Earth Hour Twitters

Earth Hour’s John Johnston says the next event has already amassed 700,000 online “friends” in more than 80 countries.

In the effort to send the Earth Hour message “viral” and reach the target of one billion participants, Mr Johnston says pretty much anything goes when it comes to getting the word out online.

“People can really do whatever they want on the web,” he said. “We take the attitude that the more activity there is on the web and the more people there are talking positively about Earth Hour, the better it is.”

The latest effort to push the Earth Hour message is through a new social networking service called 12 Seconds. The 12 Seconds service, likened to a video version of Twitter, allows users to post 12-second videos about any subject that catches their attention.

Earth Hour organisers are asking supporters to make 12-second promotional videos and put them online.

“We’ve really excited about the idea, we’re pushing it very hard,” said the co-founder of 12 Seconds, Sol Lipman, who is expecting hundreds of videos to be made once the idea takes hold.

Mr Johnston said that many of the online ideas being used were culled from the last US election, when Barack Obama harnessed social media techniques to galvanise millions of supporters and raise money.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/03/23/1237656850372.html

There are so many people that are currently watching online videos that it is essential that you start online video marketing. The following are six steps to consider when beginning:
1. It is not necessary for these videos to be complicated or studio quality. As a matter of fact, you really don’t need any actual video footage. Is it possible to create a video without video? Put together a slide show of still images, add a voice over or music track, and save it in a video format. Voila! Right away, there is your video.
2. Try to make your videos as short as possible. Sound bites and small information chunks go over best on the Web. Two pitfalls of long videos are the impatience of people with the downloads and not being able to keep them interested. Keep it as short as possible and get directly to the point.
3. The titles of your videos should include keywords related to your business, and you should use relevant tags.
4. It is OK to distribute a video more than once. Although it appears similar to spamming, if performed for the appropriate reasons, it is quite different. When you distribute a video multiple times you get exposure via a number of different keywords, which could potentially expose your message to many more people who might not otherwise find you. However make a slight change to the video each time such as length of video, file type, etc.
5. Be sure to set up accounts on more than one video site. YouTube is currently the most popular site but with a little research you will find plenty more. One site may have the most users, but don’t let this fool you, as there are plenty of other video sites available on the Internet. Explore all of your options. When you are really serious about giving your video wide distribution you can find a number of online solutions to help you in this process.
6. Go for it and have a blast! Video-making can be a very enriching experience. The more you enjoy what you are doing, the more that will reflect in the quality of your videos.
Don’t forget to download my free report for more online video marketing tips.

The most recent virtual world to be launched out of a beta program is Exit Reality.  Exit Reality’s big bold feature is the capability to turn any website into an exciting 3D world complete with interactive elements created from content found on the page. Music files, photos and videos are all included.
All this service needs is a tiny system plug-in that will currently only run on PCs. Although I’ve been told that a version for the Mac is not currently planned, these plans might change if there is sufficient demand. After the plug-in is successfully installed, it just takes a click of a button to take you to the exciting new 3D version of that site. At that point, the program will examine any page you’re currently on and create a “default world” with various bits and pieces of content organized within a large room. Similar to a Second Life-esq environment, site creators can utilize open-source 3D modeling standards and a developer toolbox to build their own creations.
The Exit Reality platform can be attributed to a pair of important things: an ad network and a social network. Users will be allowed to have Exit Reality specific profiles that carry over as the user bounces around various sites, complete with a dictionary and search feature to navigate the best creations.

this is an awesome video that explains just how powerful Web 2.0 really is

read more | digg story

Yahoo has announced an upcoming homepage redesign that will open the page up to third-party content and services. Combine this with ambitious plans for social network, and you may have a Yahoo that is focusing on the right things again.

read more | digg story

Web 2.0 … The Machine is Us/ing Us…
This is a great example of using Web 2.0 video to both inform us and make us laugh!

read more | digg story

Interesting blog about creating a harmonious work environment through Feng Shui principals - and helping the business bring in the prosperity!

read more | digg story

Most people get so caught up in the website design they fail to think about how to get more traffic. Unless people visit it, the website is useless.
Let’s give you some ideas on how to generate more traffic.
1. On Page Search Engine Optimization
When writing content for your site’s search engine optimization, do research to figure out the best keywords. The content of the page should be informative, but it is important to include your keywords and keyword phrases on the page. Don’t write “articles” that are merely excuses to stuff in lots of keywords.
Insert text links for navigation around your site and be sure to place those links on each page. This is a way to improve your search engine rankings. Avoid using too many images since search engine spiders are unable to read them.
Be sure that you include a sitemap. Search engine spiders, such as the ones at Google, can use a formatted xml file with a site map to discover all the pages on your server and the ones that have recent changes; they can use this information to properly index your site.
2. Submit Your Articles to Article Directories
Submitting your articles to article directories can not only help you gain exposure, but will give you links back to your site. A resource box will accompany the article submission form. In this box, put a link to your site and the keywords that you chose. The more directories you apply to, the higher your search rankings will become.
You will also benefit because others can put your article and the accompanying resource box onto their own site. When they do this, your page rank and search engine rankings will increase because you have more links to your site.
3. Bookmark Your Site on Social Networking Sites
Generating traffic is a snap using social network or Web 2.0 sites to add bookmarks. Social websites, with their massive popularity, appear to be here to stay. Some examples of social websites are Digg, Stumble upon, Delicious and Propeller. All you have to do is establish your free account and bookmark your website.
4. Create Videos
Videos are very popular with search engines. If your site sells software, you can put together a video showing how to use it. More sales will be produced when your potential buyers can see your software in action. Once your video appears on your website, submit it to other video sites such as YouTube and Google Video. The tags you should use when you submit your videos are your keywords.
5. Join Online Forums
Become a member of a forum that specializes in your niche. You can begin new topics or threads and respond to the questions posed by other members. If the information you offer is factual and helpful, you will gain the trust and respect of other forum members. Other members will trust you and will relay that trust to many others. Make sure that your signature includes a link back to your website. When people click on the link in your signature, traffic to your site will increase.
For more tips on how to get more traffic don’t forget to subscribe to get my free eBook Google Front Page In 24 Hours.

One of the main problems for bloggers is the constant race to add fresh blog content. The following are some suggestions for bloggers to conquer this problem and discover new resources for obtaining information about what is the hot topic of conversation.

Browse Various Sites to Find Out What is Discussed
You will become familiar with what people are discussing if you check out various websites belonging to bloggers who are successful. Once you are aware of the latest topics of interest, you can write about them yourself and your content will reflect what people want to read about. In addition, if you have an excellent writing style, you leave a good first impression with visitors to your website, encouraging them to come back for more.

Use Google to Find Hot Topics
By using Google, you are able to discover the most searched topics on the web. By examining these subjects and choosing one, you can begin work on creating content. These writing samples will draw in a larger audience. You should constantly be creating new material, which is a practice likely to increase your number of visitors and the amount of time they spend on your site.

Search Your Local Press
Local publications are a fine resource for getting a feel for what interest’s people and what would entice them to read about, particularly if your blog is aimed at the local population. In the event that your target readership is broader than your physical location, this might yet be helpful because an event in your area might be of value for discussion and may grab the attention of a global audience.

Invite Others to Contribute Material
If you are having trouble coming up with compelling content, turn to others who might have some ideas. You may extend an invitation to fellow bloggers or others with an interest in writing such as novelists, teachers, philosophy students, etc. to be a writer on your blog. You might supply them with a subject or allow them to select their own subject - which is still related to your blog - in order to write for you.

Write Reviews About Other Blogs
Another method of finding fresh ideas for your blog is to write reviews of other blogs.  This is beneficial for a number of reasons, initially because it provides a broad range of unique content; second, it encourages reviewed websites to link back to your own site, therefore supplying you with visitors from their sites who share an interest in what you might have to say about their preferred blogger. Should these visitors enjoy your blog, they might have a desire to return to it, therefore ensuring you of a faithful audience. In addition, the back links you acquire from different websites will enable you to get a better page ranking from Google. Doing this can increase the reputation of your blog.

Good luck with your blog content.

Membership sites are websites that provide a place for people with common interests to come together. Membership sites are attractive to users for a variety of reasons. Often people join in order to learn about a specific topic in greater depth. A person who is new to an area of interest may want to gather information by surrounding themselves with experienced individuals. The best and fastest path to learning is by total immersion. Some people who are experts in their areas of interest choose to help others by coaching and mentoring them. Some users just want to hang out in an online community and learn new things.

Why Should You Form a Membership Site?

People around the world are eager to create membership sites for a variety of reasons:

1. To generate a constant flow of monthly subscription fees. A consistent revenue stream is one of the best features of the membership site model. The revenue is more stable, avoiding some of the ups and downs of a more typical business venture.

2. To lay claim as an authority, or master, on the subject. People will believe you are an expert if you make yourself CEO of your own membership site. But remember, you’ll be expected to repeatedly justify this claim when the site is in full operation.

3. To find out more about your area of specialization. Even when you are teaching, you are sure to learn more about your topic. Belonging to a membership site will constantly encourage further research into your area of expertise.

4. To make contacts with other people. There are a number of reasons why people want to be in contact with others. Some people simply find online environments stimulating. You may be looking for a joint venture partner or seeking mentors or moderators who can make contributions to the site and handle some of the daily tasks. No matter why you are there, membership sites create an environment that encourages collaboration and cooperation.

5. To share your experience with others. Many individuals are simply driven to teach others. They believe they are handing down a legacy. The best way to further that goal is to start a membership site.

Before starting your own membership site, clarify your reasons for doing so. It’s your passion for your vision that will carry you through the difficulties that occur in any business. You need to know why you need to do what you are doing. Your clear vision is what will help you turn your dream into a large, successful membership site.