Oak Furniture Website

I have been working on an extensive rebuild of a client website. The website is for Old Sawmills a Kent based furniture company. The design project is completed and is being hosted.

The website it replaces is currently hosted on a Microsoft.Net server using .aspx files. I'm currently in the process of transferring over the hosting arrangements.

Google - Not the threat it was once perceived

The Daily Telegraph carries an article by Andrew Keen who refers back to a time when he feared that Google would become too powerful. Back in 2006 Google was on such a growth trajectory that it was hirest the best brains on the planet. It seemed to know no bounds.

In contrast, Keen now feels that Google has lost its way. It has been diverted by too many projects. Many of which, like the YouTube acquisition he mentions, are loss making. Google, he feels, is going the way of Microsoft. Increasingly attacked by newer technology, whilst government regulators circle.

Unlike previous commentators, Keen also remarks on Google's inherent flaw. That it can only manage a static web. It needs to material to be in place when its spider comes crawling. Newer information engines - he mentions Wolfram Alpha - use an entirely different approach. Meanwhile the Twitters and Facebooks move at the speed of human interaction. By the time the spiders come by to crawl, then index, the news has moved on.

Google PageRank Sculpting

The SEO world is abuzz with complaints regarding Google's announced changes to the way PageRank sculpting works.
Essentially, SEO experts have been switching on an off the "Nofollow" tag to enhance the flow of PageRank to designated pages.
Last week Google's head of anti-spam revealed that the whole PageRank sculpting industry was a waste of time. This was becuase sometime in the past year Google had altered their algorithm to neutralise the impact of such activity.
Matt Cutts' blog - link in the post title - reveals that although they don't pass PageRank, they still leak it.
When I have the time, I'll get round to explain more.

Security Jobs Training

I am out of the office for two days on a training course with New Security Job. NSJ are a Somerset based firm with an established security recruitment business.

Google - UK Corporation Tax Avoidance

Yesterday's Sunday Times carried a story that Google uses its Irish base to avoid £110 million in UK corporation tax. Although UK advertisers deal with a UK company called Google UK Ltd and registered in London, the company treats all revenues as being generated by its Dublin based subsidiary. Google generates £1.25 billion ($1.84 billion) in UK revenues but pays just £600,000 in UK corporation tax.

The Irish Republic levies corporation tax at 12.5% compared to the UK's 28%. However, according to the Times, Google uses subsidiaries based in Bermuda to avoid a further £119 million ($175 million) in Irish corporation tax.

The newspaper, owned partly by Rupert Murdoch's media empire, questions the consistency of Google's "do no evil" motto with such blatant tax avoidance.

Swimming Pool Equipment

I have just carried out some research into the market for swimming pool products and equipment. The general health of this market is obviously related the the underlying market for housing.

Whilst the underlying economic climate may be weak, the seasonality of the market has a stronger influence. The good weather of recent days has definitely had an impact in drawing people out of doors. As we approach the spring equinox warmer weather, increased daylight and from the last Sunday in March, lighter evenings make outdoor leisure activities more attractive. It is then only a matter of time before people start to focus on refurbishing and restocking their swimming pools.

Google Launches Analytics Training Course

Googlehas launched a training course for Google Analytics. The course can be found at the "Conversion University" by clicking the post title above. The training course can be combined with a Google Analytics exam that leads to a Google Analytics Individual Qualification. The cost of the test is just $50.

Simply Clicks organise tailored web analytics training courses. The courses are built around the exact needs of any organisation.