Interesting video post from the dependable Matt Cutts at Google regarding how often the Google Algorithm gets altered….much more than you’d think – maybe as many as 350 times in a year!

Whilst some of the changes to this algorithm can be minor, some can have a pretty major impact on your search positions – good and/or bad.

How are you placed?  With changes taking place almost daily do you have the time to keep up with these developments?  Contact us to find out how we can help with your website optimisation and safeguard your Google Equity now!

Just been reading an excellent blog post over at SEOMoz about the 4 biggest threats that Google faces. Fascinating stuff.  To summarise, the article reckons it could be one of the following:

1. An existing search competitor wins back it’s share
2. A startup becomes the new golden child of search
3. Web search fractures into verticals
4. Traditional Web Search is Replaced by a More Compelling Information Retrieval Model

But what about Facebook?

If I were Google I’d be more concerned about the sustained and continuing growth of Facebook and the tightening grip it is having on people’s lives.

Regular Facebook users can completely immerse themselves in the Facebook world for hours on end (even if this time can consist of cyberstalking, running farms or playing at being a Mafia boss) and it strikes me that if Facebook can develop a useful, reliable method of search from within that extends outwith it’s own network then they’ll be well on their way to becoming a dominant force in search and a real challenger to Google.

Facebook already comes ready-rolled with a search box.  Imagine the “convenience” for it’s users if this search box was their gateway to information on anything they want, rather than just a tool that gets used to track down friends?

There’s also several concerns over privacy relating to Facebook but imagine how focused  search results could be served if they were not only based on what was out there but on every single piece of data that you’ve added over the years to your Facebook account.

Scary, or simply progress?

The Digital Economy Bill that was hurried somewhat undemocratically through the Houses of Parliament this week is an ill-conceived, poorly thought-out and downright ludicrous piece of legislation that will cause all sorts of problems whilst potentially and unnecessarily criminalise a considerably significant proportion of the unwitting British public.

This piece of legislation is going to throw up all sorts of legal and logistical conundrums as it primarily affects the provider of the internet connection rather than the “illegal” downloader.

I’d love to get a legal perspective on the following scenario that I’m currently testing at the moment.

I’m on my way to London on a Virgin Train, enjoying free Wi-Fi coverage courtesy of a mistaken upgrade to First Class.  I’m also currently downloading “God Save The Queen” via Pirate Bay, which was the first single the band released on Richard Branson’s own Virgin Records.  Seemed like the perfect test track to use (Malcolm McLaren RIP) as I’ll also be over by Buckingham Palace in a wee while visiting Google HQ (that’s a story for another day!)

Would this count as one of the three “strikes” that could lead to Virgin Trains losing their internet connection? Can I expect the police to be waiting for me at Euston Station?

Been spending the morning tweaking some of my client’s Google Local Business Centre (GLBC) listings to take into account some pretty useful new features that the boffins have introduced.

One of the points I never tire of making when I’m out and about talking to other business owners is that you may not actually need a website…but what you do need is a web presence.  GLBC provides this and sometimes a well constructed GLBC listing is all you need to keep the new clients rolling in.  Why?

Take a look at these search results for the term ‘glasgow builder’.

By the time Google serves the adverts at the top and then lists the results from Google Local Business Centre, there is no space for any organic results on the screen.

A recent study from Jakob Nielsen indicating that web users spend 80% of their time looking at information above the page fold.  That means the large majority of searchers won’t bother scrolling down for the results if they can see a listing in front of them that holds their attention.

Another great feature of GLBC is the reviews option.  Users may be tempted to click on a result from GLBC if it has lots of reviews attached to it.

Google Local Business Centre new features

Given the amount of prime page real estate Google is allocating to it’s GLBC listings these days, it’s obviously something they are choosing to focus on.  In fact, they’ve introduced some new features in the past week that increases the efficacy of the GLBC system greatly – and makes it more usable for businesses that aren’t tied to a specific location.

1. You can now specify whether your business location is a destination for customers (ie a shop where they come to you) or whether your location is merely an office and you take your service to your customers (termed “”this business serves customer at their locations”).  This works on a number of levels but the main benefit is that if you deliver your service at your customer’s locations then you now have an opportunity to say how wide your service area is.
2. “Do not show my business address on my Maps listing” allows you to hide your business address whilst still maintaining a presence in GLBC listings.  This is tremendously helpful for home-based businesses and anyone who has no interest in receiving business visits to their home address.  It remains to be seen whether this privacy option has an overall impact in your GLBC listing.  I’m currently testing it out.

It will be interesting to see how users adapt and abuse these new features.  In theory, you would be able to hide your address but say you cover an area almost 2000 miles in diameter but I’m pretty sure this will have an adverse effect on listings.

As part of the ongoing website optimisation service we’ve been providing for Loch Lomond Wakeboard (which is already bearing some pretty good first page results) we’ve implemented a WordPress blog into LLWB’s static website to enable them to communicate more directly with their clientbase potential and existing.

The blogging engine has been souped up to include featured post controls as well as some pretty nifty image management for story thumbnails.  It’s launched just in time for the official start to Loch Lomond Wakeboard’s new season, which kicks off tomorrow (Friday 2nd April) from their new location at Sallochy Bay on Loch Lomond.

We’re all looking forward to a bit of wakeboarding action this summer and Loch Lomond Wakeboard hopefully marks the first of several new clients we’re getting in and around this beautiful location.