theEweekly Wrap: China opts in, Chrome users opt out

China might

The chairman of China Mobile Ltd has been in talks with Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Bloomberg revealed this week. Wang Jianzhou of the state-own network revealed he met with the social media pioneer on his visit to China last month; apparently, they discussed "the possibility of cooperation", although no deal was made. During his visit, Zuckerberg also visited the head offices of Baidu, China's most popular search engine. China's infamous firewall began blocking several websites including Facebook in 2009, following riots in the Xinjiang region. China Mobile also blocked its network in Xinjiang, with restricted text messaging only being reintroduced in January 2010. According to the China Internet Network Information Centre, the country has 457 million internet users, so cooperation could be very lucrative indeed for Facebook.

No more cookies

Google has launched a tool available to download as an extension to the Chrome browser, which will allow users to opt out of personalised ads. The ads, which use browser tracking cookies to ensure relevance to the user, appear on many e-commerce and content sites, and are particularly common in paid social media marketing. This should have minimal effect on advertisers as ads will still appear. Google warned: "Your experience of online ads may change: You may see the same ads repeatedly on particular websites, or see ads that are less relevant to you." The plug-in, known as Keep My Opt Outs, is similar to the tool provided by the National Advertising Initiative. However, this tool had an inherent flaw in that it wiped the user's preferences and opt out choices whenever they deleted their browser cookies. Google has made Keep My Opt Outs open-source so versions for other browsers should be available soon.

iPlayer on iOS

A full year after it was first announced, it seems the BBC iPlayer app for iOS is nearing completion. Paidcontent.co.uk reported that the service would soon be available for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch, six months after being given the go-ahead by the BBC Trust. While many of the BBC's services are being scaled back due to harsh cuts, the iPlayer is going from strength to strength. The service is soon to launch worldwide with a subscription charge, while 145 million programmes were viewed in December; around four per cent of these were on mobile devices. The iPlayer app for iOS, as well as a dedicated BBC Sports app, will be available in the app store soon. There is still no word on an Android iPlayer app.

Professionals only

Social media marketing has come to LinkedIn, the network for professionals. The self-service PPC ads centre – innovatively named LinkedIn Ads – was officially unveiled on Wednesday after two years of beta testing. In keeping with the nature of the network, the ads can be targeted depending on job title, company or group, as well as the usual location, age and gender. Although LinkedIn has 90 million members, some analysts question whether it is the best way for advertisers to spend their money. Search Engine Land concluded it is "expensive on a per-click basis", while according to the Wall Street Journal, "the average Facebook user spent nearly five and a half hours [last month] flipping through user profiles, commenting on photos and playing games. The average LinkedIn user was there just 12 minutes."

theEweekly Wrap: free music, cheap computers and 3D gaming

Sony welcomes Spotify

Rumours circulated this week that Spotify had signed a deal with Sony, thus inching closer to a US release. The music streaming service has over 10 million users in Europe, but has so far found it hard to break into the US due to record labels refusing to sign. If enough do, American users will be able to listen to hours of free music, or pay for the premium service to avoid advertisements, or splash out on the Spotify mobile app. However, with only 750,000 of Spotify's European users currently paying, and reported losses of £16.6 million in 2009, it's easy to imagine why major labels may have reservations. If rumours of the deal are true, Sony has signed over the likes of Michael Jackson, Kings of Leon, Neil Diamond and Christina Aguilera to the on-demand music service.

The £98 PC

The government scheme to get the UK online has begun, with £98 PCs being offered for 12 months. Race Online 2012 will also see subsidised net connections for as little as £9 per month through a dongle. Of the 9.2 million people in the UK who have never been online, it is estimated that 4 million are economically disadvantaged; the government hopes the £98 computer will remove that obstacle. The machines are in fact refurbished or recycled computers assembled by Remploy, which helps disadvantaged people find work. They hope to sell 8,000 of them in 2011, through 60 centres across the UK, which will also offer training. Although the computers will have flat-screen monitors, Remploy save money by installing open-source software like Linux.

Search noise

An opinion survey by US analysts Rasmussen Reports has found that although search engines are generally held in good favour, the problem of 'noise' is becoming a real concern. Of 740 Americans surveyed, 89 per cent rated search engine results excellent or good, while less than 1 per cent said they were poor. However, when asked about problems afflicting search engines, the response was less positive. 13 per cent claimed they could not find what they needed, while a huge 70 per cent complained about the amount of irrelevant data – or 'noise' – resulting from a search. In other news, Search Engine Land reports that Google favours itself in search results just 19 per cent of the time. In one shocking example, typing 'search engine' into Google puts Google itself in 5th position.

Win-tendo

The long-awaited Nintendo 3DS handheld console was unveiled in Amsterdam this week (ancestor pictured). The launch, hosted by Jonathan Ross, revealed the information UK gamers have been dying to hear: it will be launching here on 25 March 2011, for between £220 and £230. More than 30 games will also be released ready for the launch, although Wired magazine called them 'disappointing'. Meanwhile, the capabilities of the new device itself were lauded across the web, such as the gyroscope and ability to connect with other 3DS units. Most impressive, however, are the two screens with glasses-free 3D displays. These can play 3D TV, with Sky and Eurosport offering to create programmes especially for Nintendo. BT will give 3DS users access to its Wi-Fi hotspots, while the twin cameras mean it can shoot 3D videos and read AR codes.

How-Do you make a mobile site?

theEword launches new How-Do mobile site in less than one month


Easier to use, quicker and it takes no management time


Advanced redirects mean that mobile users get the best experience

The mobile web is becoming more important with each passing day. In the UK alone, more than 13.5 million people now surf the internet on their mobile, and it is predicted that mobile internet users will outnumber desktop users within 5 years. Quite simply, companies who choose to ignore these astonishing figures risk being left behind. That's why the first question that forward-thinking companies should ask themselves is: "Does my site work on mobiles?"

Most websites don't display properly on mobile devices, no matter how much they cost. After all, there is a limit to how much detail you can provide on a handheld device – the dimensions are smaller, screen resolutions are reduced and data transfer is slower and more expensive.

The How-Do mobile site was ready in one month

Last year, How-Do, the north-west's leading news portal for the north-west's media, marketing, PR and advertising industries, asked theEword to develop a new mobile site optimised for smartphones. Like most websites, the old How-Do site could be accessed by mobiles but it was not without its problems. The site was just the same as the online offering, and so required the user to do lots of zooming in and out, download lots of expensive data and wait for it all to load up. Far from ideal.

However, in just one month, theEword conceptualised, tested and delivered a fully functioning site that has been optimised for smartphones. The beta version of the How-Do mobile site went live on Wednesday, 22 December 2010 and the final version was delivered at the start of 2011.


Features of the How-Do mobile site

The How-Do mobile site boasts the following features:

• Automatic redirect – mobile visitors who go to the desktop website are automatically taken to the same page on the How-Do mobile site (mobile.how-do.co.uk) – the user then has the option of instantly returning to the same page on the desktop site. This gives the user complete flexibility on what user experience they want.


• 'Across the board' handset compatibility – Their site works on Android, iPhone OS and Blackberry


• Reduced download demands - One image is automatically resized and used to illustrate each article, saving users time and money, and the code of the website is optimised. The size of every element is considered, reducing the download time and allowing the user to get to the information they want much quicker.


• Enhanced usability - Articles resize to fit mobile browser and can be read instantly without zooming in or out


• Low management overhead - The mobile website seamlessly takes all of its information from the desktop site. No additional time is needed to maintain the mobile site.


• Google Analytics ready - Launching the How-Do mobile site was just the first step; the site is compatible with Google Analytics, allowing the team at How-Do to easily track the performance of the site.


• Streamlined navigation - Users can rapidly browse the key sections of news, features, events and jobs in a user interface designed for mobile devices. The text and buttons are larger, making it easier for the user to navigate, and no horizontal scrolling is required.

On time and on budget

Rachel McCormick, head of operations at How-Do, said: "We are delighted with the How-Do mobile site developed by theEword. The team has done a fantastic job to complete our design-and-build project on time and on budget. Thanks to their skill and hard work, we now have a mobile site that is accessible to all our readers. We would recommend theEword to anyone looking to build a professional and cost-effective mobile site."

Learn more about mobile

If you would like to find out more about mobile, check out theEword mobile micro-site. This has been designed to give you a jargon-free guide to the subject, and introduce you to the services provided by theEword:

Mobile site builds


Mobile search engine optimisation


Mobile pay-per-click marketing

Alternatively, why not just pick up the phone and call us on 0161 848 4300?

Richard Frost

theEweekly Wrap: Google is recruiting, SEO is booming

Copyfight

Microsoft has asked the US Patent and Trademark Office to reject Apple's application to copyright the phrase 'App Store'. Microsoft claims the term, used to refer to the Apple shop for iPhone, iPod and iPad applications, is too generic; however, the opposition comes a whole year after the trademark request was made. This coincides with the launch of the Mac App Store on 6 January 2011, when apps were no longer restricted to mobile. According to PC Mag, the store "racked up more than one million app downloads within a 24-hour time period"; incredible, considering on that first day there were only around 1,000 apps to choose from. Of these, around 600 were games, and 20 cost over $100 (£63).

Social summit

Facebook has flown creatives and executives from some of the UK's leading ad agencies to its headquarters in Palo Alto, California. The first ever Influencer Summit will see the Facebook elite engaging with the likes of AKQA, Dare and LBi in 'an open exchange of ideas'. The aim – according to Marketing Magazine – is to find out exactly what UK advertisers want from social media marketing. This could be a further attempt to monetize Facebook's incredible popularity, adding to the £776 million in revenue attained in the first three quarters of 2010. With 13.5 million active users, the UK is second only to the US in terms of potential audience - and profit - for ads. Attempting to crack the global advertising market could be part of preparations for Facebook's rumoured flotation in 2012.

Search for a genius

Google has launched a global science fair for 13 to 18-year-olds in a bid to find the scientists and tech innovators of tomorrow. The web-based competition invites students to submit their ideas as a video or slideshow. The best entrants will be flown to California in April, where they will pitch their idea to the world's masterminds of science and technology. The event is sponsored by LEGO, CERN, Scientific American and National Geographic; the three finalists will each be offered 'an experience' at one of these companies or at Google. The Grand Prize winner will also receive a $50,000 (£36,000) scholarship to be spent on their education, while 15 runners up will receive a Chrome notebook and Android phone.

SEO grows

A report by digital analysts Econsultancy has revealed growth in the UK SEO market. The SEO Agencies Buyer's Guide estimates that the search market in the UK has increased in worth by 16 per cent, from £376 million in 2009 to £436 million in 2010. Over the same period of time, the number of large firms planning to increase their SEO spend grew from 55 to 60 per cent. Best of all, the report concludes that SEO is "a shrewd long-term investment which delivers a measurable return". Although this week saw a terrible blow for SEO agencies in Germany, it looks as though 2011 will be a good year elsewhere.

theEweekly Wrap: shares, charities, hacks and heroes

Social sharing

Just five days after US investment firm Goldman Sachs began offering their clients shares in Facebook, the whole lot sold out yesterday for a total of $1.5 billion (£965 million). Further details of the deal have also emerged, such as the £1.3 million minimum investment – although this is waived for Goldman Sachs partners – and the ban on reselling until 2013. However, Facebook is not the only social network to become hot Wall Street property. Reuters reported that LinkedIn, the professional network of over 85 million members, plans to go public this year. Financial underwriters could include Morgan Stanley, Bank of America and JPMorgan, after bankers pitched to the network in November 2010.

Donations denied

The UK minister for civil society, Nick Hurd, has thrown his weight behind charities condemning Apple for not allowing donations to be made through apps. The minister is to write to the technology giant asking for a full explanation of why this is the case, supporting a 10,000-signature online petition to the same effect. Apple was also criticised this week when iPhone alarm clocks were incapacitated by the changing calendar on 1 January 2011. The alarm glitch first came to Apple's attention when Daylight Saving Time ended on 1 November 2010, making thousands of users an hour late for work.

PS3 hacked

The Sony Playstation 3 was hacked this week, when the master key was published online by US hacker George Hotz, who previously hacked the iPhone. This will allow any software, including pirated material, to be played on the machine. The technique was developed by hacking community fail0verflow, who claim they did it to enable the installation of other Operating Systems and user-created content, known as Homebrew. It's not all bad news for the gaming industry however, as the Association for UK Interactive Entertainment revealed it made £2.9 billion in 2010. This included 13.8 million sales of PS3s, while Microsoft sold 18.2 million Xbox consoles. Unsurprisingly, the biggest-selling game of the year was Call of Duty: Black Ops.

US hails Twitter hero

Major US publications including Time, Washington Post and the New York Times have lauded the mayor of Newark for his use of Twitter at Christmas. As residents awoke to two feet of snow, Cory Booker took to Twitter and began his mission to help out those who needed it. Directing clean-up teams and snow ploughs where they were needed, Booker himself took to the streets and dug out cars. He even responded to the tweets of a woman in labour, and stayed with her until the ambulance arrived. Twitter itself has praised the mayor, saying his tweets "demonstrated to his community tangible examples of individual engagement that may have even inspired others to act in kind". Meanwhile, the New York City mayor tweeted a hotline people could call for help.

The evolution of CSS

Web development is a really exciting area to work in for a lot of reasons: it’s varied, it’s got the potential for your work to be seen on a huge scale and it’s always changing. In fact, it’s changing faster than most people will notice, as new ideas are incorporated into the latest versions of browsers, letting designers who want to experiment try them out before they are available for more widespread use.

One of the most dramatic areas showing innovation at the moment is the whole CSS3 drive, which takes Cascading Style Sheets (the technology used to position and style elements on web pages), and adds a whole bunch of extras. Some of these features you’ve probably seen: rounded corners on boxes, for example. It sounds like a really simple thing, but until the "border-radius" property was added to the CSS specification, it took various images and positioning tricks to accomplish.

The CSS3 specifications aren’t expected to be finalized for quite a while yet, but that doesn’t mean you won’t start to see more little touches in website styles – even the "current" CSS2.1 specification isn’t finalized, but it’s implemented in most current browsers. The standards process used means that browser developers are encouraged to incorporate new ideas for testing well before the specification in final, so any issues can be worked out, and adjustments made without breaking existing sites.

If you’d like to see if any websites are using these experimental properties, try installing Google Chrome, an alternative web browser which gets updated very regularly.

Here are a few things to look out for:

• Shadows: text and other elements can now have shadows, which may be adjusted dynamically. They are beginning to be used for link hover effects and to reduce the need for images to get interesting looking titles.


• Columns: newspaper style columns that can reflow based on the size of your browser window – existing methods tended to restrict designers to text blocks of fixed sizes.


• Transitions: stylish little touches like making link underlines fade in when you hover over them, rather than just appearing suddenly, or making drop down menus slide into place smoothly, rather than juddering to a sudden stop (it’s a side effect of the "old" method used for the effect).


• Rotations: items on the page being rotated before display, such as images shown as if they’ve been thrown casually on a table, or text running at an angle across the page to make a bold statement.


• Reflections: effects as if the element has been put on a glass table. This is very effective when combined with HTML5 video elements, as the reflection handles the video content as it changes.

For developers, a good resource to check on how many people are likely to be able to see these touches is CanIUse, which shows which browser versions support a whole range of "advanced" features.

Depending on the site in question, it might be acceptable for such cosmetic touches not to work fully, whilst giving an extra shine for users on more advanced browsers; these techniques tend to have the advantage that they degrade seamlessly.

To illustrate the appearance of CSS3 in different browsers, I have included three screenshots showing varying degrees of functionality.

CSS3 in Chrome

In Chrome, all the effects are working fully: the page has columns, the image on the left is rotated and has a shadow, and the image on the right has a reflection and a shadow

CSS3 in Firefox

In Firefox, most of the effects work, but the image on the right doesn’t have a reflection. Using a tool such as Modernizr, it’s possible to detect the lack of reflection support, and adjust the style to remove the empty space where the refection would appear – we’ve not done this here for purposes of demonstration

CSS3 in Internet Explorer

In Internet Explorer, none of the advanced effects work. There are no columns, the images aren’t rotated or reflected, and they don’t have shadows. However, the content is still all accessible, despite not looking as intended

Finding the right keyword alternative

Finding the best keywords for your SEO campaign is probably the most important decision in the process. Sometimes, the obvious terms may not be best to optimise for. If an SEO campaign goes wrong, most of the time it will be due to poorly chosen keywords.

For example, if your business is a pet shop and you want to sell more dog food, an obvious choice would be to target the keyword "Dog Food". Although this is the easiest choice, it may not be the best.

Using "Dog Food" as a keyword would mean competing with big brands in dog food, other pet shops, news stories about dog food and so on. By modifying the keyword to something like "Dog Food in Manchester" you can reduce competition and encourage more local business, which is much more likely to convert into a sale. Using competitive keywords will also push up PPC spend, which again may reduce the likeliness of a sale.

We use many methods and tools to find suitable keywords, but below are some of the best.

Tools to help pick the right keywords:

Google Insights

Google Insights (right) is an amazing tool for keyword research. It allows you to compare several keywords, and will return information on each along with graphics to compare interest. The potential uses of this tool are clear in the example of Google Insights on Pet Food.

Useful information filters on Google Insights include:

• Keyword categories


• Comparison of searches for each term


• Regional interest


• Time range


• Similar rising searches


• Top similar searches

The data from Google Insights is also downloadable in a CSV format, so it can be imported into any in-house SEO tools you may use. The results can then be used as part of your keyword strategy.



Google Wonder Wheel

This is one of the newer tools from Google, which shows your term surrounded by similar terms which Google has found to be related. If you have a blog which you use to publish keyword-focused content on a regular basis, you can use the Wonder Wheel to find related topics.


Conclusion:

Tools like the Wonder Wheel and Insights make deciding on the best terms so much easier than it used to be. What we once did as trial and improvement can now be replaced with modern SEO techniques, which means a new SEO campaign can hit the ground running first time.