<br /> Nokia is expected to launch its first phone this week based on Microsoft's operating system, Windows Phone. The new phone will need to be able to compete with products such as the Apple iPhone 4S and the Android-based Samsung Galaxy phones.</p> <p>Nokia announced eight months ago that it had decided to go with the Windows Phone system and has since seen its market share of smartphones erode. Sales of Windows Phone have also remained low. </p> <p>An analyst at CCS Insight, Geoff Blaber, said: "Stephen Elop has made it very clear that Nokia World will be the unveiling of the first products and it will set the tone for what Nokia hopes is the beginning of its recovery in the high-end smartphone market." </p> <p>Stephen Elop, Nokia's CEO, is said to have already dealt with some of the company's problems with its low-end mobile phones. However, this week's launch is of great importance to the new strategy Nokia is adopting, as well as to Microsoft and network operators.</p> <p>Geoff Blaber believes operators are in desperate need of a counter to Android. "They need Nokia to come back and be competitive," he said. "Given the fact Nokia hasn't been its most competitive in the last few months, [operators] have become increasingly dependent on Android, and that has certainly not been to their advantage." He added that getting Nokia on board was a major coup for Microsoft and could lead to interest from other licensees as well.</p> <p>Nokia is expected to launch one high-end version and one mid-market version of the phone, using Windows Phone 7.5.<br />

A timely antidote to some of the bad press that came the way of social media in the wake of the UK?s August rioting has emerged across the pond in the USA. Services such as Facebook and Twitter were used by some of the rioters to co-ordinate their activities, and were vilified in some quarters as a result. Gangs are now being tracked using their social media activities, with incriminating comments being used as evidence against them.</p> <p>Social Media Addiction<br /> It seems that some gangs echo the general population?s compulsive use of social media services, with any comments centering on criminal activity being picked up by the police. Given that mobile phones and other internet ready devices are banned in most jails, the inmate who updated his Facebook page saying, ?life sucks right now?, whilst serving a stretch is now likely to spend a little more time than he bargained for inside.</p> <p>The Smoking Gun<br /> Although the police are monitoring the social networking activities of certain people, there is a wider message for the rest of us. The previously mentioned posters are a classic example of people who have got themselves into trouble via social media. Although in these cases, the trouble has been with the law, many people have landed themselves in hot water with employers or other parties with their posts or photographs. Many companies have now employed social media policies, which are not designed to act like Big Brother, but are to protect the interests of their company.<br />

A teacher who makes extensive use of blogging and Twitter has just been named Illinois Teacher of the Year. Josh Stumpenhorst, a junior high school teacher who teaches language arts and social sciences, beat eight other finalists and almost 200 nominees to the title. Stumpenhorst?s use of blogs and Twitter seem to have been instrumental in his winning of the award. With a blog that attracts around 10,000 hits per month and over 4,000 followers on Twitter, this is a teacher who is reaching a large audience regularly.</p> <p>Opening his Classroom<br /> Stumpenhorst has been using his blog to try to open his classroom to the outside world, sharing tips, and expertise. ?It?s a very supportive community, the parents, the kids, the school and the district. I?m not really hamstrung. It allows me to do a lot of things and got me where I am,? commented Stumpenhorst when he received his award. </p> <p>Thought Provoking Content<br /> The actual blog is full of thought provoking content, featuring Stumpenhorst?s own observations about his teaching, with many posts stimulating intense debate amongst the readers. In providing a resource for his fellow teachers, he has made it a worthwhile stop for any teachers looking for a different viewpoint on things. As this is a personal blog, it is solely produced for Stumpenhorst?s own enjoyment, thus it remains pertinent and interesting to the audience. Perhaps this teaching blog could teach businesses a thing or two about how they produce engaging and interesting content for their offerings?<br />

The Chief Technology Officer of a major US company has been singing the praises of using social media as part of a marketing strategy. Jon Callas of Entrust believes that the use of social networking sites is ?inevitable? amongst businesses looking to promote and grow their brands. Organizations of all sizes can benefit from the popularity of sites such as Facebook and Twitter, who between them reach a massive proportion of those connected to the internet.</p> <p>Encouraged to Post</p> <p>Callas? comments come hot on the heels of a survey by DLA Piper, who found that staff members are encouraged to use social media for work purposes in 65% of businesses. Facebook heads the popularity list, being the site most used for businesses, with 86% of respondents having their own profile on the site. This is seen as a key tool for promoting the brand on the internet.</p> <p>Building Rapport Through Social Media</p> <p>Callas is clear that businesses can use social media to gain a greater understanding of their marketing through using the medium, as it gives them a greater degree of control over their message. ?Social media is a good and effective way to get messages out, it?s a good way to build rapport among the company.? </p> <p>Companies using social media for their marketing must be aware of the security implications. It is suggested that 34% of those surveyed are at risk of sensitive information being posted by unwitting staff members.<br />

<br /> As more and more people in the UK are using smartphones and with the anticipated technology advances, Barclays Corporate predicts that by 2021 consumers in Britain will have used their mobile phones to spend </p>

The rapid growth in social media marketing has led to many companies undergoing in-depth analysis of its effectiveness and the value it has given to the business. It is very difficult to assess the value social media alone brings to businesses, therefore it is best looked at as part of a wider campaign strategy. While the boundaries of marketing channels become blurred, the value of looking at each individual component diminishes.</p> <p>Evolution of the Internet</p> <p>As social media and the wider internet have evolved, the need to have an overview of your campaigns is more important than drilling down into each individual component. Whilst the best use for platforms such as Facebook is to build brand awareness and increase consumer trust, there are other uses that may or may not suit your business. Offering exclusive content, offers, or competitions on a certain platform is a great way of ascertaining its worth.</p> <p>Comparing Apples with Oranges</p> <p>When looking at the effectiveness of the various elements of your online campaign, it is vital that the comparisons made are valid. Comparing the stats from advertising on Google and Facebook are not necessarily the best idea, considering the far greater reach held by the search engine. The true value of social media marketing is not yet known, but what is clear is that campaigns should not be looked at in isolation, rather as part of an overall strategy.<br />

A new way of advertising using digital content is being launched by Clear Channel, who have unveiled the UK's first outdoor roadside digital advertising network, enabling brands to integrate mobile and NFC into outdoor campaigns.</p> <p>NFC is near field communication, which allows for wireless connections and data exchange between two devices in close proximity. The technology will used, for example, to make retail smartphone payments by using NFC chips embedded in the smartphone. </p> <p>Clear Channel is installing 100 72-inch HD screens across London. It claims the network will allow brands to integrate mobile and social media through the built in NFC technology, which will allow real time updates such as travel, news, and weather.</p> <p>Bespoke content can be made by advertisers for the digital sites and it will be possible to make copy changes to the advertisements multiple times and also to tailor content specifically to the location. Clear Channel expects the ads to be viewed 10.8 million times per week and encourage longer viewing than outdoor ads traditionally attract.</p> <p>The first site has launched in Cambridge Circus and the remaining screens have a planned roll out of November 28th. The sites will include popular shopping and entertainment locations, transport hubs, and residential areas including Shoreditch High Street, Oxford Circus, Kings Cross, Westminster, and Islington.</p> <p>The CEO of Clear Channel, Matthew Dearden, said, "Our advertisers and their brands will be able to engage consumers by maximising time and context on this growing network to deliver powerful, flexible and interactive campaigns in London?s best locations."<br />

In the run up to the 2012 Olympics, Heathrow Airport is keen to improve its profile and plans to do so by creating a digital content hub.</p>

When writing content to advertise your business and increase brand awareness, a wave of online thinking is suggesting that a move away from the old advertising models is the best way to progress.</p>

With search engines becoming increasingly busy with both businesses and searchers, it has never been more important to obtain a position as high in search engine rankings as possible.</p>