An almost unique web presence!

Over at our WeDoAdventure blogspot I’m blogging about life as we find it in Bosnia and Herzegovina. To my knowledge there is only one other English blogger, blogging in English, from this country. The Fraught Mummy from Brits in Bosnia also blogs on the joys and challenges of motherhood – something I know nothing about! It’s strange to think that we’re the only two English voices representing life in an entire nation. Strange it may be but it does lend a uniqueness unattainable if I were to, say, be blogging about life in Liverpool. That’s why I wasn’t particularly surprised when a co-worker told me today they’d been introduced to another English person living in Mostar who’d heard of us. I’ve noticed our blog content (and YouTube videos) show up well in relevant searches, but when they said they had mentioned ‘WeDoAdventure’ – asking if that was our slogan – I had to smile. Not only does the mighty Google machine recognise we’re here but incidents like this are an encouragement our content is captivating enough to be remembered by real people!

Why is this important to you? If you’re doing something you believe people will want to support, or buy into, blogging and online video is on way to start a conversation with them that costs you nothing more than your time and a little ingenuity. As far as making you ‘searchable’ platforms like Blogger or YouTube may well prove more effective than your current dot-com, they will certainly provide a greater chance of interested people stumbling across your web presence.

Let's hear it for encouragement!

I can't remember the exact words but they were enough to make me kick my apathy and post again. So my thanks to James. If you appreciate him spurring me back into action why not drop by and let him know. For James has succeeded where Stephen Fry failed!

I watched Fry's programme about the Gutenberg press on the BBC iPlayer (what a fantastic piece of technology - the iPlayer that is!). As I was sitting there I knew I should be blogging about it, especially when one of his interviewees drew the comparison between the advent of moveable type and the dawn of the internet age. I didn't. Perhaps because I was holding an MSN conversation about the programme with a friend who was simultaneously utilising the iPlayer. (You can co-ordinate tea breaks and everything!). The iPlayer's only obvious drawback is shows expire after 7 days. But to cover that eventuality God invented YouTube! TOS violations permitting, most good TV can be found on there. I checked and, sure enough, I'm able to present you with part 1 of 6 of that fascinating documentary. Just don't tell the BBC!

Thoughts of Excellence

Excellence. Apart from the word goading me to shout 'excellent' in a Wayne's World style it's got me thinking. I've got a meeting next week about video blogging. So what make's excellent video blogs? The camera and the lighting quality? The set and the style of the blogger? What they say or the tone of their voice? Or is it the fact they say something, anything...that fact they just keep putting our videos?

What I do know is excellence must not be confussed with perfection. Perfection is that elusive quality with the power to stall any project, break any budget and kill any creativity. And in video blogging perfection is an unnecessary aim. In a medium with a topical lifespan of a few days there's little point in striving for high art. You'll deliver your masterpiece just in time to see the back of an online community already on to the next thing.

Start blogging

This is a blog. It costs me nothing but my time to maintain it. Start one if you have anything remotely interesting to say!

Blogs about tech/web stuff: TechCrunch, WillVideoForFood.com, Gizmodo

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