Web Design & SEO Blog

Following the recent announcement that Google is to be scrutinised by an EU anti-trust probe, the search giant received a further blow this week when France’s competition watchdog, Autorite de la Concurrence, stated that the company did hold a dominant position in the online advertising market, as it applies to search engines. Although the regulator were quick to point out that Google could, and would, only be sanctioned if they abused this position, the search engine were equally speedy to jump on the defensive, describing themselves as ‘one of many options for advertisers’. [Read On]

The ongoing courtroom drama surrounding Wikileaks founder Julian Assange set an astounding new precedent last week. For the first time in the UK, journalists were allowed to use smartphones and laptops in the courtroom. It’s appropriate that the test case is Assange’s, a man who has become notorious for sharing too much online, as it allows truly live reporting that leaves no sordid detail of the courtroom unturned. The Guardian, one of the UK’s largest newspapers, even ran a live blog from the bail hearing with constant updates. [Read On]

It’s a good end to the year for Microsoft, who announced at an investors’ conference last week that the software/search giant merger is working ‘better than we could have hoped’. The announcement was made by Microsoft’s General Manager of Corporate Strategy, Charles Songhurst. The two companies merged earlier this year, in a deal which saw Microsoft’s Bing take over the mechanics of the search engine and Yahoo take on the advertising side of search to create a super- engine known as Yahoo-Bing. Initially the move was a compromise after Microsoft failed to buy Yahoo outright, but it may yet prove to have been the best solution all along. [Read On]

Time has just announced its People of the Year list for 2010, and number one, according to them, is Mark Zuckerberg, the 26 year old CEO of Facebook. It’s a decision that has caused an outcry, with many calling it a purely political move. Wikileak’s Julian Assange, the current nemesis of the US government, came top in a people’s vote, with Zuckerberg in a distant 10th place – even beneath Steve Jobs! Time said the award was given to Zuckerberg for ‘‘connecting more than half a billion people and mapping the social relations among them; for creating a new system of exchanging information; and for changing how we all live our lives’. Assange was given the ‘Time Readers Man of the Year Award 2010’ instead, causing a massive online backlash. Regardless of your position; and many online posters seem to be making their stand on the basis of personal like or dislike, the head-to-head between these two men, both of whom owe their livelihoods to the internet, shows just how much the web has changed the way we are influenced. In the past, most Time winners have come from the fields of politics, with the occasional innovator thrown in, such as Charles Lindbergh. Number two on the reader’s list is the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with the Tea Party and Afghan President Hamid Karzai featuring in Time’s official runners up list. That an established magazine like Time would therefore pick two technology whiz-kids as their numbers one and two for Man of the Year shows how the world and the way influence occurs is changing, with a shift towards the digital realm that acknowledges the way the internet, social media, networking and increased freedom of information have changed all our lives.

Google is making a second attempt to swipe a share of the mobile phone market with the UK and US launch of its second smartphone. The Nexus S, built by Samsung, will be available from the end of the month and will feature Google’s latest Android operating system, Gingerbread, and cutting edge technology in the form of Near Field Communications (NFC). NFC will allow the phone to interact with the world around it. The device scans chips imprinted in NFC-compliant objects and then pulls up relevant further information on your phone. For example, scanning a film poster would give you the trailer; scanning a music advert would bring up some song samples. [Read On]

It’s been a big week for digital publishing, with the internet allowing Wikileaks to be disseminated quickly and concisely across the globe. The true impact of this case has yet to be seen, on digital publishing, freedom of speech, and of course the global political scene; however, what this week has shown us is that web design and digital publishing is moving the way we digest and react to news forward faster than ever before. Of course, the Wikileak information online was published in tandem with more traditional press methods around the globe. In five different countries major newspapers were responsible for printing the story, including The Guardian in England and Le Monde in France. [Read On]

Google’s market dominance in the search arena has obviously been getting up a few people’s noses. Following a number of complaints, the EU has launched an antitrust probe into Google. Other companies, including price comparison site Foundem and search engine ejustice.fr, have alleged that their search results are being penalised in Google rankings, while the mega-company’s own results are artificially promoted. The antitrust probe is mainly looking at how Google determines organic search results, with a sideline investigation into the restrictions Google places on advertisers. The instigation of the probe is not meant to imply that Google have done anything wrong, something the internet giant is quick to point out in its reaction to the news: ‘"Since we started, Google we have worked hard to do the right thing by our users and our industry, but there's always going to be room for improvement, and so we'll be working with the Commission to address any concerns." [Read On]

This year’s must-have technological gift is undoubtedly the Kinect console for X-Box 360. It builds on the interactive approach developed by Nintendo with their highly popular Wii system, encouraging player interaction with the on-screen display. The technology behind the gaming has the potential to revolutionise the way users’ experience the internet and opens up a wealth of opportunities for the way we approach web design and content. What sets Kinect apart is that it is the first console not to require any form of controller. The Kinect technology effectively makes you the controller, whether you are playing games, watching films or chatting to friends. [Read On]

Google have always been a highly visual company – the irreverent treatment of their logo and emphasis on image search improvement is proof of that - but recently they’ve really upped the ante with visual previews of pages in search results. In a blog post to announce Instant Preview, Google Product Manager Raj Krishnan explained the thinking behind the development: ‘We found that people who use Instant Previews are about five per cent more likely to be satisfied with the results they click’. [Read On]