Posted by Andrew Nicholson in Google, Social Networking | 3 Comments

What’s the big deal about Google’s search plus your world?

For the first time since they pulled out of China, Google really got down and dirty yesterday with the launch of Search plus your world.  SPYW (or Search+ as I’ve started referring to it as) is Google’s way of driving new users to their ailing social media site Google+ in a desperate attempt to usurp Facebook’s mantle.  The concept is really rather simple.  Rather that feeding you results based on the open web, Google are including results from your contacts on Google+ (only when you’re logged in mind).  This is optional at present (but it’s pretty much a sure thing that the default will be ‘on’) and will result in a search for ‘Bali’ (for example) bringing up friend’s pictures of their holiday in Bali, status updates mentioning Bali and such like.  Within minutes of Google going live with search+ in the US the blogs lit up (you can see my own to and fro’ing in the comments section of http://econsultancy.com/uk/blog/8643-google-adds-social-content-from-google-into-search-results) as assorted techie types cried foul.  But why is this?  In short:

Posted by Andrew Nicholson in Tech Talk | 10 Comments

Response to Mark Ritson’s “All that glitters isn’t social media gold”

Any marketer worth their salt regularly checks out Marketing Week’s Mark Ritson for his weekly erudite, witty and knowledgeable column.

I’m sure this week will be no different, and as such, I feel I’ve got to get my oar in, because this week Mr Ritson is that rare thing.  He is wrong.  The article endorses web guru, Douglas Rushkoff’s view that Facebook is going to go the same way as any other number of online bubbles, and will burst sometime soon in a frothy burst of data and Fairy liquid.  To quote a quote

Posted by Andrew Nicholson in Social Networking | Comments Off

Social networking interview

Not that I’m one to blow my own trumpet (he says with a knowing smile on his lips), but my recent interview for venues.org.uk is now live on the big old World Wide Web. You can check it out at Social Network marketing or, if you’d like to read the unedited transcript, please see below. Love to hear your thoughts

“Adaptation is the key to surviving in a difficult business environment; understanding what your customers want and staying one step ahead of your competitors. Nowhere is this more important than in a company’s marketing efforts.”

In July, Andrew Nicholson, E-Commerce manager for events firm Sodexo Prestige, hailed social networking as the future of the events industry. Four months on, he stands by that statement.