GuruOnline Blog

At the moment everyone is claiming to be an expert on social media, and you cant spend more than five minutes on the internet without tripping over someone begging you to consider their opinion on the matter, so with all this choice what makes Guru better than all the other competition? Well, Guru only interviews industry experts and the below blog is a brief summary taken from an exclusive interview on social media for businesses by Google, who I think we can all agree know a thing or two about the internet.

Social media is basically about making the internet a more social place, traditionally, it was a way for people to understand what’s useful on the internet based on social interaction, for example Amazon, have been saying for years that people who have brought this item have also brought this item, that is someone saying this is probably a good recommendation for you. Newer sites also offer something similar, they’ll have the most read article today or most commented article today, the whole point of this is that you can see exactly what content is most relevant in real time.

The more modern version of social media is all about people being able to bring their friends on to the internet. It’s become more mainstream recently with things like MySpace and Facebook where you actually log on and create a profile, and specifically call out your friends. Sites like twitter have made it easy to communicate on line without having to have a formal relationship.

Social media is important for a whole host of reasons, they main one being that because it fits so conveniently into most peoples lives it’s becoming more and more popular, the more generic sites are constantly reporting massive growth figures and newer and more industry specific social media sites and networks are being created everyday. The more time people spend on these networks the more they’re actually using them as their hub for the internet so the more important it is for brands and businesses to understand how to speak to these people on these platforms. With things like instant messaging you can see if the person is online, you can see when they’ve got the message and with some programmes, you can see when they’ll reply. People don’t have time to wait for email; social media can keep up with what going on in your life as it happens which means it can also keep up global news and current affairs as they happen to. This instant gratification and this need for people to understand what’s going on and how people are communicating right now is really the key to social media.

So we’ve established what social media is and why it’s so important, what you need to know now is, how can you use it to benefit your business?
There’s a huge number of ways for businesses to get started with social media, in most countries in the world it’s becoming really popular, there are millions of websites, conferences, webinars etc all there to give free advice on how to use these sites. Start with just putting your brand out there and allowing people to follow and identify with it, as you get more technical you can start to do things like allowing people to add badges and custom applications to their profile, a badge can be something as simple as a picture of your product or a picture of your logo which people will start to generate round the web for you.

Another really simple way you can use social media to enhance your site, would be through an open social application, allowing people to login to your site with an existing login they have from a different account or site. External reports from people like ComScore say that as much as 70% of your users will drop off if you present them with a registration form, so allowing them to login with an account they’ve already created with another service can really increase engagement on your site.

One of the more generic examples of these would be Google’s Friend Connect this is a tool that allows you very easily to let people log into your website using their account from another service, it’s cut and paste code so it’s as easy as putting a your tube video on your site, you just go to the Friend Connect site select the gadgets you want to install, configure them by changing the colour or the text, and then you’re presented with some code, all you have to do is copy and paste that onto your website and people are able to login.

The best approach to social media is to just get out there with your brand name and message and have a go, so long as you have something productive and constructive to say, the chances are your target audience is out there and they’re listening, all you have to do is find them.

To find out what else Google has to say on social media for businesses, check out their video, while you’re there, if you found this post interesting you may also enjoy Google’s second interview on international pay per click for business.

Those of you who read this blog on a regular basis may have noticed we’ve changed over to wordpress. Whilst making sure all the old blog posts didn’t get lost I noticed that I’ve never really written a blog on GuruOnline itself and the theory behind it.

So this blog is going to look at Guru, why you should have it bookmarked as your number one business resource and what makes Guru better than anyone else out there offering free business advice.

GuruOnline is a video based business resource, offering hundreds of interviews on dozens of different industries – All the videos are instantly streamed, all feature recognised industry experts, massive range of topics covered and best of all, it’s available for anyone to use and it’s all free! Over the coming months, Guru is going to be broken down into industry specific channels, we’ve recently launched our international trade channel in association with the Institute of Export and now have an entire channel dedicated to international trade, here you will find everything you need to know about importing, exporting and international trade in general, any questions you have about international trade will be answered here and if you cant find what you’re looking for, get in touch and we guarantee we’ll be able to help you.

We all know you can’t spend two minutes on the Internet without tripping over someone offering your business free advice, so why use Guru? Well, first off, it’s all in video format, so you don’t have pages of solid text to sift through. All our videos are broken down into precise and accurate short videos (ranging from 30 seconds to 2 minutes). All the videos not only feature certified experts, but the team behind Guru are pretty good at bringing you the content in the most efficient way possible.

Secondly because it’s not anonymous text, it’s all video based which means you can see exactly who is giving you this advice and when you can see it’s IBM who are talking about IT security, you know you can trust the source. If you’re watching a video about export and it’s by the Institute of Export you can be pretty safe in the knowledge that the information they’re giving you is the most current, up to date and relevant. All this means you don’t have to just take our word that this person knows what they’re talking about.

So I’ve been going on about Guru and how amazing online video is, but what’s the big deal with video anyway?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so, what’s a video worth? What’s hundreds of videos worth?

In a nutshell, online video brings you the information you’re looking for, as quickly and efficiently as possible, it’s the most user friendly and interactive way of browsing the web.

You don’t have to just take my word for it, a quick look at the history of the internet shows online video’s natural progression, YouTube is one of the most popular sites on the internet and arguably the most famous when it comes to online video, it was first launched in 2005 and within 12 months Google brought it in one of the most talked about and ground breaking acquisitions in the history of the internet, back then Google knew what a big part online video was going to play in the internet and they were right, according to Alexa, YouTube get around 18% of all internet traffic everyday, according to online monitors Hitwise, in 2007 it was said that YouTube consumed as much capacity as the entire internet took up in 2000.

Online-publishers.org found that in a study of Internet users, 40% watch online videos at least once a week and over 70% watched online videos at least once a month.

ComScore reported that 76.8 percent of the total U.S. Internet audience viewed online video.

In April 2008, The Telegraph has even predicted that the internet could grind to a halt within two years under the pressure of booming demand for online video.

So I’ve convinced you that online video is massive and it’s only going to get bigger, why would you use Guru when you’ve got all this apparent choice?

It only contains information that will be relevant to businesses:
Guru is not just any website offering you video content, it is all specifically aimed at businesses, (you’re not going to stumble across an angry teenager having a rant about totalitarianism just because their teachers wont let them wear a bolt through their nose to school). Guru features advice for almost every industry, no matter what sort of business you’re in, there is going to be something you’ll find informative.

Easy to use:
Everything is broken down into channels and categories, and it’s all cross referenced so you don’t have to worry about not finding what you’re looking for, if you want to know about financing a business venture in China, you’ll find what you’re looking for under finance and international trade (in fact you’re likely to find that one under world regions on the international trade channel too). All the videos and interview titles are clearly labeled with the question being answered showing alongside every video. The site is designed to be as user friendly as possible, we won’t gain anything by showing off how talented our web developers are by being complicated for complexities sake.

You know you can trust the information:
As I’ve mentioned before, if you want to know about how to implement a good IT security systems in your office and you’re watching an interview from IBM you know you can trust them. Every contributor on Guru knows what they’re talking about and they’re the leader in their field, if you’re researching a completely new business venture and you’re not sure who the company is, all interviewees have links to their own website for your validation (or even to contact them if you’d like more information). If you want to know about starting a business venture in Russia, who better to listen to than the Russia Chamber of Commerce? Or Google if you want to know about social media?

That really should be enough to convince you why GuruOnline is the definitive business resource, there are several links in this post, if you’re new to Guru why not follow one of them and spend five minutes having a look around the site, we’re adding new content all the time so dont forget to keep checking back. If there are any topics you feel we are missing and you think you could be a Guru please don’t hesitate to get in touch and maybe we could be filming you?

All advice on the International Trade Channel is delivered by experts from 12 participating organisations including the Institute of Export, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), the CBI, UKTI, Business Link, The Middle East Association, the Intellectual Property Office and the China-Britain Business Council.

Sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland, the project is the first time such a comprehensive resource has been offered free of charge and reflects the Institute’s role as the leading authority in best practice and competence for businesses trading globally.

The UK’s leading independent international trade body has brought together a raft of leading experts in the field of exporting and global business to launch a free online tool.

The Institute of Export and International Trade has spearheaded www.guruonline.tv/export which answers essential questions about conducting business abroad using more than 500 bitesize video clips – from how to manage currency to dealing with interpreters, as well as often overlooked details about local custom and etiquette.

All advice on the site is delivered by experts from 12 participating organisations including HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), the CBI, UKTI, Business Link, The Middle East Association, the Intellectual Property Office and the China-Britain Business Council.

Sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland, the project is the first time such a comprehensive resource has been offered free of charge and reflects the Institute’s role as the leading authority in best practice and competence for businesses trading globally.

The concept was brought to life by online media company GuruOnline which uses video to provide users with the insights and guidance of industry’s most esteemed figures. An official launch took place at The Middle East Association at Bury St, London on Tuesday, June 23.

The Institute of Export, a not-for-profit organisation, is the only professional body in the UK offering recognised vocational qualifications in international trade.

It also provides a dedicated business membership scheme, designed to deliver expertise to firms involved in international trade. The service includes direct mentoring, a specially-designed ‘quick-answer’ system and tailored corporate training for staff involved in global trade.

Lesley Batchelor, Chair of the Institute of Export and International Trade, said: “No other resource offers a breadth of information in such an accessible format. In bringing together the UK’s most important international trade bodies we have concentrated a wealth of expertise on one site.

“Global markets can make a significant contribution to Britain’s economic recovery. However, we need to ensure businesses have the knowledge and skills to reap the rewards.

“This site offers enterprises of all sizes advice on how to overcome the challenges they face and clear answers to the questions that arise as they seek to make the most of international opportunities.”

John Bugeja, RBS head of trade UK & Ireland said: “We are proud to strengthen our relationship with the Institute of Export through this innovative service. As the UK’s largest corporate bank, RBS is committed to supporting the needs of UK businesses, and international trade is an integral part of this. Moreover, at a time when companies are increasingly seeing growth opportunities in overseas markets, this portal gives them the advice and information they need to make better informed decisions for their business.”

China Britain Business Council Director Chris Cotton said: “This is an excellent quick reference guide compiled specifically for UK exporters – and the use of video content ensures that it is an exciting, engaging and valuable source of information on many aspects of international trade.”

The Middle East Association Director General Michael Thomas said: “Many businesses find it difficult to steer a path through the minefield of international trade and simply want an overview of how to go about conducting business abroad. This is a terrific resource for doing just that, and it does a terrific job of unpicking complex themes and topics.”

Richard Hall, Managing Director of Pd-m International Ltd, a product design and global manufacturing consultancy, said: “The quality of information and video footage available on the site is very informative, accurate and compelling. Clearly the Institute of Export has spent a lot of time in creating the new website to a highly professional standard. The portal is very easy to access and welcoming to navigate.

“I have no doubt that this will be an excellent source of information and inspiration to those in or considering international trade.”

Test your local knowledge:
• Why if you are doing business in the Middle East is it okay for the person you are meeting to be late, but not for you?

• Why might March 8 be an important day for the women in your Russian office, while February 23 is special for the men – and what you should give each of them on those days?

• Why does it pay to present your business card at a first meeting in China with both hands?