Rumors have been circulating recently that Google is considering including the speed of your website as one of the factors it uses in ranking your pages in its search results.

That’s all speculation at this point, but overnight Google announced a new tool that lets you measure your website’s speed, based on data provided by people using the advanced features in their toolbar.

Perhaps they are gearing up for such a change, perhaps not – but importantly as explained on their blog:

Studies have repeatedly shown that speeding up your site leads to increased user retention and activity, higher revenue and lower costs.

It’s worth considering this the next time you’re thinking about large images and special effects that take longer to load. Put yourself in your visitor’s shoes. “Would I really want to wait for this?”

(Image credit: Photo Monkey)

The [Wall Street] Journal said Kumo is designed to cut down on the length of typical web searches by grouping the results into categories.

A search for a particular model of car, for example, would be separated into categories like parts, used car listings, online discussion forums and videos showing the vehicle, it said.

Sounds like an interesting idea – but I think it will take something substantial to wrestle away the grip that Google has on the search landscape.

Time will tell… Will anyone care?

For some time we’ve offered Search Engine Ranking reports to our customers for a fee, but I’m pleased to announce that they are now free!

Every three months, our web clients can receive a report via email listing where they rank in the major Australian search engines for their selected keywords. As the old saying goes, “If you don’t measure it, you can’t improve it!”

This service is part of our overall philosophy: your online success is our success, and we’ll do our best to help you achieve that.

Contact us if you’d like to know more.

After success in 2005 and 2006, our design for His N Hers Surf and Leisure’s new logo took out the Best Logo Design – Retail Award at a gala dinner in Cairns last month.

The judges’ comments: “Great simplicity and energy in the design. Sure to be a hit with the surf community.”

It’s rewarding to receive these accolades, knowing we were competing with many entries from across the state.

The following article is from the Morning Bulletin, Friday 23rd November 2007:

From time to time Google changes the formula they use, and the Sydney Morning Herald reports they have just done it again.

So don’t be too surprised to see your ranking change from time to time, in fact you can safely expect it to happen!

Contact us if any such changes concern you.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that a woman in the US has been sued US$220,000 for sharing 24 songs through a file sharing service called Kazaa.

That’s a lot of money for 24 songs, which ever way you look at it. Whether you agree or disagree, it makes you think twice about what you do online!

The Lesson

We recently attended a conference in Sydney called Web Directions, and one of the points made was that people will use the web in a way that they see fit. Not necessarily how you or I would design it for them. The record companies here are doing their best to resist the change that the internet has brought, instead of adapting to it.

Is that something you can think about regarding your business?

If it’s you against the world (which is pretty much the case when you’re talking about the internet) you can’t really successfully fight it. Instead of saying, “we don’t want our website to work that way”, think about how your customers want it to work. And enable them to do it. Because whether you like it or not, they will find a way. Maybe via a competitor.

It might mean some changes, but you’ll reap the rewards on the long run.

In the words of the Borg, “resistance is futile”.

That’s an odd thing to “have a birthday”, but then again the internet can be an odd place at times!

Read the full story here.

Spam has skyrocketed over the last month. The Sydney Morning Herald reports an increase of 12% – and other sources quote up to a 70% increase!

Whichever way you look at it – it’s a lot of extra spam around globally at the moment. Spam filters are having to deal with a huge volume of extra mail and consuming a high proportion of server resources in the process.

From th SMH:

Technology market analyst IDC estimated in April that of the nearly 97 billion emails expected to be sent around the world each day … 40 billion would be spam messages.

Nobody likes the extra spam – but if faced with a choice it’s better to let some through rather then potentially delete legitimate email.

According to the article in the SMH a virus is the main trigger for the increase, so once that’s under control hopefully our email volumes can return to normal.

In the meantime:

1. Keep your Anti-virus software up to date.
2. Don’t click links in emails from people you don’t know.
3. If the email is from someone you know, but still looks suspicious – confirm that it’s actually from who it says before opening anything.

• Design (preferably using CorelDraw)
• Operation of wide format printer (Roland SP-540V)
• Vinyl letter and decal application
• Sign installation

You need to have:

• Customer service skills
• Excellent organizational and coordination skills
• An ability to work productively on your own
• An eye for detail
• Pride in your work

Confidentiality ensured.

Contact Yolinda on (07) 4926 7811.

Almost Anything Web & Graphic Design took out the honours for Best Logo Design – Service at a gala dinner held in Cairns earlier this month.

Owner Yolinda Foss entered the awards find out how her team’s designs measured up against others, and to see if they have what it takes to be the best in the field.

“I’m really pleased with the results, especially as the judges were based in Brisbane and Sydney. We are standing up against their knowledge, and expectations of larger city areas, not just local judges”, she said after the win.

This award marks the second year in a row the design studio has won at these awards, picking up Best Logo Design – Commercial in 2005.

“It just proves that we have the talent here to get the work done,” Yolinda said. “There’s no need for people to think they have to head to Brisbane.