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Guest Post: An eventful day with the IIA
The following post was contributed by Colman Kelly, a web developer with PillarProjects Ltd, a member of the IIA, who are currently developing their own site. He attended last week’s Search Engine Optimisation and Search Engine Marketing Course and offered to write a review of it. As he knows from the course and as I mentioned myself in a previous post becoming a guest blogger is a great and legitimate way to generate links to your own site.
I recently attended the SEO/SEM course organised by the IIA.
It was a one day course at the IPA, Lansdowne Road given by Micheal Heragthy, CEO of Heraghty Internet Consultants.There was a full attendance, which I wasn’t surprised at given Michael Heraghty’s reputation, and the importance of SEO/SEM to all businesses today.
The pace, and detail, of the morning session was prepared and presented in such a way as it could be followed by all there.
There is a good atmosphere in the IPA, and all the class mingled and chatted during the tea break, and at the lunch across the road.
The afternoon session was a practical one where we stepped through the process of creating a (commercial) pay-per-click advertising campaign using Google AdWords.
As a web devoloper these were skills that I needed to learn. Many of us created a live campaign right then and there, and Michael took time to get his hands dirty and give us one-on-one help and advice.
From what I have read and heard there is no more knowledgable man on this topic than Michael Heragthy, and it was obvious the class appreciated this in their eagerness and application in the afternnoon session, and with the questions and answers at the end.
A very worthwile day.
If you plan to attend an IIA event or have attended on in the recent past and would like to write a review of it, please contact me, Roseanne at roseanne at iia dot ie.
public policy, Web 2.0, data protection, privacy, rights
Where everybody knows your name
Although the Darklight Symposia weren’t quite like the bar in Cheers where everybody knows your name, there was a lot of familiar names and faces at this event. A good sign for Darklight because it means that they touched a chord with the topics they chose and also attracted a respected panellists. I attended the first symposium of the day “Letting it all hang out: Privacy vs. Publicity in the Virtual World” and caught the very end of the second “Web 3.0: Where next for the Internet”. Brendan Hughes, chair of the IIA Social Media Working Group gives a good overview of the topics on his own blog. The festival continued in venues around Dublin all weekend.
I was particularly interested in the first symposium they ran this morning. Regular readers might recall that I was at another seminar last month about privacy in the Institute of International and European Affairs. While the two audiences were very different (Peter Fleischer from Google would not have been making jokes about Google employees non-tie-wearing* at today’s event, let me encapsulate it like that!) they had many of the same concerns albeit from a different angle. There was a strong sense of “us” and “them” to many of the comments from the floor. “Us” seemed to refer to the private citizen and “them” to anyone who wasn’t; but even “them” is made up of private citizens who have rights too; among them a right to earn a living. Also “them” variously referred to businesses and government: businesses who are retaining data about those using their services; governments using that data to for crime-fighting purposes. However there was little acknowledgement of the fact that those companies were generally obliged by those governments to keep that information but also to protect it. And where does the government get the mandate to oblige those companies to keep AND to protect it? From this “us”. However it would be disingenuous not to acknowledge that many of the concerns in the room were about the lack of disclosure about and access to exactly what information certain larger internet companies are retaining about individuals and their use of their services.
Businesses are, of course, not without their influence when it comes to data-protection policies. Involvement in bodies like the IIA allows businesses to come together and debate these issues and present a united view to the government. It is also essential that businesses remain aware of their obligations under data protection and privacy legislation and the IIA hopes to keep businesses abreast of these issues.
The keynote speaker was Daniel J. Solove, Associate Professor of law at the George Washington University Law School, and the author of “The Digital Person: Technology and Privacy In The Information Age”. This book can be downloaded for free from www.futureofreputation.com Chaired by solicitor and digital rights expert Caroline Campbell, the panel included journalist Jim Carroll, Hotline.ie director Cormac Callanan, Relevant Media owner Niall Larkin and Irish blogger Damien Mulley. The audience was made up of a mix of bloggers, developers, researchers, consultants and policy makers.
* Tie-wearing: I recall being irked at the IIEA seminar because Fleischer made a flip comment about how he could spot his Google colleagues a mile off because they were always the ones not wearing ties. This annoyed me because I had spoken to one of his colleagues earlier and SHE was most definitely not wearing a tie and probably never does. Similarly Annette Clancy from Inter-Actions, who I was sitting beside at the Darklight symposium on Friday, made a point from the floor that there were no women (bar the chair) on the panel on Friday and this was the case in both of the sessions. Working for an organisation that is constantly seeking good speakers and presenters for a variety of event types I understand the Darklight’s conundrum when they approach people and some of them are unavailable and unfortunately that effects the gender balance on their panel. Similarly I appreciate the viewpoint that to deliberately seek women because they are women could be just as sexist as not having women at all. However I do tend more to the side that it is essential that all aspects of a question are discussed. Women experience and use technology differently and for different purposes to men. I’m sure there’s research to back this up and would appreciate any links to same. Annette said to me later that one issue that was not discussed, and she feels, that this was due to the lack of women on the panel, was the issue of privacy and cyber-stalking. While this may not be solely experienced by women, if virtual life reflects real life chances are the majority of its victims are women.
Is the virtual life experience of women and their absence from some fora a reflection of the real life experience of women in technology and business? Why are the women unavailable? Where is the brave new world that the internet promises to all of us?
Uncategorized
La Maison des Pensées
I got a lovely, cheery email with a smattering of French from Thinkhouse PR this morning and it really cheered me up. It also cheered me up that they have joined the IIA. Being a bit of a magpie I also like their site: lots of bright colours AND music too.
I read on their website that they specialise in youth communications which reminded where I had heard of them before. They were involved in promoting a band I know well. They did a good job too, getting them a lucrative drinks commercial. Probably not the worst earner in the world I would say.
Uncategorized
Logistics-a-go-go
Welcome to WorkTrace, a provider of web solutions for logistics company who are based in Lifford Co. Donegal. With WorkTrace’s systems logistics operators can capture data on logistics events such as proof of delivery, print bar-codes and documentation, all via the Internet. Both the operator and the client can trace mail progress. WorkTrace is a powerful technology to bridge legacy logistics systems or third party partners with ease. No more wondering where that parcel ended up then.
Uncategorized
Sure and where would you be going without them?
Welcome to the IIA’s newest member, SureSkills. They are an accredited IT Advice and Training Services company and as one of their customers testifies “SureSkills changed certain parts of our IT workload from a management and time headache into contract-based service delivery issue, in the process minimising risk, capital cost and the IT overhead footprint.” Their business focuses on four key areas:
- Managed IT Services
- IT Deployment
- IT Training Services
- Business Skills
broadband
Don’t get broadsided by broadband – quick guide
Maeve Kneafsey, IIA Chair and MD of Elucidate was recently asked to contribute to a Sunday Times article about broadband in light of Vodafone‘s entry into the market. Here below are her thoughts which make a handy pocket sized guide to choosing broadband in Ireland.
What should consumers expect to get from a decent basic broadband package?
One of the big things for consumers to watch out for is not just the monthly cost, but also to compare the speed or megabytes (mb) they are being offered and all the additional extras involved in installing the service into their home or business. There can be a lot of hidden costs, so check the detail and then make your cost comparison. Watch out for the cap on the amount of files you can transfer in any given month as this can be really expensive if you go over your cap. The opening offer from Vodafone for a 2mb broadband connection for EUR49.00 a month, includes installation.
What is the best type of broadband – (ADSL), cable-TV connections, or wirelessly through the air via a satellite dish or aerial?
Depends on what is most important to you, convenience (being able to move around), speed, cost and of course if the service or choice are available in your area. Most areas don’t even have a huge choice as often served by one or two service providers.
Wireless via satellite can be expensive, wireless via the air is reliable and convenient (depending on providers coverage of course) but can be a bit slow (e.g. 3.5mb or download or upload speed), sky offer 8-9mb which seems very fast, ADSL still seems to be the fastest and the most reliable, but it is not always the cheapest and it may not be available in your area. Also watch out if it says it is an up to 2mb it may be less than 2mb.
What is the best way of shopping around for a deal?
Maybe start by using a very handy online tool called the Broadband Calculator that allows you to fill in your preferences and it will deliver a result – http://www.callcosts.ie/broadband/Broadband_Calculator.175.LE.asp which is (from what I can tell) an independent source of information. It asks you questions such as do you want to exclude the cost of a telephone line rental as some providers don’t need a phone line to operate, what speed you want etc.
I would also use the price comparison websites http://www.broadband.gov.ie/List+all++Services/ to compare costs and download speeds. However, your journey does not end there, because then you have to check that your shortlist providers are available in your area which you can find out from http://mapviewer.broadband.gov.ie/ServiceByLocationSearchWF.aspx.
Then double check there aren’t any hidden costs associated with installation and add-ons to your monthly charges, which may not have been mentioned earlier. You need to double check exactly what you will see as a total charge on your monthly bill before you agree to sign up to any service provider. No harm in asking them to confirm by email. You should also check how long it will take before it will be set up (“Is there a waiting list?”) and exactly what is involved. You don’t want to be sitting waiting all day for them to arrive, or have a team ready to work without any access to broadband. So ask how this is managed and can you book a specific time for installation.
An added difficulty can be getting a response from the providers, especially if you contact them via their website or email. But if they do offer you to contact them via email or their website and don’t respond to your query, it might indicate how well they will deal with you in the future if you are experiencing problems with your service.
Who do you think is offering the best deal at the moment?
I would love to answer this one, but it depends on what is the top priority for you. Is it speed, ability to move around, reliability, availability in your area or cost? Good luck!
Uncategorized
“Avoid risk and die”
It got your attention anyway didn’t it? I read it in this month’s edition of Marketing Age the Marketing Institute of Ireland’s bi-monthly publication. It’s from their adaptation of Richard Laermer and Mark Simmons Punk Marketing Manifesto and it is point number one of 14. My main reason for mentioning it is by way of introducing the IIA’s twitter channel. “Ah now hold on”, I hear you say, “I’m only just getting the hang of this blogging business and you introduce microblogging!!” I’ve been microblogging myself since earlier this year and it felt like a good channel to connect with people who might be interested in the IIA, it’s events, members and opportunities so I took the risk and so far, so good. Try it out yourself. You can follow me, I’ll follow you. I know some of our members use it to great effect and hopefully they will add their comments below about their experiences. You can zone in on the Irish Twitterati at www.twit.ie – you’ll probably see some familiar names and faces.
Let me know if you are using other microblogging platforms and if you would like the IIA to contribute there as well and I will look into it.
events
Link Love with the IIA
Last Thursday I attended the IIA Event “Search Engine Optimisation and Marketing (PDF 2 MB)”. While I was happy to be there to represent the IIA as always, I was primarily there to learn like many of the other participants. Some of the other participants were there because they were planning to get their hands dirty and develop some killer AdWords campaigns for their own companies; some participants were there because they had found the “if you build it; they will come” approach hadn’t gone quite to plan; and some were there because they were planning to recruit SEO executives and wanted to ensure they were recruiting people with real knowledge and experience. Well more knowledge and experience than they got from a one day course! We were absolutely full to capacity and as the afternoon session was hands on and PC based we were lucky to be able to fit everyone. Lesson 1: if you see an IIA event that would benefit you or your company, book it immediately!
The trainer for the day was Michael Heraghty of Heraghty Internet Consultants and his coverage of the topic was extensive. It was apparent very quickly that he has the SEO knowledge and the passion for SEO that will keep that knowledge fresh in a fast changing area. I had been to a seminar on AdWords about two years ago and so much has changed even since then that I really learnt a lot. The content of the workshop also boosted my confidence in developing Google AdWords Campaigns. I think the main thing to remember in Search Engine Optimisation and AdWord formulisation is that all the Search Engines want to offer their users the best experience possible, which means serving them results with the answer to their query, preferably in the number one position. Therefore they are constantly tweaking and improving their search engines in order for them to search like humans who know where they are and who they are. I know that I am a thirty something in Dublin so when I throw the single word query “hairdresser” into a search engine I want to see results about hairdressers in Dublin. (There aren’t many with great websites anyway but that’s another day’s post!)
One of the most useful points, I thought, that Michael made was all about what I like to call “Link love” (a quick search of WordSpy suggests that it hasn’t entered the general lexicon however Blogossary (not a receptacle for dead blogs but a glossary for blogging terms) defines it as “posting a link to sites or blogs, usually unsolicited, that you enjoy, admire, or find useful.” The beauty of link love for the recipient is that it increases your ranking with Google because Google not only looks at the content of your own site but the content of the sites that link to yours and why they are linking to yours. It works out the “why” by examining their content and if it contains some of the same keywords, it’s a good link, a real link, a link full of love. The more links of love your site receives the higher you rank in the search results. However, this only holds if, for example, you are one of my mythical hairdressers in Dublin and your site contains the keywords hairdresser and Dublin and sites linking to yours contain the keywords hairdress and Dublin EVEN IF those sites are saying “Roseanne’s Hair Salon is the WORST hairdresser in Dublin” with links to my salon’s site, Roseanne’s Hair Salon. The old adage that it’s better to be talked about than not at all really holds true for search optimization. The next trick is to engage the aforementioned dissastisfied customer of Roseanne’s Hair Salon and see if you can put it all to rights. This is something which will no doubt feature in Thursday’s half-day event “Improving Online Results using Web 2.0” and which Keith Shirley discusses when he was writing about last week’s inaugural meeting of the Social Media Working Group.
02/09/2008: I am editing this section to clarify a number of points. You can see from the comments that it has generated some interest among bloggers.
Michael mentioned that a great way to boost your link love was to write a guest blog post (HINT!! HINT!!). EDIT: Also I also imagine that leaving comments on blogs that are likely to be published (i.e. helpful, objective and “soft” sell comments (Edit: Please see clarification on my use of the term “soft” sell below.)) is another way to get those lovin’ links going. It also occurred to me that another great way to increase your link loving is to log into the IIA extranet and post information (news, appointments, vacancies, special member offers) about your company. Another link in the chain of love that will help you creep closer to that coveted number one position. I look forward to reading all your news!
With all of this in mind I would like to make a suggestion. If you have tended an IIA event and are a fully paid-up member and would like to write a review of that event and how you feel the material will feed into your work and your internet strategy, I would love to hear from you. Post a comment below or email me at members at iia dot ie.
(By the way if you can’t get enough of this SEO stuff, Heraghty Internet Consultants have plenty of case studies in the Clients section of their site.)
EDIT: Soft sell: Let’s be clear, the IIA is a business association and so our members are in the business of turning a profit. This is the main goal of all resources spent on company time. The reason that they will undertake any blogging or commenting on blogs is that they hope that their engagement will reflect well on their products and services which in turn will lead to new customers or sustain relationships with existing customers. Like all other engagments there are rules. You wouldn’t roll into a meeting with potential clients unprepared or do a radio intervew without planning. Writing a blog or commenting on somebody else’s blog has the potential to attract as much attention as a radio interview. However as an employee of the IIA when I comment on a blog in a professional capacity I will always be doing it with the IIA’s mission and strategic goals in mind. It will, after a fashion, be a soft sell to encourage members to take a more active role or to encourage non-members to consider joining etc. even if I never mention these goals explicitly.
Uncategorized
Call for Input: 5 Strategic Questions for Ireland’s Digital Sector
The IIEA Digital Stakeholders’ Consultation will be reporting to Government in October. The IIEA will synthesise stakeholders’ inputs to inform the Government’s strategic thinking and approach to the digital sector. Please respond by e-mail (no word count limit) to these five strategic questions (to johnny.ryan@iiea.com):
- What are the current policy (or other) opportunities & challenges that Ireland faces in the digital sector?
- Which emerging trends are potentially dominant in the digital sector?
- In which niches can Ireland become a world leader?
- What is the most important strategic investment of relevance to the digital sector that Ireland could make at this point to enhance its competitiveness in the next 10 years?
- What are the next three steps that Government should take?
Please note your responses are completely confidential, unless otherwise agreed.
All participants will be acknowledged in the report. Please send your responses at your earliest convenience by email to the Project Manager, Johnny Ryan (johnny.ryan@iiea.com). This project is an independent initiative of the Institute of International & European Affairs. Paul Rellis, Managing Director of Microsoft Ireland is the chairperson of the IIEA Digital Group. Prof. Joyce O’Connor, Chairperson of the Digital Hub, is vice chair.
See www.iiea.com/digital/ for more details.
social media, Social Media Working Group, Guest Blogger, Web 2.0
Social Media Working Group – Up and running
The following post is contributed by Brendan Hughes, Chair of the IIA Social Media Working Group. The IIA facilitate and support a number of working groups – information about all is available on our website. If you have a particular interest in any of them please contact me, Roseanne Smith, Membership, Marketing and Communications Manager at members at iia punc ie.
Last Wednesday night saw the first gathering in the Digital Depot of the IIA’s new Social Media Working Group. When asked by Fergal O’Byrne (CEO of the IIA) to chair the group I was happy to say yes as I see this an important development in the Internet landscape in Ireland. To my knowledge this is the first co-ordinated attempt to gather together social media experts and business people with a view to providing information and best practice advice for businesses. I am certainly not aware of any library or resource that is independent and can freely be tapped into – this is what we hope to deliver.
The meeting was attended by thirteen of the sixteen members of the working group (the other three had solid alibis and are still very much in the group). I’ll ensure that the full list of members is made available on the IIA site, but without mentioning people individually I’m very happy to say that we had a very impressive collection of people round the table. We had luminaries from the blogging community, academia, big business and small business, organisations serving big and small businesses, and people who are starting new businesses. What we had in common was a very clear belief that this “social media thing” is important for organisations, and an enthusiasm to get stuck into the detail.
Our task last night was to get to know each other and to tease out a little of our vision, scope and how we are going to work together. The vision has started out looking something like: “the group’s aim is to be the thought leader – developing and sharing insights – in the appropriate use of social media by businesses in Ireland”. We had lots of discussion, as you can imagine, around some particular words – “thought leader”, “appropriate use”, “social media”. This vision might be a little bold for a voluntary part-time group, but we’re going to stick with it for now.
Much of the discussion centred on how we would tackle our planned outputs. We intend to deliver white-paper documents on some of the key social media that are relevant to both small and large businesses in Ireland. Initially we are going to pick off blogging, social networks/online communities, audio and video podcasting, and RSS. On hold for now are collective intelligences (wikis etc), peer-to-peer networks, mash-ups, web services and instant messaging (and anything else that we haven’t thought of).
A question arose about how deep we should go on each of these and that discussion is still ongoing today. We are all agreed that the first and most obvious need in the market is for the simple guide to each of the social media mentioned. Once businesses understand what they are they will very quickly want to figure out what potential there might be for their business and what the rationale / business-case might be for engaging. We do intend to get stuck into all of this and I think we have the right people on board to make this happen.
In order to keep things manageable, I going to keep the membership of the group limited to the sixteen who are currently on board. We do however intend that the process should be outward looking and we will be inviting contributions from people outside the group. We are setting up a wiki to facilitate this. We’re going to try and use social media as much as possible in the operations of the group – in order to prove to ourselves at least how beneficial it can be. Our next meeting will be via Skype conference and we’ll be posting updates on progress over the coming months here on the IIA blog.
If you are interested in participating in the group please email members@iia.ie and we’ll put your name on the list if some of the existing members leave. And don’t forget to subscribe to this blog for the updates.
Bernie Goldbach of Tipperary Institute of Technology has blogged about the meeting describing us as social media plumbers who “understand the flow of conversations and how surges of information gurgle and sometimes spit in vitriolic ways.” Very nicely put, Bernie – thanks!