< Search Engine Optimisation Blog >

In a calculation that isolates sales driven by a company’s brand, Google has once again come out tops, says Sarah Arnott in today’s Independent.

The article states, “The search engine’s marque is worth more than $86.1bn (£43.5bn), up 30 per cent on last year, according to the Brandz list from Millward Brown Optimor published yesterday”.

Other in the top five brands are GE, Microsoft, Coca Cola and China Mobile.

It had to happen one day I suppose - and it looks like today - when the final transition from warm and cuddly “Do no evil” v cool internet business faces the harsh reality of commercial life.

In an article on the Guardian website this morning we read that, for the first time, Google is to implement “significant job cuts”.

This is in response to the acquisition of DoubleClick back in March and Google states “As with many mergers, this review has resulted in a reduction in head-count at the acquired company.”

The item finishes with this - “One of DoubleClick’s divisions, its search marketing business, helps companies to secure high search engine rankings. Google said it was addressing concerns over a potential conflict of interest by selling this division.”

I always wondered how they would address that issue…

Full story here

Just heard a whisper that the infamous SEO Roadshow will make a return appearance this year, possibly in the Emerald Isles, possibly Sept/Oct time.

These roadshows are the last in a line of meetings that began with Mr Mackin’s first “PubCon” - an informal get-together of SEOers and general Internet geeks. The idea being instead of going to pay-for conferences that were a little lightweight and then spending quality time in the bar - just miss out the conference and meet up in a bar.

The last one was hosted in Denmark back in 2006 so it’s about time!

Having patted myself on the back for using Google Mail and thus massively reducing my spam levels, I then read a horror story on the Matt Cutts blog about a company that sells software so you can back-up your gmail.

Apparently when you install the software to back up your email it asks for your username and password, fair enough you might think - Wrong! It also sends your details to the software developer!

Read the full story here

I had a wonderful day yesterday - a friend had recommended that I use Google Mail to cut down on my spam email problems. I have so many email addresses that even with several barriers in place I was still receiving many hundreds every day.

After a few hours setting the whole thing up - and changing my mail package to sync with my iPhone - I saw what was quite frankly a miracle. Google Mail cut 99% of the spam instantly!

I seem to remember Mr Gates making claims a few years ago about tackling the spam email issue, but not heard much since…

So, hats off to Google - saviour of the Internet

I see that Google has had the painters and decorators in

Check this out

UK market leaders Bigmouthmedia got a good kicking this weekend when they lost the coveted number one spot at Google for the keyphrase search engine optimisation.

The company was founded in 1997 have a team of over 200 staff across 13 offices in 10 countries on 3 continents - they have held the number one position for years apart from a few days when “something special” involving BMW happened.

To add insult to injury I believe that one of the companies that have risen above them, Cybernetmedia, is a one guy operation - well, good for you matey if this is true.

But top of Google’s pops this fine sunny morning is HighPosition - so good luck to them.

It’s reassuring to know that anything is still possible in this unpredictable industry of ours - even if we have dropped a place in the last day or two…

How long this will last is anyone’s guess but someone at Bigmouth must be hurting this morning.

A friend just Skyped me a link to Microsoft’s (new?) SEO offer - “Improve your search-engine rankings and start attracting more sales leads to your company’s website.”

Now I’ve been around awhile and I’ve seen ‘em come and go but this caught me unawares. Still, healthy competition is a good thing, yeah?

Hang on though, don’t Microsoft have a reputation for crushing their competitors?

Read about it here

With an amazing offer of £15.50 per share (62% more than the closing price of Yahoo shares on the US stock market on Thursday) Microsoft is offering £22.4bn for Yahoo one of the web’s largest portal/search destinations.

Big enough to upset Google?

More on the Forbes site here

As a huge fan of both Google and Apple I am beginning to worry about my interest/obsession of all things i - iMac, iPhone, iGoogle, etc. And since purchasing my iPhone just before Christmas I seem to be spending more and more time on it surfing the web.

Why, I wonder, having a choice of desktop and laptop computers to play with, do I choose to surf on a mobile phone. I don’t understand it - it makes no sense, but I can’t resist it - it’s like a drug. Sure the iPhone has a host of sexy features and is a delight to use but the screen is a fraction of the size of even my smallest laptop.

Do they have rehab for i?