Monthly Archives: September 2012

Advertising, B2b, eCommerce, Links, News, Online, Search, Searching, SEO, Services, Social Networking, Traffic, Web, Web Design & Development, Web Images, Web Marketing

SearchCatalyst Highlights Why Duplicate Web Content is Bad for Small Businesses

Duplicate web page content is bad for any website because it greatly affects SEO, but SearchCatalyst, an SEO agency dealing exclusively in small business Internet marketing, says it is particularly bad news for small businesses.

Aside from negatively impacting on a user’s online experience, duplicate content is particularly disastrous for SEO. It affects the site’s credibility, which is one of the most important ways a site can rank highly, organically, on search engines like Google. Google ranks sites based on several criteria, each of which is built into its complicated search algorithm. Relevancy is the most important – does the site list content relevant to the search query? – but credibility is a close second.

However, this issue affects all businesses, big and small. An issue that is more likely to affect small businesses, or expanding ones in the processes of upgrading their websites and online presence comes down to duplicate content on developer sites. Quite often web developer domains – where developers work on websites – are indexed by Google. Developers can be completely unaware they have created duplicate content but as websites take a few months to develop they can sit on developer domains for a while and the duplicate pages will negatively affect search rankings on Google.

This generally impacts small businesses to a greater extent than larger companies because they don’t have the scope and finances to implement new pages quickly.

Google’s algorithms are highly sophisticated and can filter out sites that have duplicate content. Some may be labelled as spam as a result, whilst others will just be listed much lower down on the SERPs. Google has become much better at detecting duplicate content since the Panda algorithm update, which all small businesses and developers should be aware of.

SearchCatalyst offers affordable SEO services to small businesses looking to boost organic search rankings and gain greater online exposure at minimal cost.

Via EPR Network
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Advertising, B2b, eCommerce, Links, News, Online, Search, Searching, SEO, Services, Social Networking, Traffic, Web, Web Design & Development, Web Images, Web Marketing

These Days A Professional, Efficient And Stylish Website Is A Vital Component Of Any Business Aiming To Be Successful

We are currently living in a very modern age of technology, which has filtered through into every aspect of our lives, from ordering our weekly groceries online, to booking train, cinema and concert tickets, to children’s online learning environments and schoolwork. Everything nowadays is done online.

A very important part of having a business in the twenty-first century is having a website. You need a website that clearly displays what you are and what you do, and immediately impacts to your customers why they desperately need you.

Not only do you need a website, but it has to be a good one. The best way to achieve the top website for your company is to hire a freelance web designer or a web design team. A web design team will generally give you a better result as each member of the team has his or her own strengths, that will all be pulled together to achieve the exact website you need and want.

There are hundreds and hundreds of web designers out there, so you need to carefully look through their online portfolios to see what captures your attention. There will be some work you really love and others that you don’t. You will also notice that some web design companies have worked for very large, international companies, whilst other have only done work for local businesses. Other companies will have worked for a range of large, successful companies and smaller, local companies.

Ideally you want to try and pick a web design company whose work you love, that is located near to your business. That way you can really connect with them personally and easily have meetings to discuss exactly what you need and what you want from them. It’s much easier to talk about web design in person rather than over the phone.

If you are in South East England, or more specifically in Kent, then the team you want is TME (http://www.tmesolutions.co.uk). They are a web design and online marketing agency, based in Kent, which has been running for seven years. They are a close-knit, family run team comprising of fourteen enthusiastic and creative coders, designers, online marketers and project consultants.

Over the years, they have built their business to be efficient, creative and successful, yet friendly. They’ve worked to provide web design in Kent for relatively small local companies such as Lau Hairdressing in Maidstone, Express Cleaning Supplies in Aylesford, and ACE Sheds in Ashford. Their new websites allowed these local companies to bloom; expanding greatly and increasing their profits rapidly.

As their own company grew, TME also started to work for some of the biggest, most successful and most profitable companies in the world. This includes the likes of Tile Depot, who own over twenty stores across the UK and Centroid Motion Capture who provide animation for major films. Additionally, Worldwide Parcel Services, who are one of the largest parcel couriers in the UK, and most impressively, an exclusive training portal for Samsung Mobile.

TME are one hundred percent committed to producing amazing, creative and useful websites. They take companies and aim to boost their profits, regardless of how famous they already are. They strive for improvement.

Via EPR Network
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Apps, B2C, Internet, Online, Services, Social Networking, Web, Web 2.0

The Learning Genome Project unveils a new solution to personalized education through crowd sourcing

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Educator Kelly Tenkely invites educators, parents and investors around the world to join in personalizing education.

Due to an increased disenfranchisement with the education system, Colorado educator, Kelly Tenkely, recognized the need for a product that would honor the uniqueness of children by personalizing learning. Kelly created the Learning Genome Project to fulfill this need.

“Every child deserves to be met right where they are in learning, rather than expected to fit a one-size-fits-all solution. In our society, we have managed to customize everything from ringtones to coffee, why should learning be different?” Said the Learning Genome Project creator, Kelly Tenkely.

The Learning Genome makes personalized learning available to children around the world by:
* Gathering information about an individual child including: their unique interests/passions, learning style preferences, multiple intelligence strengths, brain dominance, and maturation level.
* Crowdsourcing the tagging of both free, as well as premium, education resources and curriculum with hundreds of learning attributes (the ‘genes’ of learning).
* Matching resources and curriculum to students, recommending the materials that best meet their needs and creating a custom learning map for each child.
* Utilizing an open API so that schools, parents, and districts can build additional functionality to meet their specific needs.

This is the Learning Genome Project’s free “hub” that makes personalized learning available to every child.

Said Kelly, “Every child, regardless of their economic situation, deserves an education that is tailored to them. Society benefits when we help kids learn how to best utilize their unique gifts and passions.”

Premium features of the Learning Genome Project will include:
* A student information system
* An e-portfolio
* A teacher and student planner
* Blogging tools
* An e-learning center
* An individual learning map for each child

The premium features will work seamlessly with the Learning Genome hub giving students, teachers, and parents a complete solution to personalized learning.

The Learning Genome Project is seeking crowd-sourced funding through Indiegogo and will use the $85,000 raised to begin programming. The project has 45 days to raise the funds and can be found here: http://www.indiegogo.com/thelearninggenomeproject?c=home&a=1232629

In addition to her work on the Learning Genome Project, Kelly Tenkely is an educator, a prolific education blogger, and created a new educational model. This model is put into practice at Anastasis Academy, a school that Kelly co-founded that is just beginning its 2nd year in operation.

Via EPR Network
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B2C, Internet, ISPs, Online, Services

Plusnet speeds onto screens with new fibre advert

Plusnet, the home phone and broadband provider, has announced the launch of a new TV campaign, bringing to life its new fibre offering, which is eight times faster than copper broadband*. With fast cars and humorous characters, the advert portrays the new fast and affordable fibre broadband product.

The new advert is a cross between the blockbuster movies ‘Cannonball Run’ and ‘Talladega Nights’, and uses a wide range of characters from an ice cream seller and learner driver, to main character Joe and his dad driving vehicles at high-speed. The advert highlights the benefits of superfast fibre optic broadband and that more people can get faster speeds with Plusnet Fibre, without paying the earth for it. This new advert will first appear on ITV during X Factor and the run up, until 23rd November.

Commercial and Marketing Director at Plusnet, Nick Rawlings, said: “This is the first time we have promoted our fibre product above the line and we’re excited to be introducing an up to 76Mb/s broadband product at this market leading price. Plusnet really wants people to get superfast at a super price.”

Creative Director at advertising agency Karmarama, Sam Walker, said: “We wanted to create an action-packed advert in keeping with Plusnet’s light-hearted personality.”

Plusnet has made a host of changes to its fibre broadband products including the introduction of new Plusnet Extra Fibre offering up to 76Mb/s with a 250GB usage allowance while upload speeds have been increased to up to 19.5Mb/s.

Following a successful customer trial, 57 per cent of Plusnet trialists confirmed this improved fibre product made the internet more integral to their lifestyle than it was already. The new look product more than doubles the usage allowance of Plusnet Extra Fibre from 120GB to 250GB, increases speeds but reduces the cost. Additional changes to the fibre suite include increased upload speeds to Fibre Value, now up to 9.5Mb/s. Existing Plusnet Extra Fibre customers can upgrade to the new speeds and usage and take advantage of the lower cost via their online account or by calling 0800 432 0200.

Continuing to win industry awards, Plusnet has won four uSwitch Broadband Awards, Best Fixed Consumer Broadband from ISPA and, for the third-time running, is recommended by Which?.

Via EPR Network
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B2C, Internet, ISPs, Online, Services

Plusnet Reveals Eight Out Of Ten People Are Proud To Be British

Plusnet has revealed that, with the world’s spotlight having shone on the UK this year, 81% of the nation feel proud to be a Brit, with nearly a third claiming they feel more proud than they have for a decade. Plusnet has commissioned a survey, supplemented with focus groups and insights from leading psychologist Dr. Cliff Arnall, which has found that:

– Nearly a third of the UK claim they feel the proudest they have for a decade
– 69% are proud of the British sense of humour
– 80% of Brits say family gives them sense of pride
– 50% feel proud of bagging a bargain when it comes to shopping

Jamie Ford, Plusnet CEO, added: “This year Plusnet changed its strapline to ‘We’ll do you proud’ which, by coincidence, has been a rather fitting move given the events of 2012. We’re certainly a proud nation when it comes to our culture, sense of humour and our heritage. However, it is matters closer to home and the everyday actions of family that generates the biggest sense of pride and here at Plusnet, we’re committed to making our customers proud of the products and services we provide every day.”

Via EPR Network
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Advertising, B2b, eCommerce, News, Online, Shopping, Web Marketing

Latest Leighmans.com Research Shows Companies Spending More on Corporate Gifts

A new poll conducted by Leighmans.com – one of the UK’s leading suppliers of corporate gift and incentive products – has revealed that companies are now spending more than ever on corporate and personalised gifts. The company’s poll found that 75 percent of UK businesses are – even in the difficult financial climate – investing more in hospitality and gifts.

The Leighmans.com survey polled in excess of 1,000 people and discovered that six in ten companies currently spend more on incentives and gifts for clients and staff. Of this group 40 percent said that their expenditure has recently increased by over one fifth.

The poll found that personalised gifts are more popular than ever too, with 45 percent of respondents saying that they prefer customised gifts to standard ones. Leighmans.com reports that items like their printed Shanghai pen range and personalised custom 15mmlanyards are proving particularly popular.

Dr Ashley Weinberg, senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Salford, commented: “In sales ‘we buy from people we like’ and so, at a very basic level, some potential consumers may well feel a little emotional boost from an organisation offering them something without charge.”

“Even for those who decline the offer of a gift or hospitality, there is some perception that the organisation who offered it is one that we’re likely to be more open to in future.”

“In this case, we have created our own unwritten understanding – or psychological contract – that raises our expectations of the organisation and means we may be more positively disposed to them.”

The Leighmans.com poll sought to established buying patterns and psychologies in the corporate gifts sector at present. Leighmans.com offers customers a wide range of goods such as sponsored Rainham conference bags with logos on the inside. The survey also found that UK companies spent more money on gifts and incentives in 2012 than in all of 2011.

Leighmans.com founder, Darren Leigh, commented: “Far from the pre-conceived notion that marketing and entertainment are the first things to be cut when the going gets tough, it actually appears businesses are investing more into the development and maintenance of relationships through entertainment and effective promotions.”

“Building business relationships is vital. It can be done through meetings and entertaining and also through carefully selected gifts to existing or potential new business leads. It’s appreciated because it not only represents a financial investment, but also shows empathy and the fact you have invested time into trying to get into the other person’s head to give them something they want. That helps to create and build relationships, which are vital for ongoing business.”

Speaking of human behaviour, Dr Weinberg said: “Perhaps somewhere in between feeling really positive and just as negative, is the vague notion that we might feel indebted, as this organisation has already given us something which is of value. It is not quite an obligation, but it can certainly affect that psychological contract when we come to deciding where to buy from.”

Bury-based Leighmans.com helps customers to choose from a huge range of high-quality, promotional gifts and its customer base includes major blue-chip companies such as Deutsche Bank.

Via EPR Network
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