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With 35 hours of video now being uploaded to YouTube every minute, some people find keeping up to be a challenge. That’s why Google has launched  unveiled YouTube Trends, a new set of tools designed to help understand social video content.
YouTube Trends features new algorithmically-generated feeds that highlight which topics and videos are trending right now. The site also offers a ‘top videos’ module and a blog with more in-depth explorations of videos, trends, news, and cultural phenomena as seen through the lens of YouTube. There is a  Trends Dashboard …

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Many clients ask about how to ‘control’ employee blogging.  The level of fear is somewhat surprising, but indicative of the lack of understanding a lot of corporates have for this technology.  In C/net’s Perspectives, Eric J Sinrod, a partner at Duane Morris, gives some good pointers about what to include in a blogging policy along with guidance on the use of other social technologies in the workplace.
I know how much time blogging can eat up.  It’s 30 minutes a day minimum, and often much more if you want to do it well. …

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What every CEO needs to know about the array of new tools that foster online collobration — and could revolutionize business. Business Week gives a very good overview of the new tools that corporate America is using to gain competitive edge.  This is all relevant to British firms too. 
In a separate article, Business Week gives a venture capitalist’s view of Web 2.0. which talks about how product development lifecycle is speeded from three years to six months with the use of collaborative tools. Software houses, take note.

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Todd  Defren has posted a Web 2.0-based news release template on his blog.  Reaction seems to be generally positive, with some taking a “wait and see” attitude.
The idea is to ensure all new media needs are met with one document. It’s a good idea and should cut down on some to-ing and fro-ing during the pitch process.
But I’m with Susan Getgood when she explains that the news release is just a tool…what we really need to keep our focus on is telling our stories well.
What do you Strivers think of this …

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Online study and revision tips for people working towards the Chartered Institute of Marketing professional qualification are now available free online via podcast. The 30 minute recording will help students to find out exactly what examiners are expecting of them. I’m glad to see the CIM adopting new technologies to meet members’ needs.

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Today at Strive Notes,  we have our first ever guest blogger. Rob Mercer is managing director of kdrebusiness.com, an Isle of Man IT consultancy for SMEs.  Rob has kindly offered to explain blogging platform WordPress for those Strivers that might be a bit tech challenged.  So with no further adieu…heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere’s Rob:
“There are a great many blogging platforms all vying for our attention.  Some are free, some are subscription based, but the platform that I think has all the right ingredients is WordPress .
WordPress has a number of significant advantages, especially if you are non-technical. If …

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Here’s what I’ve been reading this week.  What have you been reading?
1.  More subscription choices, Neville Hobson gives a good overview of the RSS tools.  I was so inspired that I’ve added tons to Strive Notes.  Check out the new subscribe button in the right margin.
2. So you think your a blog hotshot?, the dep at Media Orchard points out a great reality check quiz from Blog Things.  I’m not revealing my score..suffice it to say…room for improvement.
3. Wikipedia no longer defines the Wiki, here Rohit Bhargava looks at how …

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The blog on Are we giving away too much? seems to have hit a nerve with more of you weighing in than on any previous Strive Notes blog.  Interestingly enough, two commenters were dogs.  Is Strive Notes the first blog to attract comments from dogs?  Probably not. Are we the first ones to attract PR dogs?  Probably.  Is this a good thing?  Dunno!  Are there many PR dogs in the blogosphere?  I guess we’ll find out. 
But PR dogs aside, I want to look at blogging from a pitching point of view.  …

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I saw a product review in InformationWeek on a new service from Gcast that supposedly makes producing a Podcast ‘as easy as making a phone call’. And I thought to myself, I should try this!  I thought I’d ask Strive Partner Rita Rich, the radio expert, her opinion on the service.  As you know, Rita is a radio/broadcast guru who has worked with Larry King, Jim Bohannon, Joan Rivers and probably every major US producer in the business.
Now, she spends quite a bit of her time helping blue-chip clients tap …

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Podcasting has implications for public relations professionals.  Creating audio content for a target audience to listen to when they want and where they want to opens up a lot of opportunities for us and our clients. 
On the surface, Podcasting gives PRs another tool.  Creating audio files to push on RSS feeds is a great way to add value.  I personally quite enjoy listening to podcasts while I’m going through my news pushes and feeds every morning.  It’s a cool way to do two things as once. 
We should be encouraging our clients …