Yell.com redesigns website
Yell.com has unveiled a major redesign of its site, incorporating enhanced search and mapping features.
The new mapping features allow users to plot a selection of local information onto any chosen location within the UK. For instance, if you have searched for a shop, Yell will display near-by cashpoints and parking spots.
Zoomf teams up with TrustedPlaces for user reviews
New property search engine Zoomf has linked up with community review site TrustedPlaces to offer local information alongside its property listings.
TrustedPlaces’s reviews of local cafes, bars and restaurants will be used by Zoomf to provide background information to property hunters.
Startup Zvents.com raises $7m
US startup Zvents, a site that allows users to search for events in their local area, has announced that it has raised $7 million in venture capital.
This has raised eyebrows in E-consultancy Towers, as it is a large sum of money for a site which currently covers only a small geographical area, and has established competitors in the market, such as Eventful.com, Meetup and Upcoming.
Search startup uses blog readers to develop website
MojoPages, a new social search venture, has adopted a documentary-style videoblog to build buzz around its forthcoming launch, while engaging users even before a beta website has launched, to help with aspects such as design and usability.
The website, which will rank businesses in line with user ratings, aims to improve on standard directory-style services such as Yellow Pages.
UK property search engine Zoomf plans Q1 launch
Zoomf.com, a property search engine backed by UK tech start-up
Arclight Media Technology
, is planning to go live early next year.
Currently in beta, Zoomf is aiming to officially launch in Q1 2007, offering property listings in London before expanding its coverage to the rest of the UK and abroad.
Visits to European job sites grow 11%
European visits to career-related websites jumped by 11% year on year in Q3, according to new figures from comScore.
The study showed sites dedicated to online career resources, job searches and training attracted 50 million visitors per month during the quarter, with Monster leading the category.
Google launches custom search tool for sites
Google has launched a free tool allowing websites and blogs to offer customisable searches to their users.
Site owners signing up for the service can ‘paste’ it into their webpages and select the sites they want included in searches.
How search results are re-ranked
Search Engine Journal has pointed out an excellent article by Bill Slawski on the complicated business of how search companies re-rank results.
It is important to get to grips with some of these factors if you are actively involved in SEO, since rankings can be influenced by any number of factors that may be outside of your control.
Study: ‘social local search’ catching on
Hitwise research director LeeAnn Prescott has released some data showing traffic to local directories employing user generated content (UGC) is growing faster than traditional 'yellow pages' (directory) sites.
Should Web 2.0 startups seek venture capital?
Web 2.0 startups shouldn’t bother seeking VC money, according to Neil Sequeira of General Catalyst Partners, because “there have not yet been these type of exits that generated venture capital type returns”.
Neil is a VC who made these comments at the AjaxWorld Expo in California, but I’m not sure he’s entirely correct in his observations.
Social media: the best and worst of 2009
Email marketing: six steps to improving customer engagement in 2010
Web 2.0
Graham Charlton
Strategy & Planning
