To the average internet user, Facebook is simply an online tool to connect and share their views with others. Lots of users will update their profile with their interests, they’ll like certain brands, update their statuses – you get the idea. What most of these users don’t realise is that all this information they’re providing is then used by Facebook, in an effort for Facebook to garner new advertising clients. You can see the benefit for the advertisers, they’re able to target their exact markets based on certain profile criteria/brands that users like etc.

To be honest, I don’t think we’ve seen the beginning of Facebook’s marketing plans yet, and I’m not too sure if I want to stick around to see them either!

In steps Unthink.com

Unthink is currently in beta testing, which means that they are inviting a select group of ‘testers’ for the website. Unthink’s tagline says it all ‘emancipate yourself’. They have a vision of a social network where all the information you provide is yours, a social network where you don’t have to worry about potential advertisers pestering you. Unthink call their customer-base ‘owners’ as opposed to Facebook’s ‘users’.

It’s a brave step for the start-up that has managed to raise close to £2m.

I wish I could tell you more, but unfortunately – I’m still waiting for my Beta Invite. As soon as I’ve given it a test, I’ll let you know my feedback.

We’re excited to find out  what you guys have to think about it. Leave your comments below!

If brochures once ruled – websites now reign supreme. Why spend 1000′s of pounds on a brochure that once is printed, can not be amended? Futhermore, a website can help you gain valuable information from potential clients, and that information can be turned into great business leads.

Maybe you’re thinking of expanding your business and employing more people? Whether you are looking for new talent or posting job opportunities, your website can be a very effective recruiting tool for building your business and brand.

For more information about how Rapidz can help build the perfect website for your company why not get a quote?

In short, on-page SEO refers to any type of search engine optimisation that takes place on the actual website/webpage itself. For example, changing page titles and meta tags are considered on page SEO techniques. Off-page SEO refers to any type of optimisation that’s done outside of the website. Link building is considered part of the off-page optimisation process.

When optimising your website, it is important to remember that more than one Internet search engine exists. The current leader is Google, followed by Bing and Yahoo. Bing formerly known as MSN (Microsoft based) is fast catching-up. Google, however is still the market-leader. Yahoo is struggling to keep pace with the search giant. That said, Yahoo can offer a significant amount of high quality traffic. For this reason, many webmasters focus on SEO techniques to work for Google, Yahoo and Bing.

The capital is the center for some of the most progressive industries of Great Britain, including web design. London is a hotbed of talent in web design, and every year a flock of young designers from all over the country, head down to London to launch their careers in the capital.

One thing that helps in motivating young people to get their career started in London, is the incredible variety of web design and development courses offered in the city. Approximately 135 universities offer courses in web design in London, Greater London alone offers 48 different courses.

So if you’re looking for a career in web design – why not get in touch today. We’re not currently recruiting – but if we see that spark, we’re willing to take a gamble!

If you’ve never had a website created before, you will discover that there are several things to consider if you want your site to be successful and you may have to do a little work to find the right person for you and your company.

No matter what type of site you want to succeed with, it will have to meet the following requirements:

1. Professional appearance
2. Function properly
3. Achieve good search engine results

Online Workplaces

There are several online sites that will help you match your project/idea with a number of designers who will bid on your project. The only thing to consider is that these sites have all kinds of designers, including those who have purchased the latest version of Front Page and now call themselves “web designers”.

The Agency’s Portfolio

First, you want to see what work the agency has done, mainly the recent work that the agency has created as that says a lot about what they can currently offer. All web design agencies should have an online portfolio that can be accessed easily.

The Website Price & Your Priorities

Another thing to consider, although it is not the highest priority is price. Although there is no clear rule about what one “average” price for web design is, in most cases you get what you pay for. If you care about your business, then this is definitely not the time to cut corners. So when considering the price, remember that you pay for their expertise, their time , and their experience.

It is important to create a successful website that has a good position in the search engines. It’s also far more important that you are extremely satisfied with the appearance and functionality of the website, than saving a few quid. If you get a good site, your page will be able to grow with your business.

Search Engine Optimisation

The number one mistake that most first time website owners make is that they do not know what to do with their site once it’s been designed. It’s no good having a beautiful website that no-one knows about.

A good agency will not only help to create a professional-looking website for you, they’ll also make sure that your site gets a good ranking with search engines so that the site can be easily indexed and found online. Make sure the agency that optimises your site has solid results to back up their offering.

Summary

There are many factors to consider when searching for a web design agency to build your company’s website, but the important thing to remember is that this is the image and reputation of your company that’s at stake. You want your offline reputation to be reflected online. If you choose the right agency the first time, you won’t be looking around elsewhere  for someone to change the site in 6-9 months.