Social Media: Building a Better 'Web Presence' October 17, 2007

Session 1

What's Social Media?

You might think 'Social Media' tools are a set of trendy Web 2.0 buzzwords and online services: blogs, podcasts, presence, flickr, youtube, google maps, del.icio.us, digg, scrapblog, facebook, wikipedia, unconferences, meetups, usergroups, and beta programmes. The term "Social Media" is indeed used to describe a set of new community driven and community focussed services that has grabbed and maintained the attention of millions worldwide including a growing number of web savvy businesses. The Social Media space has given rise to a new breed of marketeers; who are revolutionising how we promote products and services; indeed how we do business online.

Using Social Media Tools

If you think having a great web presence is about having one great website, this seminar is for you. Katie Lips of Liverpool based Social Media Consultancy Kisky Netmedia will talk about her work as a Social Media Strategist. Katie will show how by using free and open source software, businesses can build a truly useful web presence in multiple locations and communities online. A good online strategy is one that recognises a company's website as one part of online activity, and recognises people who inhabit these spaces as collaborative promoters; who can be encouraged to help you grow your business.

Session Overview

Katie will offer an overview of the Social Media space, and how businesses have successfully harnessed these free or very low cost tools to impact their bottom line. Katie will also show a range of quick tips and tricks which you can get started with straight away, showing that Social Media and blogging is something everyone can benefit from.

Session 2

Podcasting: Become your own global digital media publisher

What's Podcasting?

Podcasting enables you to become your own digital publisher and allows you to create and distribute audio, video or documents (if fact virtually any digital content) to a global audience via iTunes and the Internet. Podcasting has enormous potential for individuals, educational faculties and commercial organisations alike with unlimited application across the board in such areas as marketing, sales, advertising, training, branding, entertainment, communications and much, much more. We've always been able to access digital content on the web but Podcasting takes it to the next level and enables you to deliver content automatically to a users desktop or mobile device automatically each time some new content is created.

How To Podcast

If you've got a PC or Mac, a microphone or video camera and access to a website then you're pretty much good to go. Podcasting requires no special equipment and is really very simple to setup and enables you start delivering digital content via the internet at little or no cost.

Session Overview

Don will quickly bring you up to speed on the technology that powers podcasting, together with a look at some of the unique features of podcasting which make it such a powerful tool. By the end of the session you'll have glimpsed at the amazing potential of this new medium and understand just how easy it is to adopt within any organisation and appreciate the multitude of benefits that it can bring.

Official Website: http://www.merit.org.uk/events/showevent.asp?recordid=138