Promotion Attracts 110,000 in a week

Samboy ran a promotion on Facebook to see who could create the largest group with a $10,000 Prize.A group stared this week in aid of the Bushfires and pledged to give the money to the bushfire appeal. I considered this a genuine attempt to win this prize for the appeal. However I emailed Samboy with my concerns as follows.

Original Email

Hi
Samboy is back competition you are running as a promotion has had nearly 90,000 members join a group to support the Victorian Bushfire appeal. This I believe is a genuine effort by the creator of the group to donate the prize money to the bushfire appeal. However to insure that if this is the winning group that the money is directed to the Red Cross I ask and Samboy make a public announcement that they have given the money to the Red Cross.
For added value it would also be good that Samboy show their support to the Bushfire victims as genuine people did in this group and make a substation contribution to the Red Cross Bushfires Appeal.
Thank you for your consideration of my message.
Chris Johnson

I received a reply from Samboy

Alison Backers wrote:
Hello Chris,
Thank you for your email and your concern about the Red Cross donation promised by one of the entrants in our current Facebook promotion, I will be sure to pass on your feedback to the Marketing Manager in charge of this promotion. I can assure you though we are currently having discussions regarding this issue.
In regards to our business making a donation to the Red Cross Bushfire appeal, please be assured that we made a sizeable donation to the cause on Monday 9th February but we do not wish to make details of this public. Our donation is purely meant to help those in need, rather than an opportunity for our business to receive free publicity or public recognition.
Thank you again Chris for taking the time to email us.
kind regards
Alison Backers
Snack Brands Australia
Consumer Contact Representative

Now that is what I like to see. No credit for their donation.

My reply to Alison

Alison
Hey Hey Great Work Guys
I hope your promotion give you what you where seeking. I was at first reluctant to participate in the Facebook Promotion but your email confirms that your company is a responsible citizen and commend your business philosophy.
Thank you for your reply
Regards
Chris

This is a great example of how social network performs. Samboy promotion was never intended to raise money for the Bushfire as the Promotion had been running for several week. Through collaboration on Facebook more than 110,000 people pledge their support behind the promotion to raise the money for the Victoria Bushfire. The only people who gained from this is the people who need it. I think Samboy unintentionally has gained considerably from this demonstrating a very effective way of using social networking.

So next time your at the shop pick up a packet of Samboy Chips

http://www.samboy.com.au/facebook.html

Coming to the close of Nett11

In July 2008 I had a accident at work. After the accident I had to undergo a drug test and to my surprise I was proven to be positive for athetamines. As some one who has never taken drugs of any type  was devastated and dumbfounded. The company who I was subcontracted to came about with a digital camera and photographed the test results and emailed it around saying that I had failed a drug test. It was later proven that the test  was faulty. The questioned remained about the distribution of the email as it already labelled me as a drug user and with my knowledge of how email distribution worked  concerned me. After obtaining an Independent drugs test I presented this to my employer who in the mean time had printed the email off and distributed it around the workplace. There is a couple of issue here.

1. Sampling for drugs in the workplace is classified under the health act as collection of medical records. When you collect medical records you have an obligation to provide security of those records.  An obligation under the privacy provisions of the act
2. The security of email communication to distribute medical records.

Email can be distributed in a viral like fashion once it is released into the wild. Something as Interesting as a person who failed a drug test creates a good reason for this email distributed as a viral email. I send you an email and you see that this may interest someone else so you forward it on  and this cycle of pass it on then becomes very broad based. Very similar to the way pyramids schemes work.

Living in a small community of 20,000 people it wasn't long before this email became a well known within the community and that I was a drug user. The devastation this caused me sent me into depression for many months. I would sit in a chair  day in and day out playing solitaire on my lap top.

Getting Educated

My son who had started his 1st year on university found that he chosen subjects where not what he thought  and decided that it was not the correct choice of careers. After discussing with him about his future goals he said “I am going to study online.”   I got interested right then. Not just for his future but for mine. Living in a rural community education opportunities was limited and I was critical about this for many years.

When I moved to Horsham in 2002  I was looking for work and was asked if I could teach IT to some agriculture students. I also thought I could use the time to get some qualifications and approached the local TAFE. They recommended I do CIV in information technology. I all ready had 10 years experience in IT but this gave me the opportunity to  to get qualified. The first assignment was to draw input and output computers components and label which was input and which was output. (Keyboard input, Monitor Output). Kindergarten stuff. I rang the coordinator and said come on this is rubbish. He advised me just do the assignments and send them in.  I did this for several months. All very simple stuff. I later found that I was required to get a CIV in Workplace Training to continue teaching.  Then one day I received a phone call from a teacher asking me why I wasn't in his class today. Oh I said was I suppose to go to a class? I never been to a class before why start now I told him. He did how ever convince me to attend this class and I was put into a group of 3 other students to do a project on documentation. I did the project and the other students did not contribute so I received the credit when the situation was explained.  I graduated CIV by doing 3 classes I think with about 13 distinctions of 24 units.   With CIV the next step was to get a Diploma. As the campus did not offer diploma would mean I need to leave town to study. That was not an option.

 

Back to the Online study. This was an option as I had every thing I needed to start now. I contacted Seek and they enrolled me in a Degree course of Information Technology. Considering this is what I do then that seem logical. I enrolled in 3 Units. Text and Context, Information Systems and Internet Communications (net11).  Been a little cynical about these 1st year unit I thought that I would have the skills to walk it in. The Text and Context had me a little concerned but systems and internet communications was my game what will I learn from these units?

 

Well yes Information Systems was a breeze. Read the prescribed text and did the work. Text and context was a little more challenging. Net11 however proved to be something different altogether. Yes we started doing basic internet task that I can do standing on my head and been cynical I plodded thorough with arrogance that this will be easy. I was required to start a blog to record my learning experiences. My son introduce me to blogging and I never really could get into it.  Now I blog almost every day.  My skill as a blogger has improved in the last 3 months as I continue to learn new techniques.

Beating the Depression

The people whom I collaborated with in net11 have been such a fantastic group of people who did not realise that the Chriso was suffering deep depression because they made me realise that I do have a contribution to make to this subject and I do have some worth. My past experiences and life skills I was able to become involved with this group.  I learned from them about social networking on a new dimension and how to be involved in projects with others on the Internet. I never discussed my depression with fellow students as I found that been involved with what they are doing made me feel good and of value. Simple little comments made by other students and teachers made a huge difference to my health. When I could jump in and offer my help and get responses of positive affirmations all contributed to getting out and becoming involved. Yet not one student realised that they helping me through when doing this as they posted their comments.  I must say I owe this to the group.

Is it reality

The discussion thread  “Is social network reality” on the net11 discussion board I posted a thread early in the unit that stated that by the end of this unit some of us will become very good friends by the time the unit is finished. I have seen this develop over the unit where communications between the group(Teachers and Students) often became emotional and  confronting.  As the group became more comfortable with one another their where post about people past and personnel experiences that either explained their view of a topic or just a place to express themselves.  Out of this relationship developed and collaborations started in many forms. We discovered new dimensions about each other and began to develop a picture of each other that probably very accurate.  Some will go on to be good friend for the rest of their lives. At the end of this unit you would have to conclude that social networking is reality.

The future of these skills

Some see this as a waste of time but considering that it is reality it places a whole new meaning on the use of the internet.  By developing a social network places you in a position to communicate ideas and share information with some incredible people. Common interest groups from that enables this development of idea and bring to the Internet to a new level of professional standards. The stumbling block I see at this point is education to the average user  who has a Facebook with 1000 friends and how to get value from those 1000 friends.  By saying value I don't just mean marketing but value can be in many forms. The recent events of the Victorian Bushfires seen groups develop in Facebook of many 1000’s of members to support the Appeals and the Fire Fighters.  One group collected Colouring in books to send to the children affected by the bushfires. This was a very effective way to use your Facebook account for value. There was no personnel gain other than the satisfaction that they had done their bit for the kids in the bushfires but gave value through the use of Facebook by creating an interest group.

I had some short discussion with Peter Fletcher about where this is leading and considered that we maybe emerging on a new world of social media. The use of these new tools brings with it new ways to do things and there is a emergence of corporate  and private operators scrambling to understand what happening here.

The students who continue with Curtin University Internet Studies will find that they will be the next generation of Hi Tech people required it no longer about software but collaborations and networking on the Internet. It is these skills that will be guiding the Internet to its future.  The Internet is a drifting sand but there is a force that is moving the sand and knowledge on that force is your key to success.

Net11

To my fellow students of net11 sp4 2008 I hope you have enjoyed the ride of this unit and found value as I have. I have changed my study career to do BA Internet Studies with Curtin University and believe there are some other coming for the ride as well. I look forward to the next study period with you all. For those who are heading in another direction I hope we cross paths again and be able to maybe meet in person.  For those who have an Interest in what I have conveyed here about Internet Studies contact Curtin University I recommend it.

Internet Response to the Bushfire in Victoria

Saturday the 7th Of February 2009 Temperature at 49c and a gale force wind blowing at 100kmh at about 12.45pm I received a phone call

“Chris Chris There's a fire go outside and have a look quick. Stared at Renlaw Road.”

I went out side and smoke over the back in a wheat paddock that been harvested and thought to myself that it will burn the paddock and stop and the Fire crew will have it under control as the sounds of Fire Trucks racing every where. I quickly went on to Twitter and sent a message that there is a fire in Horsham. This was the start to a very big week. View the video to see what I mean

Lynton Browns Horsham Fire Video 1/2/2009

The Renlaw Rd Fires at Horsham Victoria proved to be a lot worse than I or anyone else would have imagined with the loss of The Horsham Golf Club, 8 houses and a Fire Truck . But that was only the start and has became one of Australian worst Natural Disasters. Most parts of the State of Victoria was ablaze and the final toll still not counted but as of writing the toll was 181 and expecting 300 with the los of 1800 homes and 400,000 ha of land.

I Cannot claim to be the one but all afternoon I was gathering information on the fire and tweeting it trough twitter and Facebook. Twitter is an application where you write 140 Characters messages about what you are doing now. There was a local man from Horsham who received a message trough the internet in Malaya that Horsham is ablaze and Phone his wife to get out of the house. One of the 8 houses destroyed. This proved a very valuable asset to this person that while in Malaya was able to save his family through the use of tools like Twitter. There was a number of user of Tweeds( Twitter users) jump to the task and provided relay messages from the CFA through @CFA_updates who had a live feed from the CFA web site feeding it back to Twitter and @aniraangel who would be quick to resend any worth while information on to others. @774 Melbourne (774 ABC Melbourne) has a news feed running with current and accurate information feeding through and the world stood up and took notice that Victoria was in trouble. It very difficult to really know what the success of this was but if it saved one life then it was worth the effort. All messages carried the #Bushfires # Vicfires Hash tags to enable people to filter the feed by the tag names and keep up to date. This was a very effective tool to use in such a situation.

Also there was valuable information about how to donate. What was needed and who to contact. Links to valuable web sites such has CFA and the RED CROSS where posted at regular intervals that not only help in the fundraising efforts but also allowed people to find the correct information in a hurry. I was impressed with the quality of the post by people who some are just trying to build a following and create a social network. Any post that where not appropriate where quickly dealt with by other users and those people faded into nowhere land.

Facebook

Facebook social network raised to the event by the creation of supporter groups who for the CFA and for those who lost their lives with Samboy is back_Join Now to WIN $10,000 for the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal group attracting 101,000 members in a week. Samboy ran a competition to see who cold get the most users to a group before the 15th of February. This had nothing to do with the Bushfires but the innovative idea of Kimberley Evans thought we can do this. This extended to other states groups to offer their winning prize to the the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal

Samboy is Back - JOIN NOW TO WIN $10,000 FOR THE RED CROSS BUSHFIRE APPEAL

There is also

Zoe Caudle (John XXIII College) who started a group over 27000 members and is a good group for information on the Bushfires

In memory of those who have died in the Victoria Bush fires and lost homes.

Melissa Dower

Victorian Fires - 7/2/09 - CFA volunteers and staff are awesome!!

And Mellissa other group

Donate a "colouring book" to the kids affected by the horrific fires

I was told this morning that by Mellissa that she had collected 1000 colouring in books. She contacted 774 Melbourne to tell them she had the books and a women who's role is to help the people how where Homeless and to get schools and Kindergartens up and running again said she will take them all of Mellissa and see that they get distributed to the kids who need them.

There was many dynamics to how the internet was used during the crisis and a friend of mine Hans posted this blog today on how Google wanted to get involved and with providing information for the bush fire and how it was hampered by backward government departments.

The internet even after this amount of time is still evolving and new realisation of how it can be used is still emerging with the dynamics of Web 2 and collaborating information we have an important role to play in getting others on board this new dimension.

Acknowledgments

Lynton Brown Youtube Video

Facebook.

Twitter

Kimberly Evans Samboy is Back - JOIN NOW TO WIN $10,000 FOR THE RED CROSS BUSHFIRE APPEAL

Mellissa Dower Victorian Fires - 7/2/09 - CFA volunteers and staff are awesome!!

Mellissa Dower Donate a "colouring book" to the kids affected by the horrific fires

Hans blog

Victorian Bushfires still claiming lives

As some one that live in the Wimmera seen again this weekend the horror of fire. Personally effected by 500 meters down the road was a fire  started in High temperature and High winds. Horsham lost 7 houses the Golf Club, 1 Fire Truck and a workshop. After driving around the area the fires went trough there where fences and sheds burnt to the ground. Electricity  and water cut from home in around Haven. Mark McIntyre was the golf pro had his business destroyed  with the Golf Club and his home under threat in Haven.

 

But Horsham was very lucky as many other more severe fires took hold across Victoria. With more that 75 people dead and 700 homes destroyed state wide.

 

Lynton brown posted this comment on my Facebook

From a colleague of mine " I was at De Bortolis just up the road from Chateau Yering yesterday. Fires raged on 3 sides around us. Then suddenly in a matter of a couple of minutes it got really dark and then fire started coming over the hill and straight down towards us. We all (200+ of us) had to rush into the wine cellar and we weren’t allowed outside. It was sooooo close! Then in a stroke of good luck the wind changed and slowed its decent and they were able to control it. But it continued to burn all night. We were supposed to be in a marquee but it turned into a makeshift stand up wedding in the winery. Some people were crying and it was pretty bad. They were hosing the building down and the helicopters bombed it from above. No one was allowed to leave until about midnight. The bride and groom held it together amazingly  well though. I can’t believe how close it got! Then driving back down the Melba Hwy everything on the both sides of the road was still burning. "

Lynton Brown I heard tonight that someones house was saved twice last night only to be burnt down when the power came back on

There are many amazing stories of heroic acts from the Greatest Fire Fighters in the world.

Look at some of the amazing photos here

 

If you have any other amazing stories leave a comment.

Join the social network. All About The Wimmera for updates.

Technorati Tags: bushfires,horsham,grampians,Golfclub,FireTruck

The Invasion of Ants

With all the hot weather we have been having in the Wimmera has also been the Invasion of ants. The lack of water tends to be the problem as they seems to be chasing anywhere there is moisture. Shower base, Baths and Wash Basins.

I asked for some suggestions on Twitter and @RhyseAtWork provided me the best answer. Virtual Cookie to @RhyseAtWork

Solution

Free Petrol and Free Lunch at your local Service Centre

Imagine a service centre that offered free fuel for your car. Never you say . but when it come to Google that how they get customers is that all there products and service are free. What makes Google  money when it all free.

Well Google not all free. They provide you free services  to capture a market of Internet users and present them opportunities to buy goods and service through Google ads The revenue from this supports Google.

 

So where is the free Petrol?

Well there no free petrol but you would think what would happen if your Local fuel outlet gave the petrol away for free. You would be spending days Lined up in the queue to get your share. Physically for a operator of a local fuel outlet would never be able cater for the demand. However lets take the hypothetical  situation on if there where a free fuel at the local fuel outlet. How would this be done As fuel is their prime source of income.

 

Well through Sponsorship. To get you free fuel you have to agree to apply for a CityBank Credit card. try out our new restaurant and when you pay for your meal you use your CityBank CC to pay and we will give you a free fuel voucher. When you make a purchase from a our retail outlet you will also get a voucher for free fuel. Do new mobile phone contract and every time you make a phone call you get free fuel. Get your Internet Service Provider Deal from the outlet.

Now these companies who want to be the sponsor would pay this fuel the outlet for the fuel he gives away. Ok so this will not happen you say. Your  is company is about to launch a major product. The want maximum exposure to the product but want people to experience the product live. The fuel outlet in a very populous area is approached by marketing to provide free fuel for one day only  in return the marketers dominate the outlet with there product launch. They would get media coverage and a captive audience to sell there wares.

 

Your an Internet Cafe and you offer Free Lunch to the first 50 people who com in to day and sign up to a new ISP. As most ISP would pay about $50 spotters fees then the Cafe would turnover $2500 for the lunch trade. No if most people spend $20 in a Cafe for lunch that a huge profit. The Cafe earns $50 for a $20 meal by giving his core business away for free.

 

You can earn 50% commission on pre paid phone cards so by supply free lunch to any person who buy a $100 phone card  would but you business way in front because you will turnover make $50 form a $20 meal.

 

So there is such thing as a free lunch. Its about exploring new options on how to get business when up against the big guys.