Ben Barren

Ben Barren

SocialMedia Tracker for RedBarren + CoFounder Feedcorp/gnoos PtyLtd. See benbarren.com twitter.com/benbarren

Melbourne Area, Australia

Current
  • Social Media Tracker at Feedcorp Pty Ltd + gnoos Pty Ltd
Past
  • Bus Dev Manager (Consultant) at www.unoduo.com
  • Consultant for Venture Logic Pty Ltd at Commissioned by Morgan and Banks Investments for www.linkme.com.au
  • Consultant, Product & Bus Dev Mgr at Sensis MediaSmart
  • Consultant for Venture Logic Pty Ltd at Commissioned by Trader Classifieds for carpoint.com.au owned by Publishing & Broadcasting Limited
  • Portal Manager & New Ventures Director at Virtual Communities Ltd www.virtualcommunities.com.au
  • ninemsn at Founding Product Planner
  • New Media Development Manager at DDB Advertising
Education
  • Swinburne Uni
  • Monash Uni (Caulfield - Mkg) (Clayton - Arts)
  • Melbourne High
Connections
167 connections
Industry
Internet
Websites

Ben Barren’s Summary

After completing 3 degrees incl BA/BBus (Mkg) @ Caulf_Monash + Masters of Enterprise Innovation (MEI) Swinburne; Ben has spent 15 years working in the online industry, starting at DDB in 1995, ninemsn as a Founding Product Planner in 1997; Virtual Communities in 1999 + he helped setup Sensis MediaSmart for the Telstra Network 2001-4. For the past 5 years he has worked in Social Media Industry with the company he setup Feedcorp with the gnoos Aussie Blog Engine + Social Media advising to clients via Red Barren.

Currently as tracked at his www.benbarren.com blog + www.twitter.com/benbarren, along with his love of Mornington Peninsula golf plus Rye + MFC Demons, Ben spends his time Monitoring the Social Media Space for clients - across Blogs, Micro-Blogs (Twitter/Friendfeed), Rich Media (Flickr + YouTube) as well as Traditional Media Sources online. Ben sets up (+ can manage) the social tracking + syndication systems for clients + agencies. Contact him via redbarren at gmail dot com.

As well as Social Media Monitoring, Ben is working with clients who want to syndicate in realtime popular user generated content to their website. This can be done to a local level - Such as property, tourism or lifestyle sites wanting to publish hyperlocal content by country, state, suburb region as well as user generated reviews for Accomodation, Property, Small Businesses + Restaurants.

Ben is working with clients in the Lifestyle, Alcohol + FMCG, Classifieds, Retail, Fashion + Shopping, Travel + Tourism Spaces. As well as Social Media Intelligence + Syndication - many clients want to target + engage High Traffic/Influence Social Media Commentators. Ben does this hands on Coversational Marketing with The Community.

Ben has received favourable coverage in AFR, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, ZD-Net and over 300 blogs globally for his work in the Social Media Space.

In the previous boom The Age/SMH listed him as one of 30 people under 30 as future succesful entreprenuers.

Ben Barren’s Specialties:

1. Social Media Intelligence : tracking companies, brands, products, topics, locations across blogs, micro-blogs (twitter/friendfeed), video (youtube), images (flickr) and social networks.
2. Social Media Syndication: Delivering user generated content across blogs, twitter + rich media eg YouTube to Publisher website in designated client verticals at a hyperlocal level.
3. Conversational Community Marketing: Identifying, targeting + delivering high traffic/influence social media commentators.


Ben Barren’s Experience

  • Social Media Tracker

    Feedcorp Pty Ltd + gnoos Pty Ltd

    (Internet industry)

    January 2005Present (4 years 11 months)

    Feedcorp Pty Ltd is focused on powering Web 2.0 solutions for local Australian and non-US publishers. The company also operates gnoos.com.au, the leading Aussie blog search engine.

    In December 2006 conceptualised, developed, licensed and launched nook.com.au for News Ltd Leader Newspaper, which allows Melburnians to ask questions of each other, post about their local life and review local businesses, from the True Local database, through their own blog. Stay tuned for more Feedcorp blogging and web2 communities with partners in 2007 in high value verticals. Contact me if you are interested in such a solution for a large publisher or funded startup.

  • Bus Dev Manager (Consultant)

    www.unoduo.com

    (Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Internet industry)

    June 2004December 2004 (7 months)

    Product planning, development and distribution of a social networking, travel and dating connections site – www.unoduo.com

  • Consultant for Venture Logic Pty Ltd

    Commissioned by Morgan and Banks Investments for www.linkme.com.au

    (Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Internet industry)

    June 2004December 2004 (7 months)

    Development of a new business networking website – www.linkme.com.au

  • Consultant, Product & Bus Dev Mgr

    Sensis MediaSmart

    (Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Internet industry)

    December 2001December 2004 (3 years 1 month)

    Consulted, then became employee, assisting (Josh Edis) in building Sensis MediaSmart division. Consumer reach increased from 25% to 65%. Revenue and profit increased two-three fold. Primary focus was on new products (keyword search, content integration, rich media) and business development.

  • Consultant for Venture Logic Pty Ltd

    Commissioned by Trader Classifieds for carpoint.com.au owned by Publishing & Broadcasting Limited

    (Public Company; 201-500 employees; Internet industry)

    July 2004November 2004 (5 months)

    Assessments of next generation classifieds software for PBL’s classified business including www.carpoint.com.au

  • Portal Manager & New Ventures Director

    Virtual Communities Ltd www.virtualcommunities.com.au

    (Public Company; 51-200 employees; Internet industry)

    July 1999May 2001 (1 year 11 months)

    2nd employee for Virtual Communities Ltd, in charge of online content and revenue. Developed the online product and business plan. Managed a group of producers and sales team to build a PC desktop and online community which helped bridge the digital divide in partnership with the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), Catholic Church and St George Bank.

  • ninemsn

    Founding Product Planner

    (Public Company; 51-200 employees; Internet industry)

    February 1997June 1999 (2 years 5 months)

    Established Carpoint into a top 3 automotive site and formulated first advertising forecast for ninemsn network, the number 1 Australian site. Part of a team of 4 product planners who developed initial product plans for ninemsn.

  • New Media Development Manager

    DDB Advertising

    (Public Company; OMC; Marketing and Advertising industry)

    January 1995January 1997 (2 years 1 month)

    DDB Advertising, Responsible for developing online media, CD-Rom and cable TV advertising opportunities with clients such as Telstra, GTV 9, Cadbury Schweppes, Drake and Brashs. Developed early trials of interactive and online advertising - Was fastest growing ad agency in country and 3rd biggest by billings ! We established online unit, that is now www.tribalddb.com.au


Ben Barren’s Education

  • Swinburne Uni

    Masters of Enterprise Innovation , Venture Capital & Entrepreneurship , March 1997November 1999

    The leading post-graduate entrepreneurship and venture capital qualification in Australia, and a leading course worldwide. Modelled of Babson Uni in Boston's entrepreneurship Masters.

    Here I come Stanford Uni and Google !

  • Monash Uni (Caulfield - Mkg) (Clayton - Arts)

    Bachelor of Arts (Politics + Philosophy + Politics) and Bachelor of Business (Marketing) , Strategic Marketing, Logistics, Marketing Communication, Greek Philosophy, 1960's America Revolution , March 1992December 1996

    Won the award for Top Advertising Management Student in 1996... although the people who payed the prize ($1k) werent too happy because I was already employed at this stage by DDB who were evil big brother !

    I also won a National Essay Competition by Federation of Radio Broadcasters which meant I won $2500 in Dec/Jan before I started work. So I had fun in Sorrento all summer. (it was alot of money back then)

  • Melbourne High

    HSC/VCE , Year 12 , February 1988December 1991

    Activities and Societies:
    HSC anderson score of 351, and gees did we party !

Additional Information

Ben Barren’s Websites:

Ben Barren’s Interests:

Living a tweetworthy existence : http://www.twitter.com/benbarren Then blogging about it : http://www.benbarren.com Get everything at Friendfeed http://www.friendfeed.com/benbarren Or Facebook me http://www.facebook.com/benbarren Giant CRX 1 - Black - 2005 Flat Bar Road Bike, carbon fibre bar ends, Shimano 105 cranks, wireless cateye computer Apple Imac G5 20" with Airport Express wireless network, running an 02 XDAii plus IPO Shuffle 512M Cleveland Classic Tour action irons, Taylor made woods, Ping Pal 4 old school putter, Titleist bag - play Mornington Peninsula - Cape Schanck, Dunes, Moonah Links

Ben Barren’s Groups:

MCC Long Room + Members Dining Room.. unfortunately my Melbourne Dees arent playing well but luckily the Rye Demons are in the Finals!

Ben Barren’s Honors:

Named in The Age/Sydney Morning Herald's Thirty Entrepreneurs under Thirty years to watch out for.

Im watching ;)


Ben Barren’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

  • consulting offers
  • new ventures
  • expertise requests
  • business deals
  • reference requests
  • getting back in touch

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