Ricky’s Online Business Blog

Playing catch up with Facebook’s Like button, Google has launched +1, a platform that allows users to say that they like certain ads and search results. Obviously, this isn’t something new, at least in Malaysia. Last year, 1Malaysia was launched a year ahead of schedule and it has now expanded to include 1Radio, 1Tv, 1Clinic, 1Email, etc (let us to come clean, everything except – 1.my).

And just when we thought that the “1″ fever was losing steam, “Cloud” becomes one of the most hyped terms today. Of course, the Cloud we’re talking about here isn’t the “visible mass of water droplets or frozen ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere above the surface of the Earth or another planetary body.” We’re talking Cloud computing.

You could say that Cloud reached a climax when iCloud was finally revealed at Apple’s recent Worldwide Developers Conference 2011. Then, all of a sudden, books, music, files and photos are all on Cloud. Fortunately, Malaysia isn’t far behind when it comes to technology. After all, we have the tallest building in the Clouds and we can even have roti canai above the Clouds.

So, what is Cloud?

Steve Jobs says don’t even need to know what Cloud is, because you never interact with it – your apps do.

End users shouldn’t worry, however, because the moment you upload a picture on Facebook, navigate KL using Google Maps or play Angry Bird on Google Chrome, you are in fact, in a transition to Cloud. To you, it is a matter of experience which makes sharing faster. It also makes life easier and fun! So don’t crack your head trying to understand Cloud, it exists in the background. Think of it this way, you don’t need to know how a car works in order to drive a car, and remember Web 2.0? Who gives a hoot about it now?

It’s wise for businesses to make the change, however. You can be a mover and shaker by helping your customers make the transition to Cloud. Ask yourself these questions – Is your website hosted on Cloud? Does your product require an additional hardware to run? Think again and check out Cloud Computing, as well as this article.

About The Author

Pin is the founder of 1.com.my. He hosts email and websites for his customers on Cloud. He has written two books on Online Business and Linux, and he also founded a Web Developer Group that has over 100 friends. To learn more, please visit his website at http://www.1.com.my/, or join his Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pin.my.

Are you checking up on your potential employees on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn?

Why not? Businesses, banks, legal firms and government agencies have been known to conduct background check on people using CTOS, CCRIS and other means.

After all, foreknowledge on people, companies and markets we are dealing with will be much useful to ensure higher success for us.

Sun Tzu even says, “Thus, what enables the wise sovereign and the good general to strike and conquer, and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men, is foreknowledge” (故明君賢將，所以動而勝人，成功出于眾者，先知也)

So, why can’t employers check on job candidates before hiring them? One justification is that, hiring the wrong employee is not only costly to the company, but also detrimental to the employee who comes into the wrong job.

But are you aware of the dangers of doing such online background check?  Feel free to comment on my presentation done in December 2009 below or on SlideShare.net.

I don’t know about others.  But ever since I started to update my Facebook status actively (almost daily), I seldom update my blog any more.  Anyone share such same experience with me?

You may think I have become lazy to write articles.  You may think I have taken easy way out by microblogging using Facebook isntead.  But I suspect I’m not the only one.  I venture to say that microblogging using Facebook and Twitter has won over the heart of some conventional bloggers like me.

Now I suppose conventional blogging is not for everyone.  Not too many can write, want to write, care to write, or have the time to write.  Some of us took up blogging a few years ago due to reasons such as peer pressure, or it was the “in” thing to do at that time.

But as time goes on, we start to find out who can blog, and who better not waste time blogging.  You may call the blogs of former as high quality blogs, or the latter low quality blogs.  But I prefer to think that blogging is simply not the cup of tea for these latter group of people. 

Some of them blog because they have a need to express themselves.  But it can take too much time sitting in front of computer to write, and or too much stress to think what to write.  But now with microblogging, it serves their need to express perfectly.  They can just shout anytime they have something to express!

I’m talking about the bloggers who have “expressive” need to express themselves.  I’m not talking about other reasons for blogging such as to contribute to body of knowledge, to attract web site traffic, to promote a company, product or service, or to make blogging money.

Moreover, by microblogging we have ready pool of friends on social media who can read our status updates.  We don’t need to worry about attracting search engine traffic to our conventional blogs.  Well, not too many people know or care about search engines and online marketing.

But don’t get me wrong.  I’m not saying blogs have no use any more.  I’m saying microblogging has taken away some conventional bloggers like me who blog primarily to express and to shout.

And you are welcome to express and shout your comments below

Have you been invited to join various specialized Facebook groups lately?  For example, “Malaysia Badminton Network” for badminton lovers and “Malaysia Web Designers” for web professionals?

Yes, I have been joining some of these groups. Also learning about this new way of making money – building recommender community groups on Facebook.

Correct me if I’m wrong. But it works like this:

1. Decide on your passion, such as table-tennis or reading books.
2. Create a Facebook group around your passion, such as “Malaysia Table-Tennis Network”. Decide on what you can offer your group members.
3. Invite your friends on and off Facebook to join your group. Aim for the number.
4. Keep posting useful messages to group members to build your credibility, and make sure they get something beneficial out of joining your group!
5. Once you have reached a critical mass, such as 1000 members in your group, start leveraging the number to make money!

For example, you can contact sport organizations and companies to sponsor events, contests and prizes for your table-tennis sport group. You can help these sponsors sell their products. In return, you may get a cut of the profit.

Another example I’ve witnessed a book love group are doing. They leverage on their high number of members to negotiate with MPH to gain discount for their members.

I don’t know exactly yet how to translate number of members into profits, since I’m not there yet. But since you are leading your many group members now, you have the influence over the group members and “recommendation power” to talk to businesses interested in your group as their target customers.

And once you have achieved success with one niche group, start another group (better be related, I supposed), and leverage on the first group to promote the second!

Just announce to the first group that you have created a second group, then many of them will join you since they already trust you!

Does this business model work? I don’t know. But according to one Internet guru, building recommender community groups is one of the most profitable ventures on the Internet.

And what do you think?