Graeme Davidson speaks

I have got to thank Meghan Keane for writing a post highlighting just how much spiced ham there is on the t’internet.

Here is an astonishing fact:

MessageLabs Intelligence released numbers this week that place email spam levels at a staggering 90.4% of all email traffic in June, which makes you really appreciate your spam filter. And the profit margin becomes even more enticing for spammers when they don’t need to use humans to do their dirty work (80% of all spam sent today comes from botnets)

Please read Meghan’s full account of Spam is on the rise

Posted by mmmbop on July 2nd, 2009 in Work stuff with no comments

After reading Matt Cutts Pagerank Sculpting blog post earlier this month, I see now that my pagerank has dropped from 3 to 2. 

I don’t know whether I should be concerned about this or not, but maybe some people have changed their links from their pages so that I haven’t got as much juice as I used to.  Then again, I am not overly concerned about pagerank for this blog, as I am not particularly targeting anything except for all you lovely readers to stumble across my blog and like what I write.

On the plus side and completely irrelevant to you, I have just been to Turkey on holiday and it was amazing.  I sat on a beach for a week and drank white russians.

Posted by mmmbop on June 30th, 2009 in Work with no comments

Due to yesterday’s announcement by Apple about the upcoming iPhone 3GS, I thought I would post a little about it here (in case you missed the shock).

Here’s some text taken from The Telegraph’s technology guru Shane Richmond:

Apple’s new iPhone, the 3GS, launches in just 10 days but anyone who already has an iPhone faces a hefty charge if they want to upgrade, according to O2’s official Twitter feed.

Last year O2 allowed customers with the first-generation iPhone to break their contracts and upgrade to the iPhone 3G on the day of release. However, to get the new iPhone 3GS, announced by Apple at its WWDC conference in San Francisco yesterday, existing customers will have to buy themselves out of their existing contracts.

Someone who bought their iPhone 3G on the day of release will have at least six months left on their contract. On O2’s middle tariff, £35 a month, that means paying more than £200 to end the contract and a further £274.23 to buy the new 3GS on the same tariff.

iPhone customers are venting their anger in the traditional way of the modern geek - on Twitter. There isn’t a Facebook group yet but I wouldn’t be surprised if one is created before the end of the day.

These people are angry because they are the iPhone’s most loyal customers. Last year, when O2 wanted to make up for the disappointing performance of the first-generation iPhone, it let them upgrade free and they queued around the block to do so. This year, after they’ve helped to make the iPhone a success, O2 is going to take them for every penny. At least that’s how they see it.

Read the full story at the Telegraph

I currently use a Blackberry and had considered changing to an iPhone as I currently have an iPod Touch.  However, now with this new pricing there is no way I am going to change.

I was always a Sony Walkman fan when I was younger and was always found to be listening to some sort of 80s tines when I was boy.  That could have been Huey Lewis & The News or John Cougar Mellencamp.  I am pretty sure that instilled into me that I need some sort of music equipment.  I was also the last person I knew to get a mobile phone, as I didn’t like people knowing where I was constantly.  Eventually, my Dad bought me one when I was the grand old age of 25 - yes, only 6 years ago.  Now of course, that has changed, as I can’t be without my email, text and phone calls.

However, I still feel that I like having my music box and my phone separate.  I must be weird this way.  But I don’t care.  I want to be able to listen to tunes in peace without my iPhone buzzing all the time when I get a call or text.  In fact, I want tapes to come back too.

Nowadays, people listen to a song they like.  It used to be that you bought an album and would listen to the whole thing over and over therefore discovering favourite tracks that others may not like so much.  Today it is all about buying a single track that you like.  I am pretty sure that on my iPhone the only single track I have is Rhinoceros by Smashing Pumpkins.  The only reason for that is that I am not really a fan, but I had that song on a mix tape years ago, so wanted it again.  I still like to try and learn an album.  Most artists try to tell a story throughout an album and that is what interests me.

Perhaps I got a bit off point there, but I know that there are people out there who buy the latest iPhone or iPod and don’t even have a clue about music.  Never bought an album in their life.  But like that song by Kasabian, because someone said they’re cool.

So anyway, if anyone can convince me why to get an iPhone then let me know. 

I love the functionality of my Blackberry.  It is afterall, a phone.  And it phones, texts and emails for me.  It also takes (crap) photo’s and lets me check where I am on Google Maps.  I think that is all I need a phone to be.  And that keeps my tunes separate.

Posted by mmmbop on June 9th, 2009 in Work with no comments

Well, it’s summer time and there’s relatively no football on for the next couple of months so I am at a loss what to do on the weekends.

Therefore, I have decided - I am going up to Glasgow this weekend!  Myself and a mate will be jumping on the train on Thursday night, then whizzing  up to Glasgow, Pendolino style.

And further to this, I am also going to Turkey for a week in under 14 days time!

Posted by mmmbop on June 8th, 2009 in Work with no comments

A few nights ago I watched an interesting programme on one of our terrestrial channels called Dispatches.

It was all about the top bankers getting paid astronomical wages.  The reason for them being paid astronomical wages - well, they were self governing.  In each of these banks there were non-execs appointed to the board as the guys who would use  their time to look into the wages of the top guys.  However, this is where the problem was.  The non-execs and the Chairman of whichever bank it was all knew each other, and it would be likely that if one non-exec were to curb the wage rise, then the same would happen to him at his place of employment.

And, some of these guys had around 4 or 5 no-exec positions.  Basically this accounted to around 2 days work a month and an annual salary of anything between £70k and £150k! 

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by mmmbop on May 20th, 2009 in Work with no comments

I work for Equator as their business development manager.  We have a fantastic team here that is constantly looking for opportunities in the digital market.

So how does the business development department go about their job, I hear you ask.  Well, business development has a lot of factors combined into one big mixing bowl to make us effective.  And we never stop working, as any company which stops business development is going to be in trouble down the line – it is an ongoing and non-stop process.  So I have compiled a list of all things that we do in business development to make Equator tick.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by mmmbop on April 30th, 2009 in Work with 2 comments

Hotel chain Ramada Jarvis have re-launched their website following a full review and redesign by Equator.

Equator were challenged to create a portal for leisure guests and business people alike – a one stop shop for accommodation, events, destination and attractions information. Working hand in hand Ramada Jarvis and Equator agreed the vision for the site and set about the design process in a collaborative manner. Extensive web usability testing was utilised to ensure the user journey is as seamless, logical and friendly as possible. The launch of the site is only the beginning. The plan is to constantly evolve the site using feedback from analytics and users to ensure ease of use and maximum conversion.

The full service digital agency is also running an integrated campaign via SEO, PPC and affiliate channels to drive traffic to the site and increase revenue for the 42 strong, UK hotel chain.

John McLeish, Equator’s Managing Director, is delighted to have had the opportunity to redesign the Ramada Jarvis website. “We have been working for Ramada Jarvis on their affiliate SEO & PPC programmes for a number of years now and it was a great opportunity for us to take our learnings from this and apply them to the website in order to increase conversion.

Equator has many years of experience with the leisure industry, and we believe that our knowledge of what makes customers follow through the booking process will mean that the new Ramada Jarvis site will be a great success.”

David Witham, Director of Marketing & Partnerships, Ramada Jarvis: “We are delighted with the results of our new website functionality and design by Equator. Not only does our new site offer the user more content and imagery on our hotels, it also presents unparalleled access to live information about latest regional events and attractions around our properties which is fed by What’s on When. In today’s climate, when looking for value, our site now allows the user instant access to room availability at our Best Rate Guarantee which can’t be beaten anywhere on the web. The improved user experience allows easy trip planning and booking a Ramada Jarvis hotel which are in ideal locations to explore the great outdoors and the exciting attractions which Britain has to offer, at affordable prices.”

Posted by mmmbop on April 29th, 2009 in Work with no comments

I saw this recently and had to post it up here.  It made me laugh so much.  A wonderful piece of advertising.

Posted by mmmbop on April 22nd, 2009 in Play with no comments

After much trawling around the interweb to find a cheap pair of Stan Smiths, I stumbled across M & M Direct.   I had searched high and low for weeks, trying to find my prefered choice at a great price.  Not an easy job, let me tell you!  

I would suggest now to M & M Direct that they have to work on their SEO as their price was an excellent £29.35 plus £3.90 for P&P.  Considering that in my local sportswear shop, these trainers were on sale for £54.99, I couldn’t believe my luck.  And they arrived in 3 working days.

However, I only got lucky finding them at this price - due to my Scottish tenacity and eye for a bargain.  I think I had been searching online for around 4 or 5 days until I discovered them at this price.  And the Stan Smiths are available in white/green or white/black which is nice.

Furthermore, the checkout process for M & M Direct was relatively painless in comparison to the Next complaints I suffered.   I was even allowed to enter a delivery and billing address.

So anyway - if you fancy buying a lovely pair of Adidas Originals Stan Smith then use M & M Direct.   I did and now Graeme Davidson is a happy man

Posted by mmmbop on April 14th, 2009 in Play with no comments

Full service digital agency Equator has been awarded the SEO contract for BiP Solutions following a competitive three way pitch.

BiP Solutions is a leading provider of public sector contract information, with over 500 UK government organisations using their internet solutions to create and manage their contract information.

Equator have been tasked with building the natural search engine rankings for www.tendermatch.co.uk, BiP’s essential tracker tool for those looking to win contracts with public sector organisations, both in the UK and worldwide.  Equator’s brief is to devise a strategy that encourages visitors to sign up for BiP’s tracker tool.

John McLeish, Equator’s Managing Director, is thrilled to have won the business; “It’s a fantastic opportunity for Equator to work with such a pioneering company as BiP Solutions.  With over £175 billion pounds expected to be spent by the UK’s public sector this year, having a tool such as tendermatch available to companies is invaluable. Even more so in this difficult economic climate, as it allows them to keep their finger on the pulse when it comes to new business opportunities.”

Ewan McKay, BiP Solutions Tracker Brand Manager said, “BiP are absolutely delighted to be working with Equator.  We were impressed by the pitch that the team made and in the short space of time that we have been working with Equator we have seen a quantifiable improvement in Tracker’s SEO performance. We look forward to further positive results and a long and successful partnership”.

Posted by mmmbop on April 9th, 2009 in search engine optimisation with no comments