Following the launch of the Smarta microsite, you can now get up-to-date news and views on issues affecting entrepreneurs and small businesses on the Smarta blog.

Following on from my last post about understanding what social networking is all about, here’s a fantastic resource which explains RSS in the simplest way possible. The short video has been put together by the Common Craft Show to help people understand what RSS is and how it could help them.

Play video

I’ve had countless conversations with people where I’ve tried to explain RSS and been met with blank faces – but this video should put an end to that. The simple, visual approach cuts out the jargon and any confusing technology…and all done without a PowerPoint slide in sight!

For anyone who’s looking for insight into the impact of blogs in different regions and countries around the world, the recently-published Corporate Guide to the Blogosphere would make useful reading.

The report, from public relations firm Edelman, highlights the fact that even though the blog phenomenon is global, there are important regional and local differences in how blogs are consumed and what this means for companies and organisations that want to engage with bloggers and their readers.

You can download the report here.

Disclosure: I was an employee of Edelman in London from 2002-2005, and its Interactive Solutions team is currently a client.