SEO Blog

iTune with your Big Mac, sir? - November 25th, 2007

I have already said that mobile Internet is on the way up. With Mobile Search fast behind. However the biggest issue for consumers in the UK at the moment though is price. How much does the Internet cost when you`re out and about?
I know at the moment on my O2 contract I pay roughly 25p per 100KB of data downloaded. But more fool me because many mobile networks have tariffs now that include data browsing for free. I tend not to use my mobile that much for mobile browsing anyhow. Although figures suggest that mobile phone browsing is on the up.

The other side of the coin is WiFi access. With StarBucks firmly leading the way in the UK with their partnership with T-Mobile offering WiFi hotspots in over 400 of their UK outlets. It is now quite feasible for me to get up from my desk, take my laptop with me across town to my local StarBucks, get logged on and go. Except that with the hotspots being T-Mobile the service is quite expensive. At £5 per hour or £40 for 30 days I think I`ll stay in the office for now.
For the time being anyway because it seems that another premium American food outlet is following in StarBucks footsteps, McDonalds. McDonalds is planning on rolling out a WiFi Internet service to all of its UK outlets. All 1,200 of them and the service is supposedly going to be free! A big incentive to pull mobile users away from Starbucks and into their restaurants.
Speaking recently Steve Easterbrook, McDonalds UK Chief Executive wants to encourage new users into McDonalds around the country.

“I think everyone now has WiFi enabled equipment so I think this will appeal to our existing customers and I think it may well attract some new customers.”

If McDonalds offer a service that doesn`t require a web browser based log-on then technically not only could I walk into McDonalds to do my work, I could also connect my new iPod Touch and start downloading music direct from iTunes whilst I wait in line for my Extra Value Meal.
You`ll be able to check your email, browse your FaceBook account and even search for the nearest other McDonalds in the area, all whilst sitting and eating your supersized meal or not as the case may be. Easterbrook also said that the service will be an incentive to purchase but it is not necessary.

“Well people might be using the facility and I`ll tell you what, we`ll encourage that so if they want to come in and buy a latte and enjoy the free access we haven`t got a problem with that whatsoever.”

They don`t do things by half`s do they those crazy people under the golden arches.
So what does it mean for mobile search in the UK? With more facilities and options to gain access to mobile Internet more people are going to do so by any means. More people connected by mobile devices is surely going to mean more people are going to mobile search. I know that no matter how I connect at some point in my session I am going to hit Google and look for something.

Martin

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Social Networking a HR nightmare - November 24th, 2007

I’m not sure who is familiar with linkedin or other business social network sites, but they are a place where many individuals can try and network with professionals of a similar calibre and specialism.

However those crafty recruitment agencies have already caught on to the idea of a “business network” they simply search for your industry and make sure your based in the respective country even a specific area that they are targeting and then ask you to link with them.

Of course they are doing this for two reasons either:

• They are trying to get information on your companies infrastructure or who to contact regarding recruitment.
• Or they want to actually head hunt you.

I personally was contacted for one of the reasons above as with managing the SEO department at Just Search recruiters often come to me as their first point of call to find out staff needs. Needless to say the recruitment company member was unsuccessful and after speaking with Just Search’s Hr manager we discussed how in essence “cheeky” this was but very intuitive.

I am fortunately very happy with my job at Just Search and how the company is developing, but this type of method of luring recruitment can be very dangerous for companies especially those which invest time into their employee’s to support and train them.

With Just Search being one of the top companies in it’s field it is of course expected for other companies to want to know how we do it and so we carefully screen phone calls to make sure that potential recruiters and head hunters can not poach staff, however as from the above example with new social trends and technology the recruitment agencies are never far behind finding another avenue to obtain information.

Neil
Head of SEO

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