Google Launches Search Wiki – Customise your search results
Yesterday Google Launched SearchWiki a tool that allows you to manipulate search engine rankings for any keyword search just for searches you perform on Google. So for example if you type in Live Football Results you may actually want the result that is number 5 to come up as number 1, well now you can do this if you have a Google Account
Each search result now has a up and down arrow next to it allowing you to personalise your search results for any search term. Really taking search to a brand new level.
Even more powerful than that is the fact that you can now add any web page into the search results simply by going to the footer and clicking Add a result - see the screen shot below for an example where Audi now appear above BMW - I am sure you could play a couple of tricks on Corporate marketing departments with this one.
More importantly than all this is you can also see what other users have suggested or bumped up the search rankings for the search term you are looking at just by click See all notes for this SearchWiki.
It is going to be very interesting to see on where Google takes this technology and how much it will affect the natural search listings over time. In the same way sites like Digg and Sphinn take user votes and authority into consideration when ranking search results, is Google handing some of this power back to the Users is Google search going social?
What impact will this have one SEO as industry probably not much short term but long term it does pose some interesting questions.
Check out the SearchWiki demo by Google Engineer Amay below
Imagine Real Life was like Facebook
A really really funny video from the BBC about what real life was like if it was Facebook.
Its quite old now but still woth a look - checkout the guys who made it at http://www.idiotsofants.com
Evernote.com the coolest web app of 2008
Just discovered Evernote.com and it is most definitely the coolest new web app I have come across for ages.
Evernote allows you to easily capture information in any environment using whatever device or platform you find most convenient, and makes this information accessible and searchable at any time, from anywhere.
Check it out at www.evernote.com or watch the video below.
Building a community using Twitter
Great blog post from Sarah Evans on Mashable about how to use Twitter to Build a Community.
This has got me thinking lots about how to best use twitter for me and my clients, so I have set a challenge to try and get 100 followers in 7 days.
Its Twittering time 
Ryan Air Additional Charges Rip Off
I have just recently booked four flights to Prague for a trip at the end of the month after seeing an offer on the extremely popular TravelZoo weekly top 20.
The offer was free flights and only £10 tax on selected dates. I logged on to RyanAir.com and found suitable dates and true to the offer I was able to book 4 flights for £80, what a deal.
Unfortunately this is where the deal turns sour, firstly I needed to enter the details of all passengers and what luggage was being taken. So I entered the details and specified 2 passengers would be taking a back that would need to be checked in at £8 per bag per flight that added another £32, not the end of the world.
I then selected online checkin as this would save another £32 but unfortunately this was not available from Prague airport, so more money was added to the bill, by this stage we are at £144.
Now for the real kick in the balls, online checkout. With my flight nearly at double the original cost I selected credit card from the available options, to my amazement a £32 booking fee, yes that’s not a typo thirty two whole English pounds.
So I thought, switch to my Debit card and that figure will reduce down, but it didn’t. I noticed there was a Ryan Air credit card option so I selected that to see if customers loyal enough to embrace the Ryan Air credit card would be fortunate enough not be ripped off like this, but no even Ryan Airs on credit card customers get charged.
The way they justified the charge was £4 per person per flight, in actual fact the credit card fee for processing would have been around 2.20 if that.
Now the point of this post is not to complain about the price £174 for 4 return flights to Prague at sensible times is great value, but increasing the price by over 50% once deciding to book is an absolute disgrace, something should be done about this kind of advertising.
Had the price been advertised I would have been telling lots of people what a great deal I had got from Ryan Air on my flights to Prague instead I have written this blog, told countless people and added feedback to Business Rating site Plebble.
Come on Ryan Air play the game, engage your customer solicit feedback and leverage the power of a great online reputation, it really isn’t difficult.
No amount of Online Reputation Management will help Adam Smith
When a drunken britsh journalist Adam Smith from Birmngham was filmed covering the US elections after a few to many beers by a dutch reporter he may not of expected to become an overnight YouTube hit, for more info read the article on the Daily Mail Site
Unfortunately for Adam thats what happened and he may have just ruined his career as any dilligent employer is likely to google potential employees and may be shocked when they come across the video below, it may take more than a bit of Online Reputation Management to sort this one out.
US Election What Would Boris Do
So the circus US election is nearly upon us and it has been fascinating to watch how our friends across the pond get so passionate about their Politics, I would like to see something similar in the UK. Although I would rather put pins in my eyes then listen to another uninspiring speech from Mr Brown, why can't all politicians be like Boris.
I have to say I think Obama will win as all the Polls suggest which I believe is a good thing, the last thing we need is another 4 years of Bush style incompetence and administration.
Also what is Sarah Palin all about, many believe she is the future of the Republican Party, could her folksy hockey mom approach be any more irritating.
Trip to Thailand Part 1
So I have been here for 3 days now and it has been quite an experience.
Arrived on the 22:00 from Heathrow, was sat next to an australian guy called Andy who was a fairly broad chap and a girl who was off to New Zealand for a year, was good to sit next to 2 decent people rather than the obligatory in flight idiot.
On arriving in Bangkok it was genuinely hotter than the sun and I nearly melted, I had an hour wait before getting a 40 minute internal flight to Hua Hin. I was the only person on the small 12 seater plane - my own plane for £55 quid - lovely stuff.
Met gilesey at the airport, and jumped aboard a Tuk Tuk back to his Villa.
Quick turnaround and we were straight out into Hua Hin, home to the king of Thailand and quite possibly the highest concentration of Brass per Sq Km in the world. Went a got a great meal in a restaurant opposite the Hilton around 7 dishes, copious amounts of beer all for £20.
Have had a relaxing first few days chilling at the Hilton pool and drinking in some crazy bars, it is is certainly authentic thailand. It is almost impossible to work down a street with out being propositioned. It must be like this for celebrities constantly - I would hate it.
Of to Koh Samui tomorrow on a five hour train for the weekend, I hope they have a first class carriage!! I had suggested riding down on the scooters we have hired but it is 300 miles and thats a long way on a hair dryer.
The Tuk Tuk
Gilesey's Villa
12 cocktails £15 quid - lovely stuff
Some Welsh people we met whilst very very drunk - they loved us!
Chilling at the Hilton
Hilton Pool - a place to watch the world go by.
Choosing a new gas barbecue
I need to get myself a new barbeque for the summer, if it ever arrives and I have been scouring the web looking at all kinds of different contraptions and have come across a site that seems to have a wide range of Barbeques at good prices.
If your looking checkout Keen BBQ
Now I have decided that a gas barbecue would be a much better option than a charcoal barbecue but there is still lots to decide. Do I need 1,2,3 or even 6 burners, which make is the best Weber or Outback, what a nightmare.
After an hours research online I finally picked out the barbecue that was going to be up to the job, a Weber 3 burner which even comes with a 25 year warranty!!
I chose a Weber Spirit e310 all I need now is some sunshine, cold beers and some home made burgers.
Its time to get grilling!