Custom YouTube logo and youtube.com/MapMySummer gadget

Google also put up a custom doodle for today, which indirectly drives through to the YouTube channel too:

Google doodle for Australia Day 2011

Is it weird that I get a buzz from having input into the creation of these programs that re-craft some of the most recognised brands in the world? Must be my inner marketing geek showing through…

http://googlegrants.blogspot.com/2010/08/get-your-non-profit-started-with.html

I really hope that it helps more non-profits get onto YouTube. It really is a great platform that will deliver a level of transparency and engagement with your supporters, and in turn it offers you call to action overlays to convert those supporters into contributors.

ICT policy is shaping up as one of the big issues of this election, which is great because ICT tends to take a back seat in Australian politics. The main issues are around the $43b National Broadband Network (NBN) project and the proposed Internet Filter. Each party has a different perspective on each of these major issues, which hopefully will make for an interesting debate. Regardless, I am proud to be helping to bring this first to Australia!

Edit: The debate ran successfully on YouTube Live! You can now see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRHbeONYdUc

Google Adwords Qualified – Display Advertising

Proves that Google dogfoods its own qualifications.

I am posting my presentation here so that any other charities who didn’t attend can view it at any time. I am also posting a 1-sheeter handout that I gave to all attendees which summarises the simple steps to getting their non-profit onto YouTube. I hope they help!

• 1- Sheet summary of getting started with YouTube Non-Profits
• Full YouTube Non-Profits presentation deck

Scott at Google MTV HQ

Originally uploaded by Scott Savage

Maybe someone has noticed that I haven’t blogged much lately? Well since my last post I got married and have travelled around the US, including to the Google Headquarters in Mountain View, CA. I just had to get a photo in front of the Tyrannosaur that has an appetite for pink flamingoes. It has been an absolute blast ever since joining Google. I just have to make more time to keep up my blogging!

Of course changing mail servers will have some effects, in my case it broke the email function of my Clientexec invoicing system. Luckily I found a great post by Adrian Jon Kriel that fixed my problem (thanks!), and I have reproduced it below:

Problem:
Default clientexec smtp mailer (PHPMailer) cannot handle the required SSL/TLS SMTP via port 465 for gmail.

Solution:

You will need a valid Gmail or Google Apps account with POP3 enabled (Gmail->Settings->Forwarding and POP/IMAP ->Enable POP for all mail)

Step 1) Modify the file: PHPMailer.php in your clientexec directory: /newedge/classes/

Step 2) Replace the following code around line 534:

// Retry while there is no connection

while($index < count($hosts) && $connection == false)

{

if(strstr($hosts[$index], ":"))

list($host, $port) = explode(":", $hosts[$index]);

with

// Retry while there is no connection

while($index < count($hosts) && $connection == false)

{

// modified for GMAIL

// if(strstr($hosts[$index], ":"))

// list($host, $port) = explode(":", $hosts[$index]);

if(strstr($hosts[$index],"://")) list($protocol,$hostPort) = explode("://",$hosts[$index]) ;

if(strstr($hostPort, ":")) list($host, $port) = explode(":", $hostPort);

Step 3) Change your clientexec Email settings (admin->SYSTEM SETUP-> e-mail settings)

Mail Type: SMTP
SMTP Host: ssl://smtp.gmail.com
SMTP Username: username@gmail.com (this will be your gmail login name)
SMTP Password: gmail_password (this will be your gmail login password)
SMTP Port: 465
Send Multi-Part MIME Messages: Yes or No (your own preference)

OPTIONAL

• If you get “Connection Timeout” errors when u send an email, contact your host to open the TCP port 465.
• On Windows servers you may need to add the “extension=php_openssl.dll” line to your php.ini configuration file.

IPL brand channel on YouTube - youtube.com/IPL

I have been working on the IPL Live Streaming event that is currently running on YouTube. This has been a huge event for us, with 60 live matches being streamed over only 44 days. This alone is a huge project, however we are also uploading all replays (4+ hrs each) and numerous highlight clips every single day (wickets, fours, sixes, interviews, summary etc.).

The Twitter integration is going really well too, it is great to follow the commentary on the #youtube_IPL hashtag. Unfortunately Trendistic doesn’t support underscores in hashtags, but the general #IPL tag shows huge spikes and that is translating into the YouTube IPL channel becoming the most subscribed and viewed channel in India of all time (after only being live for a week). That’s pretty impressive.

 

Scott with Liberty

Originally uploaded by Scott Savage

Just a couple of weeks into my new job and I am off to NYC for the first time to get trained up. I left Friday morning Australian time and arrived Friday afternoon ET, despite the fact there were 20+ hours of flight time in between (seriously dreading the flight back). In the two days that I have had I have tried to hit all the top sites; Central Park, 5th Avenue, Statue of Liberty, Times Square, a Knicks game and the Apple store. Check out my Flickr for more photos, I should keep uploading new photos pretty regularly. The weather has been great so far, plenty of snow on the ground but some blue skies and no wind. Loving it!!

Google offer

Originally uploaded by Scott Savage

Every time I collect the mail I have this thought, there could be something here that will change my life. I little overly dramatic I know, but these days if someone goes to the effort of sending you a snail mail then it is something that needs to be filed away.

I know a job takes over 50% of your waking hours, but it is still amazing how much your job satisfaction affects every aspect of your life. Anyway my package was from Google, and starting Monday my life will be different.