Sam Michel's blog

The jury might be out on the success of Microsoft's Bing reports of modest rises in search traffic share and Google cage-rattling punditry aside, their TV spots hit the nail on the head about semantic search (see below).

The latest offering from the big G will whet the appetites of marketers, analysts and stats head alike.

Google Internet Stats is a UK-only initiative that aggregates stats from 52 advertising and marketing sources that are 'carefully selected and reputable' according to a post on the Google Barometer blog.

Using a simplified GReader-style interface, the headline data is easily browsable and searchable (this is Google, after all) in five different categories:

• Technology
• Macro Economic Trends
• Media Landscape
• Media Consumption
• Consumer Trends

Design heavyweights IDEO have been added to an exciting list of activities planned for the Digital Mission to Los Angeles and San Francisco (11-16th Oct, 2009). The deadline for applications is 12pm on Tuesday, 1st September.

This mission differs from those planned for New York (applications now open) and South by South West interactive focusing on supporting the UK's leading interactive design and development companies.

Activities will be designed to build relationships, develop business partnerships and understanding of the local market with access to high-level contacts that would prove difficult, if not impossible, to reach otherwise.

The 15 mission companies will benefit from a tailored range of activities including visits to leading US design firms IDEO and Astro Studios and two official evening receptions in Los Angeles and San Francisco at the residences of the respective Governor Generals.

According to a survey from PR firm, Burston-Marsteller reported in Mashable, blue chip marketers favour (or should that be favor) Twitter over Facebook and blogs for that matter.

In numbers:

• 54% are on Twitter
• 32% have a corporate blog
• 29% have a Facebook fan page

Despite recent criticism of Facebook's advertising, the inclusion of fan pages is reportedly providing clickthrough rates of 6.49%, but as a new feature this could be a honeymoon period.

March 2010 might still seem a distant dream, but the organiser's of South by South West interactive (SXSWi to its friends) are already cracking on with preparations for the conference line-up with the opening of their Panel Picker.

This year sees over three times as many panels from the British digital industry, with over 60 panels, up from 18 last year, making it to SXSWi's Panel Picker where the public get to rate and comment on the panels being put forward.

The public feedback is designed to help organisers refine presentations and panels, and makes up 30% of decision-making progress.

Below is the comprehensive list (add comments if we've missed any) of panels submitted by the Brits. Good luck to all those in the Panel Picker machine...

On Friday, Chinwag waved goodbye to Gregory, our first tech intern. It was an experiment, which proved extremely fruitful for Chinwag, and hopefully, Gregory too.

For a company that sits at the S end of SME, combined with some control freakery thanks to yours truly, taking on an intern would be a challenge on a number of fronts. Could we find the right person? Would they learn anything? Did we really have time to make it work?

Previous internships had worked well, with an editorial intern progressing into a full-time role, but we learnt just how much staff time is needed. Tricky for a small company that finds itself stretched at the best of times.

About the time we waved Gregory off, a tweet from Loic Le Meur (@loic) popped up, agreeing with Seth Godin’s take on internships,

"I think internships are overrated. Most of the time, the employer thinks he's doing the intern a favor, but he doesn't trust the interns to do any actual thoughtful, intelligent work worth talking about. And to be fair, most of the time the interns are busy hiding, not grabbing responsibility but instead acting like they're in school, avoiding hard work and trying to get an A."

Pretty cynical. Perhaps this applies more to internships within large organisations, because that’s not been the experience at Chinwag. He’s right about one thing, there’s little point in having an intern if you’re not going to let them do anything.

Twitter is dominating social media-related headlines in the same way Facebook did last year, but a report by Chubby Brain for Sun Startup Essentials pegs investment in Twitter-related start-ups at a touch over $23m in 11 different companies, including the UK’s own Tweetdeck. The data was collated at the end of June so doesn’t include £100k raised by political tweetmongers, Tweetminister.

There are many reasons why the strategic use of social media can advance your career, building your reputation, garnering links with key contacts amongst others.

Chinwag is chuffed to be working with the BIMA crew as social media partner for the 2009 BIMA Awards.

November might seem a way-off, but the deadline to enter is only a few days away. 7th August to be precise. The committee have been hard at work to re-vamp the format including more categories, more transparent judging and important these days, a more affordable event.

The USA remains the top destination for UK-based companies targeting overseas markets.

Hot on the heels of the digital placement program, news reaches us of another initiative in the North West for recent graduates looking for careers in the interesting world where new media meets TV and radio, North West b.TWEEN TV Platforms.

PRESS RELEASE: London, UK, Thursday 23rd July 2009

UK Trade & Investment partners with Chinwag to offer UK digital companies grants for key overseas tradeshows in the USA and China

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) have appointed Chinwag, the digital community for digital media companies, to deliver grants for UK-based digital SMEs wanting to exhibit at key overseas tradeshows.

The grants, part of the UKTI's Tradeshow Access Programme (TAP), offer funding to support digital SMEs exhibit as part of UK pavilions at eMetrics Marketing Optimization Summit and ad:tech Beijing, two of the most influential interactive conferences in the global digital calendar.

Chinwag have worked closely with the event organisers to create 'credit-crunch busting' packages that will provide companies with prominent expo booths, marketing support and conference passes at these high profile events. The successful digital SMEs will be featured in the specially created UK Pavilion, ensuring a prominent position and maximising business development opportunities.

The first event is eMetrics Marketing Optimization Summit in Washington D.C 21-23rd October 2009 to, with space for up to 8 companies.

This is followed by ad:tech Beijing, 16-19 November 2009.  Up to 12 companies will be able to exhibit at the leading marketing show in China, perhaps even fitting in a little bit of sightseeing along the way.

This Autumn could be a testing time for some of the 400,000 graduates looking for a digital career, with the number of vacancies taking a dip, competition will be hotter than ever.

Internships and work placements, when well executed well, can be a fast-track way to getting a dream job as well as providing employers with seasoned recruits.

We're big fans at Chinwag with two interns currently learning about the industry and providing valued help in a busy environment.

News of another great scheme has reached Chinwag Towers. Creative digital support agency Northwest Vision and Media are working to help make the region’s new talent make the right start - and partnering with agencies keen to find them.

It's official, the final date on the Digital Mission UK Tour is completely full, sorry.

It promises to be an interesting evening, with a run-down of last year's Digital Mission trips to the US, experiences from previous mission attendees, info and insight from UK Trade & Investment. Not forgetting a word or two from the Sun Startup Essentials colourful-shirted, Stewart Townsend, one of the legendary Bootlaw-duo, Barry Vitou from Winston & Strawn, who are generously supporting this year's Digital Missions.

Oh yes, we're all a flutter about the new iPhone 3GS. Well, we would be if a shiny new one appeared in the office. Anyone? No, oh well.

Failing that, what about an informal get-together to talk about iPhone apps? In the last week or so, there's been a bunch of posts on the uk-netmarketing email list suggesting a group pow-wow to talk iPhone.

Turns out that lots of folks on the list are considering or are actually taking the plunge in the heady world of app development. And well, they're a talkative bunch and would like to share.