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There is no hotter trend in the internet, marketing and media space than social networking. What started out as a way for ‘cool kids’ to talk to each other has now become essential part of every company’s marketing strategy.  ...
  What is RSS? RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication" and is an easy and free way to track updates to the SmartCompany website. You can subscribe free to one or more "feeds" which send you the headline and a short summary of articles that have been recently added or updated on the website. To subscribe to an RSS feed, you will need a News Reader or...
Many companies underestimate the power of online forums as a branding, marketing and communications tool. Here's how Australia's best forums do it – and five of the best examples. By BRAD HOWARTH By Brad Howarth  
SmartCompany is a completely free news, information and resource site for Australia's entrepreneurs, small and medium business owners and business managers to help keep them ahead of their competition. Our writers have many years of experience reporting for the best websites, newspapers and magazines. Contributors include Australia's top entrepreneurs, experts and advisers. Every Monday to Friday, SmartCompany posts a daily news briefing, a round-up of business trend...
Terms of Use Access to and use of the online magazine www.smartcompany.com.au and its associated email alert, is provided by Private Media Pty Ltd (ABN 11 102 933 362) through its vehicle SmartCompany.com.au Pty Ltd (ABN 23 121 200 002) called in this document "the publishers", on the following terms. Please read the whole of this page carefully. If you do not agree to these terms, you should not obtain information, services or products fr...
Senior account director at debt collection agency eCollect Lou McLeish has been on the phone chasing up a string of overdue bills for her clients, one for as little as $368, another for $7,000 that is 90 days overdue. "There really is a big debt problem," she says. "Collecting money is everybody's least fa...
Lloyd Ernst had an early start on the web, and has learnt how to achieve growth the hard way. He talks to AMANDA GOME about future web directions and what’s in the pipeline. By Amanda Gome
8. Privacy
SmartCompany.com.au Pty Ltd's daily email and the online magazine www.smartcompany.com.au are published by SmartCompany.com.au (ABN23 121 200 002), which employs staff and manages subscriber databases and accounting services for the SmartCompany.com.au business. In this privacy policy SmartCompany.com.au is referred to as "SmartCompany". Privacy policy purpose The purpose of this Privacy Policy is to advise subscribers, triallists, customers, staff members and...
In November 2008, Gerry Harvey issued SmartCompany with a challenge - find 10 Australian online retailers who are making "real money". Harvey was convinced the world has been conned by online retailing, claiming the co...
Did the great corporate blogging revolution ever happen? It seems only a handful of years ago that, inspired by US automaker General Motor’s FastLane blog, nascent social media pundits (and this writer) were predicting that corporations would open up and begin a two-way dialog with customers. But in the ye...
What a year it’s been in online retail. This time last year the retail industry was up in arms over the “unlevel playing field” supposedly caused by the GST-free import threshold. Now, that argument has been diluted by concerns over wages, penalty rates, and workplace relations. And online sales have continued to climb. According t...
The rise of social networks has made internet users more aware of their privacy than in the past, but one new start-up actually goes against this trend by displaying a user's online retail movements. California-based Blippy describes itself as a "fun and easy way to see and discuss the things people are buying". The site works by allowing friends to follow each other. They will then receive updates of what each other friend is buying, and can even comment on the transactions. ...
With just one night to go until the Apple iPad launch, users are still debating what data plan to choose with four of the country's major telcos offering subscriptions for the gadget. But users may have to think fast. While Apple has confirmed it will sell both the WiFi and 3G iPads at official retail stores tomorrow, and through certain resellers, it is suspected only a limited amount of tablets will be on offer. Demand is also likely to be high, with new data from Experian Hit...
The past 12 months have seen a revolution in the online retailing sector.  Emerging players such as DealsDirect, Catch of the Day and OzSale dominate Australia’s top 10 online retailers and the past year has seen Australia’s big retailers finally start to take online selling seriously. Major department stores Myer and David Jones have ...
Australians may be able to fund their purchase of Apple's new iPad through a tax break, with the Australian Taxation Office confirming the gadget can be claimed through the Federal Government's Education Tax Refund. The loophole could spark a rush of claims for iPads, with a new study from Boston Consulting Group revealing 23% of Australians plan to purchase an eReader or tablet computer this year, with that number growing to 49% within the next three years. The Australian Taxation...
Meet Australia's top female entrepreneurs – they are smart, focused and generate more than $3.6 billion in sales. In a special feature to celebrate International Women's Day on March 8, SmartCompany has compiled a comprehensive list of 48 of Australia's best business women (see ...
The SmartCompany Dun & Bradstreet Telco Industry Growth List shows which companies are booming thanks to growing demand for online content, faster internet speeds, VOIP, and new consumer trends. By MIKE PRESTON By Mike Preston
Social media still dominates headlines as the new direction for business marketing, but it seems many businesses are resisting the call. A recent survey by Optus found that only 28% of small businesses used social media to promote their business, while 56% had no near-term plans to start. It's an understandable response. Jus...
There is only one thing an entrepreneur loves more than closing a big deal or finding about a new tax break – discovering a hot new gadget. With this in mind – and with Christmas just around the corner – SmartCompany has compiled a list of 10 must-have ga By Patrick Stafford
They are young, smart and come from industries as diverse as IT, fashion and agriculture. BRAD HOWARTH profiles 30 hot young entrepreneurs aged 30 years and under. By Brad Howarth    
Cosmetics and toiletries are based on a solid foundation, and the segment's trend looks set to stay in fashion. By JASON BAKER of IBISWorld. Cosmetics and toiletries are based on a solid foundation, and the segment's trend looks ...
As the list of ways to promote your business grows, working out the most effective way to spruik your business can be half the battle. That's why it's vital that small- and medium-sized businesses put a solid marketing strategy in place and make sure they don't deviate from the plan. Here are 10 things your plan mus...
It is close to Christmas and time to reflect upon the year in industrial relations. In this year we have seen: The expansion of social media disparagement. The use of adverse action claims to protect union delegates who disparage businesses. The advent of protected industrial action that i...
The SmartCompany Web Awards 2010 discovered and recognised Australia's top business websites that are changing the online landscape. The winners were announced during a live SmartCompany Webinar on August 12, 2010. You can watch the webinar to see who won the: Best Small Company Website (Under 20 employees) Best Large Company Website (More than 20 employees)
Reaching the über-rich ranks before you turn 40 has generated several urban myths about what it takes to get there. JAMES THOMSON reveals the truth about our young stinking rich entrepreneurs.By James Thomson
The search for Australia’s best and brightest web 2.0 entrepreneurs reveals a tangled web of companies, individuals and technologies reports BRAD HOWARTH, tied together through an equally complex web of professional relationships and friendships. By Brad Howarth
Businesses have been told to monitor comments left on their Facebook pages, following a decision by the Advertising Standards Board which found a brand's Facebook page was an advertisement. The decision was prompted by a complaint to the ASB – the advertising industry's self-regulatory body – about the official Smirnoff Vodka Facebook page....
While Australia is yet to produce anything of the scale of Google, eBay and Amazon, there is always an interesting crop of up-and-comers threatening to burst on to the scene. We've compiled a list of 12 companies that demonstrate the spirit of innovation that exists among Australia's internet entrepreneurs, and which may go on to become the "next bi...
Thomas Frey is a futurist. It’s his job to predict the future by identifying emerging global trends. What Frey does might sound a little like fortune telling but spotting new trends is an important way of ensuring your business is well positioned for the future. Frey spoke to SmartCompany from the United States ahead ...
It's almost impossible to think of a faster growing industry than the mobile application sector. In just 12 months the market has been transformed from virtually non-existent to a sector worth billions of dollars.   The undisputed leader of the sector is Apple. In the last 12 months, its App Store for the iPhone and iPod Touch has recorde...
After months of delays, speculation and countless reviews, Apple Australia is finally taking pre-orders for the much-vaunted iPad. But despite high demand, a fierce debate still rages – should you hand over up to $1,000 for a device that can't do many of the things a basic laptop can? Apple's long-awaited debut in tablet computing has certainly been a financi...
People often ask me, “What is the next big thing?” Occasionally one gets an insight into what the world might be like. Here are some things we know: There is an anti-‘stuff’ movement – not only can we not store everything we own (we live in smaller spaces in cities – and self-storage is one of the fastest growing industries) but we are increasingly concerned about the cost to the planet of manufacturing, transporting, ...
Simon Wright is the 28-year-old founder of the very successful website Whirlpool.net.au. Whirlpool makes almost no revenue, has no employees and isn't even a company, Wright says. Instead it will remain his hobby.  He explains to Amanda Gome how he built the ...
They're smart, they're young, they're tech savvy - and they're not afraid of the downturn. Meet SmartCompany's Hot 30 under 30 - a group of 30 entrepreneurs aged 30 years and under who are on their way to becoming Australia's next generation of business leaders.  
Bevan Slattery and Stephen Baxter started telco infrastructure company PIPE Networks on a limited budget, but have been solidly profitable from day one. AMANDA GOME details the PIPE profit plan.
It's a classic Catch 22 situation - you're desperate to improve your online marketing efforts, but there is precious little money left in this year's marketing budget. Don't despair. Here are 22 things you can do to improve your online marketing right now - and all they will cost you is time.
Businesses may claim an iPad in their tax returns as if it were a laptop, but only if the gadget is primarily being used for corporate use and not as a private purchase, the Australian Taxation Office has confirmed. The confirmation comes as a number of businesses, including a restaurant in Sydney and airline giant Jetstar, are beginning to incorporate Apple's latest gadget as part of their work infrastructure. The ATO has confirmed the iPad will be treated as a laptop for tax p...
Simon Wright is the 28-year-old founder of the very successful website Whirlpool.net.au. He explains how to generate interest in a forum and build an online community. "The important thing for people who are running a forum is to try and avoid answering everyone's questions." "So let's say you do have a forum about pets and you know everything about every pet, you could be really useful to people. What incentive is there for someone who also happens to know a great...
Time for a walk down memory lane, with the top 10 computer viruses ever The top 10 computer viruses, as compiled by news.com.au. 1. Jerusalem (1987) This was one of the earliest and most successful viruses, which activated each Friday the 13th. The virus installed itself in the target comp...
Making your business Google friendly so it gets picked up by Google’s search engines is “pretty easy actually”, according to Google’s chief technology advocate Michael Jones. Jones was previously chief technologist of Google Maps, Earth, and Local Search, the teams responsible for providing location intelligence an...
Supermarket giant Woolworths is well known for its jingle “Woolworths the fresh food people”, but the line recently became the crux of a social media scandal. On Monday a social media storm erupted as consumers took to Facebook to express their outrage over a Woolworths’ billboard erected on the Warrego Highway near Ipswich which labelled donuts as ‘fresh food’. The complaints started when Facebook user and I...
Harvey Norman is being walloped by the downturn. But billionaire founder Gerry Harvey still refuses to consider online retailing, dismissing it as a dead-end for businesses. He predicts it will not make any money for entrepreneurs and says he will not be Harvey Norman is being walloped by the downturn. But billionaire founder Gerry Harvey still refuses to consider online retailing, dismissing it as a dead-end for businesses. He predicts it will not make any money for entr...
While internet giant Google may have disappointed users by only releasing the Nexus One "superphone" within the US for now, new comments suggest the gadget could be reaching Australian shores earlier than expected. The anticipation of an Australian release may prompt users to wait who were planning to buy the phone overseas and use it on Australian networks, which may or may not have operated correctly with the device. The Nexus One handset will be launched on US network's T-Mob...
If you're like most business owners you are facing a new financial year with big intentions of getting around to a more solid approach to marketing. But plans can fall by the wayside quickly as the stresses of running a business take hold, so make a resolution to stick to your guns this year and watch your business grow.
There's nothing better than a hot new gadget, and 2009 had plenty of them. A plethora of smartphones, laptops, netbooks and software have given technology fans enough to keep them satisfied over the past year. With new features and services released every month, it's becoming harder and harder to keep up with the industry's innovation.
They are young, smart and hungry for success. Meet SmartCompany's Hot 30 Under 30 class of 2012 – a group of entrepreneurs aged 30 years and younger, drawn from 30 of Australia's fastest-growing SMEs. These 30 young people are well on their way to becoming Australia’s next generation of top entrepreneurs.
The Australian economy might have sailed through the recession relatively unscathed, but don't think that customers haven't been changed by the GFC. That's the message from international marketing guru Paul Bennett, the managing partner of global design consultancy IDEO, which organisations including Nokia, Intel, Bank...
48.
Generation Y has taken over as the most dominant demographic group in Australia, according to new research by CommSec economist Craig James. The research, based on new population data, shows the number of Gen Y (defined by James as people born 1976 to 1991) has increased by 158,000 over the year to 30 June to 4.67 million, while Gen X (those born 1961 to 1976) jumped by 57,000 to 4.68 million.
It’s never been harder to keep up with the latest web trends - with the expansion onto mobile platforms, the growth of social media and the need for start ups to be aware of new SEO techniques. As a result, we’ve assembled a team of web experts to help you and your business keep on top of the most important trends on the web. Constructing a mobile website, creating social media campaigns and selling online are just some of the challenges businesses will face during 2010.
Endless technological advances are having a significant impact on Australian retailers. But this year could prove to be a tipping point for some. Here are the 10 key trends changing the market. 1. Retailers will stop pointing the finger For years now, even large department stores have publicly blamed weak financial results on eve...