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The e-Government National Awards 2010, the UK’s most closely watched public sector technology competition, is now open for entries. (http://www.e-governmentawards.co.uk)

Covering eleven categories, the awards recognise the teams and organisations deploying excellence and technological innovation in the way they communicate and interact with citizens and businesses. They are open to organisations in local and national government, the NHS, education and the third sector.

Temwa is a UK organisation that raises funds to implement community-based projects in Malawi, southern Africa. The Usisya area of Malawi is a particulalry remote region which has no electricity, no running water and is severely affected by the AIDS epidemic. Temwa aims to help build a sustainable future for the people of this region through community-based projects, enabling them to become self sufficient and giving them hope for their families' futures.

Sift was delighted to host the Social Media for Marketing theatre at the Technology for Marketing and Advertising show at Earls Court, London last month. The theatre hit on some of hottest topics in marketing and was expected to be popular - in reality there was an ovewhelming number of visitors with crowds spilling out onto the aisles for every session!

In 2010 Sift Media is embarking on a bold development of The Pitch 2009, a national small business pitching competition which saw over 164 entrepreneurs from across the UK vying in five regional heats for a chance to present their business idea and pitching skills  to a panel of high-profile business experts including ex-TV dragon Doug Richard and The Apprentice winner Tim Campbell and potentially win a £50,000 prize package.

Sift Media’s recent foray into the world of public sector publishing with the acquisition of PublicTechnology.net included the added bonus of the responsibility of organising and running that title’s annual e-Government National Awards, the primary awards event for the public sector.

At the latest SiftGroups seminar BusinessZone.co.uk editor, Dan Martin, gave a presentation focusing on how organisations can use social media tools like Twitter, Facebook and Cover It Live to boost marketing and drive up profits. His presentation video and slides are below.
 Video of presentation

You will by now have heard of Cloud Computing. It's the IT term 'du jour' for 2009 – and that's not about to change in 2010.  But what is Cloud Computing? Are you as confused as Oracle CEO Larry Ellison when he flamboyantly declares: "I have no idea what anyone is talking about. It's really just complete gibberish. What is it?"

The finalists have been announced in this year’s e-Government National Awards. The highly sought-after awards recognise excellence across eleven categories, highlighting the UK’s top public sector innovators in the use of technology, enabling businesses and citizens to better communicate with councils, central government, NHS and other public sector organisations. UK Government CIO John Suffolk will reveal the winners on 20th January at a Ministerial dinner at the City of London's Guildhall.

What does the term 'social media' really mean? What impact can it have on your brand? This guide, written by BusinessZone.co.uk editor Dan Martin, aims to answer these and other burning questions about social media for business.

In addition to providing useful case studies, this guide offers advice on developing relationships with key influencers and creating advocates of your brand online. Complete the form below to access your guide now.

Leading online B2B publisher Sift Media has expanded its range of titles with the acquisition of the successful PublicTechnology.net website portfolio.

The Bristol-based online community specialist has made a move into public sector publishing with the purchase of Public Technology Limited. Sift Media will take on 10 separate content driven titles that serve 15,000 registered subscribers, 150,000 unique users, generating upwards of 1 million page impressions per month. The acquisition was brokered by Prism Consult Ltd, the media M&A consultancy.