James Mills is a web developer in the North East of England and founder of Refresh Teesside »
Mike Hughes is the Head of Business for the Evening Gazette. He will be blogging on all matters of importance to Teesside businesses - and some that are just worth knowing »
Jez Davison, business writer at the Evening Gazette, is a regular blogger on all things business - particularly finance, entrepreneurship and the state of the Teesside economy » 
Karen McLauchlan is the Evening Gazette's deputy business and features editor - with special interest in all things industry, property and arts related » 
Jeremy Middleton is a venture capitalist and the co-founder of FTSE-200 company HomeServe » 
Deloitte, which has 23 offices across the UK including Newcastle, is among the country's leading professional services firms » 
ClimateNE & Climate Change Schools Project support the move to a low-carbon, resilient economy and help businesses avoid risk and realise commercial opportunities. Posts by Jen Atkinson, Krista McKinzey and Harriet Thew » Here's a quick question for you: Who was the UK's most searched for person on the Internet in the last quarter of 2008?
Was it Barack Obama following his election in November? Could it be Russell Brand or Jonathan Ross in the aftermath of the now-notorious Sachs prank call? Or could it be the unthinkable and be one of the many celebrities that make you wonder exactly what they are famous for -Jordan, Kerry Katona, Paris Hilton, et al.
Surprisingly - leaping above other top 10 contenders which included Cheryl Cole and Katy Perry - it was...
...Martin Lewis, the Money Saving Expert.
Martin's website - moneysavingexpert.com has really been a phenomenon. Simplistic in its concept and design, the website shows people how they can save money, reduce bills and find the best deals around.
The website entrepreneur, journalist and TV presenter launched his website - which cost just ã100 to create - in 2003. Now valued at ã280m, it is ranked the biggest consumer and personal finance site in the UK with over seven million users each month, while over three million people receive Martin's Money Tips weekly e-mail.
In January 2009, moneysavingexpert.com was the 100th most visited site in the UK and forums.moneysavingexpert.com is ranked as the 10th most popular social networking site.
Yes, it would be extremely difficult to replicate the success that Martin Lewis has had, but he is a prime example of how technology can be used to promote and support your business, heighten your business profile and communicate with key audiences.
Increasingly businesses across the region are turning to technology to increase awareness of their business and improve communications. And importantly, it doesn't cost firms precious expenditure.
As the popularity of social networking increases, more businesses are utilising them. Twitter - which I am now becoming accustomed to - is a site that North East businesses are turning to on a daily basis. Business updates, networking opportunities, links and customer feedback are now a 'must have'.
Blogging is also a key example of a technology at your fingertips which can support your organisation - allowing for comments and discussions on relevant industry topics which will engage and inform your audiences. If you can get the content right they are extremely effective.
But are these all just a fad? A trend that will fade in time? Only time will tell as technology is always developing - but I for one am embracing these opportunities - and other businesses in the region should consider doing the same.
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