Happy Halloween from Net Sixty Six!

halloweenWalking to SEO Manchester HQ. This week, we have noticed some unusual things in Manchester City Centre. The traditional shop displays have been replaced with witches, skeletons and other spooky items. Pumpkins have been spotted scattered randomly in several trees. Even the infamous Manchester Town Hall clock and building have been turned into a slimy green colour. All of these signs can only mean one thing – the return of Halloween!

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Google celebrates its 19th birthday!

Happy 19th!  Google Celebrates Yet Another Landmark Birthday

It has often been said that the concept of time takes on an entirely different meaning when referring to the digital domain. However, this has never been the case in regards to Google. This SEO supergiant has become the mainstay for billions of users and millions of websites from around the world. It is therefore quite amazing to realise that Google is now celebrating 19 years on the Internet. Continue reading “Google celebrates its 19th birthday!”

Google Say… Use Voice Search

Why Google wants you to use voice search instead of your fingers for their search app

Who remembers Trigger Happy TV on Channel Four? A long running joke of Dom Joly’s television comedy series features a giant mobile phone. Shaped like a 1980s cellular phone, we saw the comedian shouting into his handset. He would spout out random bits of nonsense or state the obvious from the top of his voice. If Channel Four were to commission a new series, he could be doing the same with Google’s Voice Search facility. Continue reading “Google Say… Use Voice Search”

Are You Oversharing Your Office 365 Documents?

Reports of Office 365 documents being seen on Bing and Google results

Beware of identity theft: oversharing on Office 365 could divulge sensitive information on search engines like Google and Bing. Image by ValterZ (via Shutterstock).

Sometimes on social media sites, we might share a few items that other would regard as embarrassing. For example, the debauchery of a Saturday night out. Or our political and spiritual beliefs. Or saying that Mr Blobby’s eponymous Number One single was several times better than The Specials’ Ghost Town. Imagine if something personal was seen on Bing or Google? It has been revealed that some Office 365 users had shared their private documents publicly. Continue reading “Are You Oversharing Your Office 365 Documents?”

Dr. Google’s Casebook: Google Symptom Search

Could Google’s symptom search be the right prescription for authoritative medical sources?

Waiting Room (Google symptom search image).
Handy: Google’s symptom search aims to make possible diagnoses easier. Image of waiting room by Toey Toey (via Shutterstock).

The internet, besides being a fine place for buying and selling, dating, travel planning, and cat pictures, is a popular source for looking at medical conditions. Anyone searching for details on a given condition or symptom would find themselves bombarded with several sources. In the UK we have the NHS’ own sources. We also have WebMD, an American site with a British version (promoted by Boots The Chemist). Hypochondriacs needn’t consult the Pears Medical Encyclopaedia, nor go to the reference library. Continue reading “Dr. Google’s Casebook: Google Symptom Search”

Project Abacus: The End of Passwords?

Could Google’s Project Abacus herald the end of passwords?

Project Abacus Image by Alberto Masnovo
Could we count on Abacus being a success for Google? Though Project Abacus is likely to win, owing to instant brand recognition, a rival challenge from Nok Nok could make things interesting for both parties. Image by Alberto Masnovo (via Shutterstock).

Imagine you’re reading this article 10 years from now. By then, the very thought of trying to remember a Google, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram password will be laughable. Online banking could be done through biometric means. Facial recognition may be the norm. Google’s Project Abacus could see the end of passwords as we know it. Continue reading “Project Abacus: The End of Passwords?”

Google’s Driverless Cars: Ford Penguin Anyone?

Google, Ford, Uber, Lyft and Volvo in the race to boost driverless cars

Driverless Cars image by Chombosan
Driverless cars image by Chombosan/Shutterstock.

Imagine it’s 2030. You walk up to your garage or parking space. Your car is a far cry from the ones your parents drove. It recognises you as its headlights make ‘eye contact’ with you, thanks to its optical technology. They used a key; yours unlocks the doors on ‘seeing’ you before you climb aboard. The car asks for your journey based on Google’s technology and takes you there. This, 14 years from now, could be the norm. At this moment, driverless cars are being developed by Google and the Ford Motor Company. Other partners in the coalition are Uber, Lyft, and Volvo. Continue reading “Google’s Driverless Cars: Ford Penguin Anyone?”

PageRank: Its Part in its Own Downfall

The end of an era as PageRank fades from public view

For nearly 16 years, Google’s PageRank has been, simultaneously, a help and a hindrance. It has created a cottage industry in its own right with search engine consultancies working on improving PageRank figures. This meant emphasising on link building and aiming to link with higher ranking pages. Sometimes at the expense of high-quality content and creating an audience for your website. Continue reading “PageRank: Its Part in its Own Downfall”

They’re Just Burning Doin’ the Google Dance

Google Dance reunion evokes memories of one of Google’s social events, inspired by one of the search engine’s most infamous updates

Almost the Google Dance going off the colour scheme.
Havin’ a Party: image by Zeber/Shutterstock.

Where were we in 2008? Well, back then, Net66 was only four years old. The top tunes of that year included Duffy’s Mercy and The Ting Tings’ That’s Not My Name. Top of the SEO technician’s hit parade was – and remains – the power of Google. The key to this was Google’s algorithm changes, known as the Google Dance. Continue reading “They’re Just Burning Doin’ the Google Dance”

Kiddle: A Look at the Junior Google

Introducing a new child-friendly take on Google

The internet can be an exciting yet daunting place for young children. Search engine results (unless you turn the search engine’s Safety Mode on) could lead children to unsavoury websites. Some of which could expose children to, for example, violence, pornography or gambling. Using Google’s results as its base is a new search engine, Kiddle. Continue reading “Kiddle: A Look at the Junior Google”

The Strange Demise of Adobe Flash

End of an era for file format that shaped today’s websites

Adobe Flash for every one of us...?
Flash: Several years from now, we could be watching ourselves at home and commenting on clips.
Dale Arden: I doubt it. They would rather waste their time in front of cat videos.
Flash: Leave it to me. Then again, I bet someone will beat me to it in 2005 and call it Adobe Flash. Anyway, the Majestic on Old Street wouldn’t allow it, let alone the ODEON on Leicester Square.

On the internet, Adobe Flash (née Macromedia Flash) has died gracefully in its sleep. In its wake came changes to HTML, which offered similar facilities to Adobe’s technologies. Today, Flash has diminished in general use. For example, YouTube supports HTML5 videos by default.

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Ten SEO Related Google Queries using Autocomplete

Google autocomplete suggestions for SEO or search engines

Google Queries screenshot.
SEO related Google queries: a Google screenshot courtesy of the search engine’s autocomplete functions.

 

In some sources, it was claimed that favouritism was shown towards the Conservative Party on Google’s search engine results.  Over the last three days, entering ‘Conservatives are’ was found to have returned no negative autocomplete suggestions.  On entering ‘Labour are’, or ‘SNP are’ into Google’s search box returns negative suggestions. Continue reading “Ten SEO Related Google Queries using Autocomplete”

Introducing the Google Looking Glass

A mirror for our times

Max Braun's Google Looking Glass.
Sneak Preview: a look at Max Braun’s Google Looking Glass. Photograph by Max Braun himself, 2016 (Creative Commons License – Some Rights Reserved).

 

When you wake up in the morning, what’s the first thing you do?  Switch off the alarm?  Turn your smartphone or tablet on?  If you fall in the latter, you’re probably the kind of person who wants to check the news, weather or traffic information prior to going out.  You feel safe in the knowledge you’ve put the right coat on, or avoided the busiest roads.  Could the Google Looking Glass (our name for it, not theirs as yet) be a suitable alternative to the tablet?

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Chrome Blitz on Insecure Websites

Google’s Chrome browser set to ‘shame’ sites without secure domain

Vintage chrome Chopper bike.
Secure, as in this chrome Chopper being tied to a cyclist’s post.

 

Web browsers, when kept to speed with the latest updates are made more secure, immune from the latest insecurities. This year, Google is set to go a step further. Through its Chrome browser, it intends to ‘shame’ websites that are hosted on a HTTP domain. Continue reading “Chrome Blitz on Insecure Websites”

Google Tax Deal Sparks Fresh Inquiry

Anger over search engine’s tax deal sees move by MPs

Naughty Google!

For many small businesses, our customers, and of course Net66 ourselves, there is a rush towards HMRC’s Self Assessment deadline (which is midnight, on the 31 January 2016).  Tax rates are non-negotiable and, whether you are a one-man band or a multinational concern, this means the deadline for online annual tax returns.  Taxation, at best, is the bargain we strike with HMRC for keeping our streets in tip-top condition, and the funding of our public services.  Whether you pay the basic rate of Income Tax or VAT on a meal out, it is inescapable. Continue reading “Google Tax Deal Sparks Fresh Inquiry”

Google Easter Eggs and Jokes: Google’s Funny Side

Living proof that search engines can have fun

Google's take on Atari Breakout, one of the search engine's best known Easter eggs.
One of Google’s best known Easter eggs: their take on Atari’s Breakout. Seen here is a game in session.

Over at Net66, some egg-citing news about Cadbury’s Creme Egg café in London has inspired our latest entry.  Many of you may be familiar with easter eggs in DVD or Blu Ray titles as well as the chocolate variety.  In the search engine world, Google’s easter eggs and jokes are just as familiar as the Smarties or Buttons eggs you remember. Continue reading “Google Easter Eggs and Jokes: Google’s Funny Side”

RankBrain Explained: Google’s AI Based Algorithm

Could RankBrain be Google’s Ask Jeeves killer?

RankBrain Algorithm = Death of Ask Jeeves?
Could RankBrain be the algorithm that ruins Ask Jeeves? This enigmatic billboard photographed in San Francisco by John Trainor in 2007 could be poignant today. (Creative Commons License – Some Rights Reserved).

Over the last four months, Google have been quietly working on a new artificial intelligence based algorithm. Known as RankBrain, it aims to settle pub arguments and revolutionise semantic search. As well as being able to search for ‘Dorking’, you can also ask Google, ‘How far from Dorking to London’. Continue reading “RankBrain Explained: Google’s AI Based Algorithm”

Google Algorithm Updates Through The Ages

From Google Dance to Penguin in fifteen years

Google Campus2 cropped
The Googleplex, as photographed in 2007. Image by Sebastian Bergman. (Creative Commons License – Some Rights Reserved).
In its seventeen year history, no other search engine has had the same cultural impact as Google. Not to mention numerous businesses like ours, whom have thrived on the back of Stanford’s greatest export. Like Tannoy and Hoover, its name has become a verb (as in “I need to google the nearest pizza place”). Continue reading “Google Algorithm Updates Through The Ages”