A new LEADER blog

Last week I created a new blog for the LEADER Fund in the North Wessex Downs AONB. Essentially this becomes the website for the Local Action Group – the people who manage the fund.

Since it’s important for the group to be able to self-manage the website, and update it frequently, I made the blog at WordPress. The content management system is simple. Plus, even with the free basic service provided by WordPress, the blog design system allows for improvements to ‘brand identity’ as that develops. For a small fee the design possibilities can be  expanded hugely.

I also secured the domain name www.northwessexleader.org.uk and forwarded the URL to the blog. This will be helpful for 3 reasons:

• a simple web address is easier to remember
• it adds a lot of potential to develop their website
• the group can develop a 2-tier web presence in future

A sense of arrival

A straightforward blog facility can achieve much more than just raised awareness amongst their target market, the local community. This web presence will also boost the new organisation’s sense of progress and identity (earlier I mentioned branding, a good next step to examine) and it highlights the need to make a dedicated effort in marketing their campaign.

Even when you are ’selling’ money, people need to know about it, recognise rapidly if it is relevant to them (or a friend!), and understand how to get it.

Discover the latest LEADER Money News…

Enhance your ebay listing with video

Didn’t know if this would work – I have embedded a video for one of my ebay listings to help show the product in action. Spot the owlets!

The item’s simply a stainless steel ruler, which I use in my ecological work. Rulers are a pretty dull topic (!) – but it’s great when you find a well-designed piece of kit. Good tools make life easier, especially when you’re working outdoors.

Take a peek…

Bird identification exercises

An ornithologist asked me if I might have some photos for his presentations. He wasn’t after clear, obvious pictures – rather, he wanted images to help with bird identification exercises for his audience. Nothing too easy for everyone!

My lenses aren’t really suited to great bird photography, so it didn’t take me long to gather a collection of ‘not great but useful’ photos! Fancy yourself as a good birdwatcher? Find my bird ID slideshow on Zenfolio.

http://wp.me/p1RVZ-8Z

Bally bonkers

I don’t know what BALLY is, but they want it out at the Break Open the Bally website! Yes, it’s another guerilla-tactic marketing scheme by Halpern Cowan, who will do digitally anything to get under your skin.

The Halpern Cowan website is funny and it’s clever. Animations keep you watching… it’s excellent stuff. Not sure what the CIPD would say about the conveyor belt… (click on ‘who we are’)

Video onto SD

Digital photography has stimulated all sorts of camera innovations. Personally I can’t wait for Canon to properly integrate video with their SLR range. The professional range is too steeply priced for me to invest in until I have a few more videos commissioned. Until then I’m using a Canon S5is and looking at the next step up… what do you think it is?

The Canon Powershot SX range looks promising but it has its weaknesses. The Canon EOS 500D and their new 5D markII are interesting, but… again they have their weaknesses.

Can they beat a decent Sony recording onto MiniDV tape for quality? And what about at low light levels? SLR cameras and compacts have a long way to come.

This video clip shows a colony of Soprano Pipistrelle bats. They are ’swarming’ at dawn outside a nursery roost.

I shot this on a Canon S5is, which has a very handy 12x optical zoom. The quality as shot is not too bad. I can even convert the digital files to DVD standard, which is quite pleasing (especially when I compare some of the dreadful footage from DVD camcorders out there!) However, I wouldn’t say it’s impressive quality.

Like I say, I can’t wait…