1. Overview post on Google website optimizer – good starting place for anyone who’s interested in whats going on. Nice and easy introduction for all those new to onsite conversion etc.
2. Marketing Experiments set of links about Google Website Optimizer – I love this site. Its all testing and results driven – for evey online marketing channel you can think of these guys have probably done some cracking little test to give you some ideas on getting more out of it.  This is their post is about helping you find the best way to improve your tests – as its only with good tests you’re going to get any decent information.
3. Google Website Optimizer Cartoon – I was just going to use the image but I always liked the guys at GrokDotCom (one of the first places I ever heard about testing to convert more visitors if I am absolutely honest)

Andys Website

Well Andys site isn’t here yet. But during my chats with him he’s gonna be building his own social bookmarking website. Having just tested Pligg out he seems to be well on his way to building a nice little niche website. You can find his current look at fashion @ cheapclothesrule.wordpress.com. His tongue in cheek opinions on cheap clothes are a good laugh (Rupert the Bear being featured in the Cheap Golf Chic post was pretty damn clever)

Gavins Website

Gav is going one step further and has decided to enter the hugely competitive – and lucrative I guess – golfing market. Selling golf clubs online. From what I’ve seen and heard should be finished in the next couple of weeks. Have a look @ GB Golf Gear to see how he’s getting on.

Other Stuff

On a related note I’m just finishing off the final touches to the Whisky Blog I run with Bill, from Spiderwriting. This should be online next week. After much feverish nights with only coffee as my friend I’ve worked out how to develop custom functions for WordPress so that we can start running a more magazine style – and professional – looking blog. I hope to have this done for the tail end of August. Oh and cheers to Colin for having helped enlighten me about the stuff that is possible in WordPress,

Alongside all this I’ve been reading some cool stuff about SNOWL for FireFox – not got it working yet. Also been messing about with Firefox personas (nice idea but my tabs keep vanishing (so get it fixed guys). Away from FireFox I was pleased to see that the guys over @ North South Media have moved into a new office -  and don’t forget the beer you promised me for putting that client onto you :p

L8rs

For years I’ve tried to explain to people what I do for a living. Most look like I’ve just fallen off a spaceship and others think this isn’t a real job – internet marketing’s a fad and will die out in a while. Two years ago I met the first ‘real’ person who knew what search engine optimization was! They were an american so as usual they were probably a few steps ahead in their knowledge on online compares to the majority of UK residents. So imagine my surprise when I get talking to my cabbie on the ride home ony to find he was doing his own SEO – and he brought up the subject.

For kicking me out of my post-holiday stupour  and getting me to my train on time here’s a link to his website that provides Glasgow Airport Taxis. Maybe those rankings that everyone goes after for SEO terms will start delivering more traffic than sales historically as the knowledge of everyone in the UK increases. The market would appear ripe for a company specialising in affordable SEO for small companies when this growth takes place as I expect that many wont be able to afford the thousands of pounds that larger established SEO companies will be charging.

Anyway today I read some stuff I must have negated to read last week over @ Dave Fiske’s Blog when he talked about I Want One Of Those (IWOOT). I’d never heard of IWOOT, they’re kinda like the Gadget shop. But they have a cracking disclaimer:

Disclaimer: All the products we sell, both on this website and in our catalogue, are rigorously tested for fun factor. Whilst they are definitely fun, they are certainly not food, and as such pretty well all of them represent a choking hazard, so please try to stick to the more usual food groups if you’re feeling peckish. Without wishing to labour the point (but manifestly doing so!) none of our toys are meant for children, unless they’re all big and grown up – the children, that is. And remember, never leave a naked person unattended.

Fantastic.

Also I over at the Grok they were talking using better product images to improve conversion. Not a ground breaking post I know but useful none the less. I love having a bank of these kind of things so that when someone starts disagreeing with me I can have somewhere to send them to get my views and opinions re-inforced and substantiated. That said even us most basic of ebayers know that having a good product image increases the auction value and number of views your ebay auction item will get. TBH I’d never thought about it until Clair, who just left Equator on Friday (now have no one to chat about anime with when I get drunk – damn), mentioned it.

Anyway betetr get back to it – have an online PR report to do. I hate reporting, espescially on a Monday morning.

A Big Shout Out

• Hobo Web – if you’re looking for stuff about SEO then have a look at the blog well worth the effort
• North South Media – These guys are doing some cool online marketing things just now
• Oyster Web – Nice chaps. I used to work there. If you need a new website on a budget these guys can probably do something for you

Where We’re Listed

• Our Page at the GEO URL Project – so you can see who’s close to use in a geographic list kind of way
• Our Page on Technorati
  

That’s all folks