Audana Chris Hambly an interview

Tell me about your Audana?

Audana  is a full-service digital agency with a heavy focus on educational technology. We provide consulting and services to enable companies to increase their online presence and profit.

What was your first experience of social media?

I got on the internet back in 91, and to be frank about this the Internet always has been social by default. It is only in recent years that the term Web2.0 was coined which then morphed into social media and a whole plethora of excitement that came with it. A lot of the old style agencies started waking up. So, I’ve always been social through working on the Internet for so long. My first start up Audiocourses.com provided virtual learning spaces where students from every corner of the globe would meet and share, I’m talking ten years ago here, but even in the mid 90s we were “sharing” assets and collaborating remotely.  The new incarnation is SAEOnLine (http://saeonline.com) which is one of our clients, we continue to develop their virtual educational environment with a global reach.

What is the biggest tip you would give to a newbie in social media?

Listen and don’t get carried away with the excitement and realise you stand on the shoulders of giants, who have been around for a while. Take a look at Amazon.com whom started the review system and crowd sourcing a decade ago, not to mention their affiliate structuring, learn from these things, it’s NOT all new.

What do bloggers do that you wish they wouldn’t?

Hmm, I have issues with factual accuracy, so I dislike it when bloggers present old concepts as new and their own, that sucks. 

Where do you see growth in the social media field? 

The Internet (social media) will continue to permeate society, though I fear a greater digital divide will come also. 

What new ideas are advertisers coming up with to take advantage of new trends?

 Crowd sourcing is a big one, or at least making it seem so.

What do you do to improve the world?

 I fight bigots on and off the internet, I have issues with any country or group of people living under occupation, and mono-cultural preservation. 

What do you do that is green?

Um.. nothing, I’ve not bought into the bonkers Green Movement.

What is one thing about you that not many people know?

I used to fix helicopters for a living. 

What are your contact details (email, company, blog, facebook, myspace, forums, etc)?

http://chrishambly.com is a good place to start 

What events do you go to?

 Well our own Social Media in Business Conference (http://socialmediainbusiness.co.uk) and also we host the Social Media Mafia (http://socialmediamafia.com) and run MediaCamps, we’ve done a lot, the next one is MediaCampLondon 3 http://mcl3.eventbrite.com/

How do you prefer to communicate?

 In the pub.

Who would you recommend, and why?

Oh, I don’t want to make work for anyone ;’)

What is one thing people can do for you?

 Listen and get factual accuracy down. 🙂