Favourite Albums of 2012

Each Christmas, I like to compile a list of my favourite albums of the last year and this year shall be no different.

So, in no particular order:

1) An Awesome Wave by Alt-J

2) Standing At The Sky's Edge by Richard Hawley

3) The Light The Dead See by Soulsavers

4) Four by Bloc Party

5) The Shallows by I Like Trains

6) Given To The Wild by The Maccabees

7) Put Your Back N 2 It by Perfume Genius

8) REWORK_ by Philip Glass

9) Django Django by Django Django

10) Wixiw by Liars

A very honourable mention should go to Public Service Broadcasting who have not yet released an album (it's due next year) but whose EPs deserve a prominent place on this list.

I would also like to add that Kill For Love by Chromatics, Ark by Halls, Trouble by Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and Tramp by Sharon Von Etten could well have made this list had I bought them earlier in the year. However, they were only bought recently as a result of numerous recommendations in the top albums of 2013 lists that appeared elsewhere.

An article on SEO

Most website owners at some stage will receive an email or phone call from an SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) company promising that they can obtain top rankings with Google etc.

That may or may not be the case.... I normally urge caution when my clients ask whether they should employ such a company.

My recommendations are better articulated in this excellent article by Paul Boag.

In summary, you can achieve the website's long term potential by:

1) Building your website for your users and not for search engines.

2) Focusing on writing good content that will encourage people to visit your website.

3) The best person to write this content is you or someone within your business. You know your business better than any external agency.

Yes, it is important that your website is built with the search engines in mind - that the metatags, keywords and code all work to improve your rankings - but this will only work properly if the content is good in the first place.

You can read the full article here.

Duke of Kent

Yesterday, Wiltshire Music Centre welcomed the Duke of Kent. I was asked to take some photos to record the event as part of an ongoing commission from them.

Being a keen photographer has many advantages and being able to participate in such an event is one of them!

I am returning to the Centre again this evening to photograph both the pre-show reception and Nicola Benedetti's performance to celebrate their 15th Anniversary.

Here are some photos from yesterday:

Some statistics

Ofcom has recently published its 9th annual communications report which covers both traditional (including good old letters) and digital communications in the UK. It's a long report, but here are some key findings:

80% of the population has home internet access
76% have broadband
Each household has on average, three different types of device to access the internet

39% of adults have smartphones, of which 40% prefer to access the internet via their mobile device.
57% use their smartphones to shop online
22% use their smartphones to watch TV and film content online

Online shopping is now worth £2.6bn a year and has increased 30% year on year
Companies now spend more on advertising online than any other category (yes, more than TV and more than print)

What does this mean?

On a personal note, when looking at Google Analytics for my clients, there has been a big increase in the number of visits from smartphones (in many cases over 10% of hits), in particular the iPhone. So, it is time to be aware of the growth of accessing your website via a smartphone.

The key questions are:

1) Can people use your website easily on a smartphone?
2) Does the page load quickly enough (some people will access your website in areas where the phone network is weak).
3) Is your mobile website focused on the type of content a smartphone user will want to access quickly?

If you would like any advice on making your website mobile friendly, please do get in contact.

A new photo project

As you may know, I am a keen photographer. One of the ways to keep going out and taking photos is to have a project. My latest project is called Fragments etc.

As Sherlock Holmes once said to Dr Watson "you see, but you do not observe." Photography helps you observe your surroundings. To search for things that you wouldn't normally notice. 

This is a project about fragments. Fragments from cities. Fragments that are perhaps down side streets, or above the eye line. Fragments that have interesting shapes, colours and textures.

These photos are predominantly taken with Kodak Elite Chrome slide film. Kodak recently announced that they would stop production. This is a shame, as slide film produces the most beautiful colours and detail. It has something about it that no digital camera can quite reproduce. 

The other advantage of using film is that it costs you money every time you click the shutter and so I am more careful with my shots. I think about them more.

I have managed to buy quite a few rolls in advance of its imminent delisting from the Kodak range.

Here is a selection of some images.

Another nail in the coffin for Flash

The Guardian is reporting today that Adobe will no longer support Flash on the Android mobile operating system.

This is five years after Steve Jobs announced that Flash would not be compatible on the iPhone. This caused much consternation amongst users at the time.

I am pleased to say that I never bothered to learn Flash. It certainly made great effects for websites; but it was not accessible to Google and so harmed your search engine rankings; nor did it comply with web standards.

So, inevitably, Flash will be neglected and become yesterdays technology very soon. Its effects can now be replicated by better and more accessible methods. If your website has Flash, I suggest you look into replacing it now.

Here is a link to the Guardian article.

Google Places is now Google+ Local

Since the launch of Google+ a few months ago, there have been many mutterings about its relevance. It was thought to be competing with Facbook head on; but with each new iteration, it is clear that Google has something much bigger and more integral to life on the web than first thought.

The announcement that Google Places is now becoming integrated within Google+ is further proof and one that will benefit both local businesses and improve the experience for your customers.

I have always recommended that my clients who depend on local customers, register their business in Google Places. It is an integral part of improving the rankings of your business in local searches and helps users easily get past those directory websites that could otherwise dominate local search.

Previously I have also suggested to clients that they try out Google+ but was unsure how relevant it would be in the short term.

However, I will now revise my advice and urge all businesses to set up a Google+ Page and ensure that your information is up to date and relevant. This will have a massive impact on your online presence....

For more information on this development:

Here is Google's page on Google+ Local.

Here is an article explaining the changes in detail.

Finally, here is a link to a Google+ Local search so you can see how it looks.

For advice on the above, please do contact me and I will be happy to help.

Andrew

 

 

Kingston Mill Photo Book

Since moving to Bradford on Avon in 2006, I have been documenting the changes in the Kingston Mill site right in the heart of the town.

Kingston Mill stood derelict for around fifteen years after it had been vacated by Avon in the 1990's.

Eventually work started to develop houses, offices, restaurants and shops in 2009.

This book, which you can preview and buy below, is a record of the changes that took place - from demolition to completion of the site.

Kingston Mill by Photographs by Andrew Eberlin | Make Your Own Book

Your website visitors won't wait

A recent study in the US, as reported by Mashable, shows how important it is to have fast page load times. Quite simply, your customers will not wait for your pages to load. If they take too long they will go elsewhere.


Here are the key findings:


-  1 in 4 people abandon web pages that take longer than 4 seconds to load.
-  Half of mobile users will abandon a website if it takes longer than 10 seconds to load 
-  ... and 60% of them won't return.
-  In the US 25% of mobile web users only browse the internet on their phone.
-  79% of mobile users shop online.... 40% will only wait 3 seconds before they give up.

Browser Market Shares

I haven't written about the latest market shares of web browsers, so here they for February 2012 as recorded by NetMarketShare

Desktop


Internet Explorer still leads the pack at 52.8%


Firefox retains second place with a share of 20.9%


Google's Chrome is in third place with a share of 18.9% and rising all the time. It is likely to overtake Firefox soon.


Apple's Safari is hovering around the 5% mark.


Mobile


However, for mobile browsing, Safari dominates thanks to the ubiquity of the iPhone and iPad. It stands at 61% in February 2012.


Android has just under 19%, while Blackberry languishes at under 1.7%.

Is Pinterest useful?

Pinterest is the latest in a long line of social media platforms that is getting a fair bit of press at the moment.

What is Pinterset?

It is a place to thematically share images that you like, or find inspiring on the internet.

On their about page, Pinterest describe themselves as a "virtual pinboard." 

"Our goal is to connect everyone in the world through the 'things' they find interesting. We think that a favorite book, toy, or recipe can reveal a common link between two people. With millions of new pins added every week, Pinterest is connecting people all over the world based on shared tastes and interests."

Is it any good and is worth spending some time on?


As with all social media platforms, it depends on how many people are using it, and whether you can engage with them effectively. 


I have quickly built up a few followers from my usual circle of 'early adopter' suspects and I am enjoying using it to collect favourite and inspirational images. 


Will Pinterest be of use? That remains to be seen, but there is some interesting research suggesting it may have a bright future.


Driving traffic to your website


According to market data carried out by Shareaholic in January, Pinterest provides more referral traffic than YouTube,  LinkedIn and Google+. It is also growing its share rapidly (up 2.5% to 3.6% between December 2011 and January 2012). It now sits just behind Twitter in the league table.


However, Facebook still dominates referral traffic (26.4% in January).


Using Pinterest to promote your business


Pinterest could provide much potential to visually inspire and engage with your customers...


You could use it to get feedback from customers about the look and feel of your new product or design or shop layout.


Or, showcase how your customers are using your products. A clothing store could have a picture of one of their customers in one of their outfits. This gives potential customers inspiration and make existing ones who are 'pinned,' feel special.


Find out more


Here is a good beginners guide provided by those fine people at Mashable explaining a bit more about Pinterest and how you can use it.


You are also welcome to email me or give me a call to discuss ways to integrate Pinterest within your online marketing strategy.

A quotation on photography

“[photography] is, of course, a lucky miracle of timing. But when you see an unbelievable confluence of chance in a photograph, remember that the operator was there, booted and spurred.”

So said Walker Evans in 1969 when discussing the work of Helen Levitt.

What kind of tweets do people like to read?

New research by Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science has some interesting findings on which tweets work and which don't. In summary:

People liked:

1) Questions to followers - in particular ones that made followers stop and think.

2) Sharing information

3) Self promotion - specifically links to what you have created rather than saying how awesome you are...

4) Random posts - especially if they are humorous.

People didn't like:

1) Announcing your presence e.g. "Hello Tweeps!"

2) Conversations between 2 or 3 people - use email!

How to write good tweets

DON'T be boring, or share old news, or moan.

REDUCE clutter such as hash tags or @ mentions. Let the tweet content shine through!

DO add context to a tweet (e.g. if you are sharing a link say why, if you are doing a Follow Friday say why this person or organisation should be followed etc)

BE funny, concise, relevant and of course, engage with your followers.

There, that's easy isn't it....?

Here is a link to the study.

Here is a link to the Freelance Switch article that has a good summary of the report.

An Open Letter to Kodak

Like many, I am sad to see Kodak file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. For me, this has extra resonance as I worked for Kodak between 1999 - 2006 and have a great deal of respect and affection for the company and the time I spent there. 


It is clear that their failure to successfully transition to a digital company is the cause for their current predicament. Despite inventing the technology for digital cameras, Kodak focused on sustaining their highly profitable film business for far too long and did not focus on developing a viable digital business.


You only have to see the numerous articles in the media to see the fondness and nostalgia that many people have for Kodak. So there is plenty of brand equity that can be used to develop a lean but profitable business. 


So, here are some thoughts about how Kodak could survive in the future. These ideas would fundamentally change Kodak's business model but could at least keep the brand alive. 


1) Focus on film. 


Think of all the iconic photos taken with Kodak film.


It may be niche but if you look around there is plenty of nostalgia for analogue photography. Think of the surge in popularity of Lomography, Instagram and Polaroid film via The Impossible Project. Moreover film is profitable.


2) Re-introduce Kodachrome. 


People mourned the demise of this legendary film. The famous Afghan Girl photo by Steve McCurry was taken with Kodachrome. Think of the positive statement of intent that would be made as part of a relaunch of the Kodak brand.


3) Go retro


Fuji have successfully developed high quality retro cameras such as the X100 and there is lots of excitement around the soon to be launched XPro 1. Olympus are about to launch an updated OM digital camera. 


Kodak has the iconic Box Brownie and the Instamatic. How about relaunching those with a modern twist?


4) Create a retail experience


There are vey few camera shops that offer an engaging customer experience. 


There is an opportunity to develop a new type of photo shop that is an exciting place to go to meet the demands and excitement people have around all aspects of photography. 


It could sell camera gear, film, niche products (like instant cameras, classic film cameras, pinhole cameras), a wide selection of photo books and offer inspirational photo walks or classes. Kodak, with the affection that it has with the public is well placed to reposition itself and offer this.




So, just a few thoughts. I might even consider giving up self employment and return to commuting up the M4 if they had the vision to implement some of these ideas.... but perhaps not.

Why has Wikipedia blacked out today?

For very good reason. 


It is in protest against proposed legislation in the US to stop online piracy of media content. While stopping piracy is a laudable aim, the way that the bill proposes to enforce the legislation would "set a frightening precedent of internet censorship" according to Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia.


The issue is that not only individuals could be jailed, but any website facilitating piracy could be shut down too. 


As it says in the Wikipedia article:

The proposed legislation seeks to take down sites entirely, because courts and others simply don't have time to worry about the nuances of copyright law and free expression. That is what is troubling. When the remedies are bludgeons, when entire sites are taken down, when everyone assumes that all content is infringing because some is, we lose something important. 

We lose the nuances of copyright about which our community cares, we lose our values based on protecting free speech, we lose what we represent. The Internet cannot turn into a world where free expression is ignored to accomodate overly simple solutions that gratify powerful rightowners who spend lots of money to promote the regulation of expression. 

There are better ways, like the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, to find the right approach to legitimate copyright enforcement without trampling on free expression. SOPA and PIPA don't represent these values, and for that reason we ask you to oppose these bills.

The changes in our shopping habits

Tesco are experiencing a decline in sales after an uninterrupted period of growth spanning decades. 


Is this merely a reflection of the tough economic climate, or is it saying something more about the underlying trends in our shopping habits?


A fascinating article in todays Guardian suggests that we are indeed changing our shopping habits meaning that the big weekly shop and the continued expansion of massive hypermarkets may be coming to an end. 


Our food shopping habits are becoming more fragmented:


1) More people carefully research for the lowest price and are prepared to go from one supermarket to another for the cheapest item


2) More people shop daily from convenience stores


3) More people shop online (online shopping is +16% year on year - it is now worth £68.2bn)


4) More people "click and collect." This accounted for over 10.4% of shopping in the third quarter of 2011 (up from 7.4% in the previous quarter).


Our consumer behaviour is changing and the impact on the supermarkets and our local high streets will lead to a much altered retail landscape in the next few years.


How shops can ride this change remains to be seen. 


Here is a link to the full article.

Meeting Place Communications Team Photos

I was asked to take photos of the Meeting Place Communications team at their recent New Year Kick Off Event at the Bath Priory. 


Rather than taking posed mugshots of unwilling subjects, we opted to take more relaxed photos of people chatting around the table. 

I'm quite pleased with the results. You can see some more photos from the meeting here.

New EU regulations on Cookies

No, not those delicious biscuits, but cookies used for websites.


Definition of a cookie


For those who don't know what a cookie is, it is something that is on most websites that you visit and they are used to gather information about your visit.


This clearly has privacy implications which is why the EU are regulating their use.


However, cookies can be extremely helpful if you are, for example, visiting an online shop and you want them to remember your delivery details. It saves you time filling in the same data over and over again.


Cookies are also used by Google Analytics to track visitor behaviour so that website performance can be monitored and improved.


What do website owners need to do about this EU regulation?


This is still open to clarification, but the EU have now published guidelines which are expertly summarised by Paul Boag in this article. He has also provided a link to the full guidelines.


He advises you, or your web designer (could be me!), to find out what cookies are being used on your website.

All the websites I design have Google Analytics which do store cookies. It looks as though you might not need to ask for people to positively accept this via a potentially annoying pop up, but you may need to advise your visitors that the website does indeed have these cookies.


I will keep an eye out for any further clarifications and post them on this blog.

Albums of the Year 2011

Here is the list that many of you may have been waiting for ... my favourite albums of the year:

1) Build a Rocket Boys by Elbow

2) The English Riviera by Metronomy

3) Skying by The Horrors

4) The King of Limbs by Radiohead

5) Let England Shake by P J Harvey

6) Euphoric /// Heartrbreak by Glasvegas

7) The Cold Still by Boxer Rebellion

8) Destroyed by Moby

9) Smother by Wild Beasts

10) A Different Kind of Fix by Bombay Bicycle Club

Wishing you a happy 2012!