Blog | Right Brained Web

It's time for Simon Young to bid farewell for now. But before he goes, here is a brief look back on a year of ‘Right Brained Web’ blogs exploring everything from social media for the arts to the future of the internet. Read More »

Sometimes it takes a trip to another part of the world to remember why you do what you do.

Simon Young reports back from China with lessons for life and business. Read More »

What does it mean to be real? Not just on a personal level, but for an organisation? Simon Young says it's an important question because the answer determines your organisation's success in the era of reality we're in. Read More »

Simon Young learns about the Chinese language (well, one of them) and culture, and remembers his early days in social media. There are quite a few parallels! Read More »

So the internet's 21 - in New Zealand anyway. Simon Young considers what a grown-up internet looks like and what might be in store for its future.

"The great news is, the childlike fun never has to stop." Read More »

A stray paragraph in Michael J Field's book Swimming with Sharks got Simon Young thinking about the economics of the future. Could the Pacific have some great ideas to share in the way we think about identity and sharing? He thinks so... Read More »

What can Murray Hewitt (of Flight of the Conchords) teach us about marketing, social media and common sense? Read More »

For some, leadership is something we seek. For others, it's a necessity to achieve the vision we have. Either way, we need to know about leadership in the 21st century.

Simon Young calls it Ragtag Leadership. Read More »

Is social media just a waste of organisations' time? Should marketers be doing better things with their time ... like booking TV ads?

Simon Young says social media requires a brand new skill set that is part call centre and part broadcast. Read More »

By Simon Young

New Zealand's arts community has a proud history of making something out of nothing. Often out of necessity. Read More »

What skills do you need to be a successful media communicator in the 21st Century?

Simon Young looks at some familiar and 'unusual combinations' of skill sets required for the next decade, as media becomes more 'social'. Read More »

Theatre companies are used to taking words off a page and putting them on stage. Marketing often involves the reverse - putting the stage experience into words. Anna Connell at the Auckland Theatre Company has found social media a powerful way to reach theatregoers - in their own words. Read More »

From print publishing to movies to the music industry, the business of content is changing. How do you take the uncertainty that's out there and turn it into opportunity?

Simon Young explores some new possibilities for content creators, what you will need for this journey and what to discard. Read More »

Social networking service Ning.com is stopping its free service in May. What options does your organisation have to set up a free online social network?

Simon Young outlines some options and what to consider when choosing a new platform. Read More »

By Simon Young

When you take all the best advice about how to succeed in today's marketing environment, it boils down to just this: be yourself.

Yes, you need to get your head around new technology like Facebook and Twitter. But once you've done that, then what? Be yourself. Communicate authentically. Read More »

Is it possible to have a meaningful, well-paying job? Or is that the reason many of us pursue self-employment, or work in a non-profit organisation?

Simon Young explores these questions and reviews the book Equipped to Lead, which suggests that 'truly being of service to others' is more profitable for organisations. Read More »

Can play make us work better? You better believe it! Simon Young reviews a book that gives many different perspectives on the benefits of play in our work life. Read More »

Simon Young says the Save Radio New Zealand protest has shown not only how many people care about our state broadcaster, but also how social media is changing the way we protest. Read More »

What does it take to make it in social media? Is there even such a thing as a career in social media? Simon Young says the answer is yes - kind of. Read More »

Marketers around the world are acknowledging the importance of social media, and some are even setting aside a decent budget for it.

Simon Young says this change is about more than money - it's about a change in mindset. Read More »

How is a reserve player for a sports team gathering more attention than his talented teammates? Humour, combined with the real-time tools of the social web, make it possible for Mark Titus to provide a hilarious, as-it-happens "behind the scenes" media property. Read More »

What's the future of professional content creators in a world where anyone with an internet connection can create or curate content?

In the new Right Brained Web blog on The Big Idea - social media consultant Simon Young discusses publishing, monetisation and amateur explosions with publisher Vincent Heeringa. Read More »