According to a report by The Next Web, Google will launch it’s long rumoured cloud storage solution next week. Google Drive, as it is expected to be called, will allow users to store all of their files in the cloud in addition to syncing them between all of their devices.

The service will work similarly to Dropbox the current most popular option in the area but Google’s free level of service is expected to give users 5GB of storage compared to 2GB from Dropbox. In addition to competing with services such as Dropbox, Google will be looking to bring functionality to their smartphones similar to what Apple offers with iCloud.

Tupac Back from the Dead

All of the buzz at the start of the week was about a performance over the weekend at the Coachella music festival. None other than deceased hip-hop star Tupac Shakur took to the stage in hologram form alongside Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre. He rose from the ground and shouted “What the f- is up, Coachella?” before proceeding to perform with the other two artists.

Reaction has been mixed with some people considering it a fantastic tribute whilst others have argued that it was unnatural and unethical to put words in the rapper’s mouth. Whether you approve of the performance or not it’s difficult to argue that it wasn’t very impressive. Some of the more intoxicated onlookers believed that it was actually Tupac standing before them.

Facebook IPO is Close

If all goes to plan for Zuckerberg and co. Facebook will be going public on 17th May. Details of the company’s initial public offering have been getting more and more frequent in recent weeks and it seems that is the date they have chosen, so long as the SEC approve the paperwork that has been filed, including that regarding Facebook’s recent Instagram acquisition.

As a Coventry SEO company we pay particular attention to the world of social media and Facebook only seem to be going from strength to strength at the moment. They are expected to be valued at $100 billion and could raise as much as $10 billion with their IPO.

Some of the developments along the Google timeline.

The company are said to make roughly 500 different improvements to search in a year and 2011 alone has seen big changes including the much talked about Panda update which is said to have affected 12% of search results and crack down on sites with poor and duplicate content. Other changes over the past year include multiple updates to the Panda algorithm, the introduction of the +1 button, expanded site links when searching for brands and a ‘freshness’ update that focussed on returning recent content.

An interesting point mentioned in the video is how the terror attacks of Sept 11^th inspired Google to improve search results to return the latest news. When entering “the Twin Towers” as a search term, the results returned were sites with information about the buildings and not news about the attacks. This led to the development of Google News results to provide users with up to date news with multiple points of view.

Since the web has develop at such a fast pace with images, video, blogs and products appearing on more and more sites Google developed Universal Results to give search results that also covered the rich web to make sure users were also receiving these types of content in their search results. Other major introductions included paid adverts appearing with the search results in the form of AdWords and Google Instant with the goal to provide quick answers as users are typing in their searches.

Google looks set to continue its dominance of the search engine market with continued improvements such as the ability to drag an image into the search area to get results and voice search which will have great benefits for mobile phone users. To back sure you stay on top of these improvements and changes then get in touch with HeadRed, the search engine optimisation Coventry agency.

1. SEO vs. PPC
Clients often ask “which is better – SEO or PPC?” – A question that has created countless arguments and opinions. Fortunately, most industry experts have now realised that both have their pros and cons but a combination of both is best for long-term visibility.

Black Hat vs. White Hat
Surprising though it may be, despite a large portion of evidence against it some people still leap to the defence of unethical SEO. How these people can argue against hundreds of PhDs employed by the leading search engines is beyond me.

Fortunately though there has been a rise in the number of high-profile companies dropping out of search results for unethical optimisation tactics. The resultant impact of these cases means fewer and fewer clients are turning to Black Hat SEO for instant results and are keen to pursue healthier, long-term White Hat optimization.

3. SEO Has No Future vs. Oh Yes it Does
As redundant debates go this has to be the pick of the lot. Anybody who suggests SEO has no future in the modern, online marketplace is completely blinkered to the benefits it can offer. Strangely enough, the people who insist it has no future always seem to be the people who define SEO as the unfair manipulation of search engines.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. SEO is not manipulation; it is honing, toning and refining a website.

These people do not fully understand the industry and the huge amount of work that goes into decent white hat optimisation. Fortunately, this debate will die off as the world in general gains a greater understanding of exactly what search optimisation means. Black hat may have no future but decent SEO is a massively important aspect of online marketing.

(Source: E-Consultancy 30th Sep 2008)

Statistics taken from the IPA’s Bellwether Report show that online ad spend continued to grow above average in the last quarter, accounting for 6% of overall marketing spend – the highest proportion it has ever recorded.

So, as we slip ever closer to a recession it seems that online businesses are far more resilient than their bricks-and-mortar counterparts. In times like these more and more companies are looking online to keep their business afloat.

So don’t let the credit crunch eat into your margins; with a strong online presence your profits can still flourish. For an example of the potential available from PPC advertising see the Spaceslide case study.

Well, it seems it hasn’t taken long for him to weave his magic. He oversaw a comprehensive SEO audit of the Belt:Me site in August and the results speak for themselves:

• • “Custom Studded Belt” – 1st in Google*
• • “Design a Studded Belt” – 1st in Google*
• • “Personalised Studded Belt” – 1st in Google*

*as of October 1st.

James has also implemented a new optimised pay-per-click (PPC) campaign for Belt:Me and this, in combination with a much improved organic placement, has seen their online sales revenue increase considerably:

• • July – £15,721
• • Aug – £16,857
• • Sep – £20,595

So, if you’d like your company to see a similar level of success as BeltMe then please get in touch for an initial consultation. We’d be glad to help and are confident that you will see significant returns on your investment in a very short space of time.