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