These are my links for November 11th through November 23rd:

  • How to Benefit From a Freelancer’s Mind-Set – Today is National Freelancers day. Freelancers stand up and be counted! It's never been tougher to be freelance, but the skills your learn have never been so rewarding. Gina Trapani, founder of Lifehacker.com, presents this fab article on how employees can survive the axe from thinking like a freelancer – improve your skills, treat each job as your best and do work that adds value as well as cash.
  • Social media challenges social rules – The Beeb's Bill Thompson on how social media has changed the depth, speed and ways we engage – but from the lessons learnt from the mlitary at Fort Hood – humanity needs to be put before ego.
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These are my links for November 2nd through November 3rd:

  • Constant Transformation Is the New Normal – Piece by disruptive innovation expert Scott Anthony on how 'business as usual' ain't coming back: you need to be customer-focused, adaptable to change and have distinct, autonomous spaces for innovation.
  • Lord Mandelson sets date for blocking filesharers’ internet connections – In full: the timetable and approach for UK government to impose the "three strikes and your offline" policy to tackle file-sharing; which, interestingly, WASN'T a recommendation of Lord Carter's Digital Britain report from this year.
  • A fistful of (internet) dollars – The Guardian have produced this useful round up showing the size of the digital industries (music, TV, film, games, publishing) in 2000 compared to now, and how they are siddling with Lord Mandelson and the government on the issues around downloading and regulation.
  • To Be a Better Leader, Give Up Authority – Prof Vlatka Hlupic believes that in complex trading environments in knowledge industries, the leader who delegates more control to their workers can see improved levels of innovation and results. Command and control models are broke.
  • Expansive English Game Development Hub Discussed – The long-running 'games centre of excellence' proposal seems to be zoning in on becoming a reality, with a research, training and testing facility mooted to be established in MediaCity in Salford – which could put the noses out of joint in Liverpool, where most of the North West games industry are based.
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These are my links for October 19th from 09:20 to 15:28:

  • Just 11% of Brits pay for online content – Bad news for online content makers/publishers: only 1 in 10 Brits is paying for any online media (including music), a trend that has worsened from the recession, with users seeking out free online content to replace spend on traditional media (e.g. magazines). But without online advertising increases, this is a vicious cycle – how long can producers sustain the free lunch?
  • Music Week – Pirate Party founder meets fiery reception – Wow, looks like there was some hot discussion going on at the In The City music convention in Manchester this week. The attitude from the music creators against the libertarian Pirate Party (anti copyright campaigners) suitably extreme: “You talked about the middle ages but if this were the middle ages I would burn you at the stake.” Touche.
  • Digital marketing in the Midlands: have we got what it takes to become a leading part of the sector? – Very interesting commentary by Clarity Marketing on whether the Midlands (in this instance essentially talking about Birmingham) has the right structure, investment and advocacy to be a leader in digital media. The discussion on the strengths of Birmingham's social media activities and how that relates, or not, to commercial agency activity is very interesting.
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These are my links for October 15th through October 16th:

  • How to Understand Your Users with Personas – Great cartoon pictorial explanation and links to explain the basics of using personas in digital design. Personas basically are like typical users in advertising, mapping their needs and desires and how these are supported through the user's journey and actions through a website.
  • Leaving TV: From producer to professional – Barry Shaverin with some no-nonsense career advise from those seeking to escape the gloom and uncertainty of TV production and seek transferable roles in marketing and comms. There's some very savvy advice about cultural difference – like not spouting crazy ideas or any subject goes rants typical in telly. Gosh wish I'd read this when I left TV in 2005!
  • Ofcom online research – UK research by Ofcom shows rapid growth between 2007-2009 in number of 65+ adults online, and 38% of internet users on social networks, although more keep their profiles and data private.
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