When you next log into your channel, click on the upgrade button. YouTube will allow you to switch back and forth between the old and new version as many times as you like over the next three months.

The old channel settings, including videos, comments, favourites, subscribers and likes will stay intact. However, you will find it easier to update your settings in the new version.

So, what’s new?

The channel feed – or as YouTube calls it; ‘the new distribution centre for your channel’. This means that when you share uploads, favourites, likes, comments and playlists, your subscribers will see your activity on their homepage. Sounds familiar? You can however, control your sharing settings.

Use the default tab drop-down to choose which tab people see first when they land on your channel. Allow subscribers to your channel to land on the feed tab first so they always see your latest content.

The featured tab allows you to show off your best content. Choose from four different templates to best fit the kind of content you would like to feature:

• Creator
• Blogger
• Network
• Everything

YouTube Analytics is now accessible from the menu in your account. It is an improved version of the previous module, Insight.

Read more about the new channel design

Read more about YouTube Analytics

It is important to know what to do and what not to do. I’ve been neglecting my own Twitter account @wordshowcase from the start. My focus was on other marketing issues. Increasingly, I’ve been using Twitter to share links and links only - which is a big no-no. Tweets should be creative, helpful and conversation starters.

Do this and do it at regular intervals. Twitter followers expect immediate or fast responses to their tweets and @mentions. It is important to check your Twitter account on a regular basis, but also to monitor Twitter for @mentions of your company name, brand and products.

TweetDeck is a great tool to monitor one or more Twitter accounts. It allows you to monitor and reply to messages more effectively. Save specific searches like your company name, products, competitors, @mentions and reply where needed. TweetDeck also allows you to integrate other social platforms, so you can use it as a social dashboard.

Flowtown has created a free tool called Timely that will help you to schedule tweets for maximum impact. If you do not have the time or resources to regulary access Twitter and post tweets, simply use Timely to upload a selection of tweets in advance and it will post them throughout the day.

Write a plan for using Twitter in your business. Start tweeting, monitoring, listening and answering. Use Twitter to update your followers on promotions, events, launches and industry news. Use Twitter to answer queries and customer complaints. Most of all, be creative.

• after installation, ‘Calendar’ appears under the Posts section on the WordPress Dashboard
• click on ‘Calendar’ and get a review of posts and scheduled posts for your blog
• set the calendar view to show from one to five weeks at a glance
• see what is happening on your blog – when you have posted which item and when items have been scheduled for posting
• it is easy to navigate the calendar – click forward or backward to navigate to next or previous months, scroll down with your mouse scroller or use your arrow keys
• click on the titles scheduled in the calendar to edit or quick-edit from within the calendar screen – the post will go live on the day it has been scheduled
• create a new post from within the calendar – click on the day you want the post to go live and start writing
• if you change your mind and want a post published on a different day – simply drag the post from the current date and drop it on the day you want it published

If you would like to activate the Plugin, do the following:

1. On your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins then click on add new.
2. Type in ‘editorial calendar’ and click on search Plugins.
3. Click on install Plugin and it will automatically download
4. Click on activate – it will appear under the ‘posts’ tab on your WordPress screen.

On 15 February, Vodacom unleashed its Vodafone WebBox – a multimedia plug-and-play keyboard that can be connected to a television, turning the ‘idiot box’ into a computer monitor.

The sleek Qwerty keyboard can turn any television into an internet portal with its built-in modem. The device connects with a standard RCA cable. It is supported by the Android 2.1 platform, and uses the Vodafone Opera Mini browser to surf the internet. Other features include a video player, picture viewer and FM radio.

According to an Engineering News report, WebBox was developed by Vodacom’s parent company Vodafone, with the emerging market in mind. It aims to bring the internet to people who previously did not have access because of high connectivity and equipment costs, and will launch in South Africa before its introduction to other markets.

Rivals in the race

The WebBox launch took place a day before MTN unveiled its version, called InternetOnTV.

InternetOnTV is not as sleek as the Vodacom device as it comprises three separate parts – a keyboard, mouse and handset – whereas all the WebBox’s components are contained within the keyboard. But it does have all the features of the WebBox, including the same web browser and access to email and SMS services – with a few added bonuses.

According to Mapula Bodibe, MTN’s GM of consumer marketing, their device offers social media integration, MS Office document support and 3G at 7.2Mbps. Furthermore, the built-in media player also supports popular multimedia formats such as MP3, AAC, DIV, WMA and MPEG4, while the handset can be used to make phone calls.

There have been a few negative comments about both offerings, such as the purchase price – R749 (US$105) for Vodacom and R999 ($140) for MTN, given that the devices are aimed at the unconnected market – and the fact that users still have to buy prepaid data bundles or use their airtime, but the general consensus is that this is a step in the right direction.

The InternetOnTV will soon be available in Jet retail stores across the country, and account holders will have the convenience of paying it off over six months, interest-free. Those interested in the WebBox will have to go to a Vodacom outlet and pay for the device up front.

Educational tool

Patrick Chomet, Vodafone’s Group Director of Terminals, referred to the WebBox as a simple and innovative product that can make a difference for those living in developing countries.

“The WebBox has the potential to make a powerful difference in the lives of people in emerging markets who have limited access to the internet, but where TV penetration is typically very high. It brings the internet to the TV, be that at home for the family, in schools for education or in small businesses to assist local economic growth,” he said.

Vodacom’s commercial director Romeo Khumalo agreed, saying the WebBox will add dramatic value to schools, homes and small businesses.

“The wealth of knowledge that is available on the Internet can now be accessed by millions of South Africans which will add greater value to the South African economy.”

Still making its presence felt

Though the WebBox may revolutionise the way we watch television and view the internet, some tech savvy South Africans seem to be oblivious to the WebBox’s existence. Jaen-Pierre Klaassen, CEO of web development company My Guru, had not heard of the WebBox and instead knows of other similar devices that have been selling in developed countries.

“I know of Google TV doing something similar. And at the moment, I do the same thing on my PlayStation 3,” he said. The PlayStation 3, of course, is a much more expensive device and is not aimed at the developing market.

Klaassen did praise the WebBox for its convenience.

“Right now, this sort of technology is at the beginning stages and can only get better from here. The Apple iPad, Google TV and the WebBox are nice ideas. What could be better than sitting in your lounge and browsing the internet on your TV?”

Additional features

The WebBox’s browser homepage is bookmarked with links to news, sport and social networking sites as well as a job search and application service, which is more relevant to the local situation. The device also stores games, a dictionary and a basic text editor.

The WebBox scooped the Universal Design Award Consumer Favourite 2011, with special mention given to its flexinility and usability, as well as its security and affordability.

The product’s cost includes a two GB SD card and prepaid SIM card with 100 MB of data which is valid for three months. It may also be available on a 24-month contract in future.

Source: MediaClub South Africa

1.)  Decide on the best keywords.

• Research and find those keywords that your target audience is searching for.
• Use A/B testing (multi-variant testing) and choose those words that bring the best results. (Tip: Set up a Google AdWords campaign, run it for a month or two and use different keywords to find those that work best for you.)
• Establish whether you can compete on those keywords. How established are the websites that appear on the first Google page for those keywords? Is the content relevant to the keywords? Would you be able to compete with these websites? Will you be able to build enough authority to be included on the first page of Google for these keywords? If not, you might consider other keywords or phrases or re-arrange them differently.

 2.)  Once you have chosen those keywords that will drive the most traffic to your site, (they are relevant, your target audience is searching for them, and they are not too competitive) insert your keywords in:

• The page title
• Headings on the page
• Page URL
• Text on the page
• Meta-tags
• Alt-text on images

3.)  Write the best possible description for each page of your website. When your page appears on the Google search results, your target audience should understand what you are offering. They should want to read more. Convince them to click on your site.

4.)  Build links within your site to other key text or keywords on your site – anchor text to other pages. Remember to make the hypertext the description or title of the page it directs to – the landing page.

5.)  Submit your site to the main directory: Dmoz.org

6.)  Communicate through social networking (Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google buzz) and your blog. Add content that people want to remark on and share with others. (Tip: Provide free tools to use in your industry, give tips, write a top 10 list, etc.) Join groups and comment on the content of others.

7.)  Your blog should be your homepage (www.yourdomain.com) or (www.yourdomain.com/blog) or a sub domain like blog.yourdomain.com. Why? Because you want to drive more traffic to your site and build inbound links. You do not want your efforts to build authority and improve the rankings of someone else’s site – Word Press, Blogger, etc.

8.)  Your blog/website should incorporate your social media applications, i.e. include Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube widgets on your site or blog.

9.)  I would recommend including RSS functionality and an email subscription form.

10.)  Register with and start using social bookmarking sites: Digg, Reddit, and StumbleUpon.

“Marketing is a process of finding those products and services that satisfy your customer needs, then making it available to them at an acceptable price and telling them all about it. If the process is researched, planned and executed correctly, your business will make a healthy profit.” Gerrie Coertzen, Independent Marketing Executive.

A creative agency used so called “clean” advertising to promote a website for a car maker in 5 major cities in the UK: London, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol and Birmingham.  The messages were spray painted on pavement sites with high-footfall using naturally collected rain water. These markings last for around two to three weeks and then simply fade away.

As many people have not seen this form of advertising before, it attracted more attention and people slowed down and took time to take it in. This already attracted more than 135,000 people to the website with over 3,400 people registering details to obtain more information in the future.

Be careful not to use scientific words for common conditions that are unfamiliar to consumers and never suggest that consumers should use certain products in excess.

If advertisers claim that products are guaranteed to work, they should have enough proof of these claims. So called “natural” products should not imply that they are effective or safe just because it excludes certain ingredients in common use.

Where there are medical claims, these claims should be backed up with sufficient evidence. These claims will be assessed based on the scientific knowledge available to the Advertising Standards Authority at the time of the claim.