UKFast Newsletter July 2005

So from now on, the Newsletter will act as an eye on expertise, providing top tips from our tech, development and marketing teams and a few choice thoughts on the Internet world from myself. We’ll also keep the ‘Spotlight on the Client’ every other month, as it’s nice to find out more about you.

Since last month we’ve all experienced a national tragedy and everyone at UKFast would like to extend their thoughts to our clients based in the London area and anyone who has been affected by the recent bombings – very best wishes to all.

As ever, if you have anything you’d like to share, please feel free to get in touch with me at jonathan.bowers@ukfast.net

Inside this Issue

July at UKFast – New innovations, staff and clients send us sports crazy
Tip from the Techies – Become Iconic!
A marketing minute – Search Engine Optimisation
Hot Topic – Travel the World with a move of the mouse- Google Earth
Top Ten – things your office says about you

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This month, UKFast’s new recruits got their first taste of office life at Daytona Go Karting!

Being an ‘arty type’, I quickly began to wish I’d spent more time in front of Grand Tourismo, as the dream of pole positions, podiums and champagne slowly disappeared.


The evening’s top 5 revealed a whopping victory
for the tech team. Worse still, MD Lawrence Jones (conspicuously absent that week and sighted at Daytona days before) won the overall 1st place. The only ‘creative’ to make the top 5 was Laura Blizard from the marketing department. Despite
the result the whole night was brilliant fun.

Back in the office, the Research and Development team has been outsourcing its skills here, there
and everywhere. Innovations include a new Email tracking system, alerting users to opened messages and ‘click throughs’ that result from them – a must for businesses gauging the success of e-marketing campaigns.

We’d also like to welcome to the Network a host of new clients this month. We’re very pleased to add to the unique UKFast blend a number of charities including Marie Curie Cancer and the Gingerbread Charity as well as the national agency Children in
Scotland.

Lastly, I should mention the day at the Ashes. Thank you to everyone who showed an interest in joining us on the 14th August at Old Trafford. The lucky few will be contacted over the next week, so fingers crossed.

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– Become Iconic.

Favicon’s like the UKFast arrow below are multi-resolution images that allow you to further promote your site. They create a customised appearance within a visitor’s browser often reflecting the look and feel of your Website or logo.

The Favicon was first popularised by its appearance in Address Bars and Favourites Folders and is now a prominent fixture of Web browsers such as Firefox, IE and Netscape 7.0. Each Web browser has a unique user interface, and as a result uses the Favicon in different ways.

Rather than try to explain it all here, I’ve added the details into the UKFast FAQ pages so you can read up on it and create your own.

http://www.ukfast.net/site/resources/showfaq.php?c=Website%20tips

Look forward to seeing some pixel art next time I log on to your site.

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A marketing minute - Search Engine Optimization.

Five steps to climbing the listings.

1. Carefully choose your keywords. It’s important that your URL contains a keyword.
E.g. www.bookatrip.com

2. As different search engines classify results in their own ways you must pay equal attention to your meta-data and your page content.

3. Try and include each key word between 4 and 11 times in the copy on your page.

4. Whilst keeping the look of your site consistent, bold some keywords as this boosts their rating on many search engines.

5. Put your keywords in your image alt tags – a clever way to keep them but not obviously over use them.

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Travel the World with a move of the mouse

“Stop the World, I want to get off” now has a new meaning!

The future has arrived in the form of Google Earth. I wanted to avoid Google this month – but this really can’t be ignored.

Google Earth is ‘A 3D interface to the planet’ and it’s brilliant fun.

The New York Times recommends it for anyone who has ever dreamed of flying and short of skydiving I’d have to agree!

With an ADSL connection you can whiz your way around the world typing destinations into the search box. After zooming in on the UKFast offices in Manchester, I typed in Sydney and the page zoomed out whipped around the world and began focussing in on New South Wales, Australia.

The tool is still in Beta and Google are working tirelessly to map the whole world for us. Currently, most of the US is fully viewable as well as nearly all Canadian and Australian cities and many UK cities. Other capitals are also available in close up– it’s amazing how similar Manchester central library and the Coliseum in Rome look from the sky!!

It’s basically a globe that sits inside your PC. You point and zoom to anyplace on the planet you want to explore. Satellite images and local facts zoom into view. The system can then tap into Google search to show local points of interest and facts, or check out apartments or hotels.

You really ought to at least take a look. It’s at http://earth.google.com/earth.html - enjoy!

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things your office says about you? 

Time for a bit of introspection – or perhaps a check up on the staff around you as we look at what your office says about the people in it.

10. Posters of celebrities or historical figures – Indicate values and aspirations.

9. Plants and foliage – If your staff nurture these items it shows they plan to stay.

8. The empty desk – Barren workspaces indicate a worker who has little status in the organization and probably isn’t dedicated to their job.

7. Sweets bowls – Or anything that lures others into the workspace. It is an indication of an extrovert. Introverts don’t place anything that draws others into their area.

6. Motivational plaques and Posters. This person is engaged in their job and wants to stay engaged.

5. Post-it Notes – An over-reliance on Post-It Notes is a sign of overwhelm.

4. Personalization – How much personalising someone does to their space indicates the level of security in their environment. Are they comfortable enough to make it their own?

3. Tidiness – We may try to hide this by shoving items in drawers, but it’s a personality trait that’s extremely difficult to change. Neat, organised desks indicate a neat and organized person. The opposite…

2. Family Photos – This interpretation is divided. Some psychologists say family photos are a status symbol. Others suggest it’s a genuine reminder of loved ones and guilt at time away. How are the photos displayed? Facing guests is perhaps a status symbol, facing the worker – personal? 1. Whose Got the Time? – Those who “get it done” are time conscious and often have a timepiece somewhere to keep track of time. Clock lovers are often meticulous and hardworking.

1. Whose Got the Time? – Those who “get it done” are time conscious and often have a timepiece somewhere to keep track of time. Clock lovers are often meticulous and hardworking.

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