Partner Article

Weekly internet update

With SEO expert Pascal Fintoni

In the news: A study by The Nielsen Company shows that over 85% of internet users worldwide have used the internet for online purchasing. The report also breaks down the sectors in which web users are spending, with four out of ten users having bought books online.

eBay is to introduce price changes and tighter sales standards, rewarding good sellers and punishing those with a poor record. It is hoped that the plans will help turn around the sites slow growth, which is about half what it was three years ago.

A study by the Financial Times shows that audio applications will be new must-have for websites during the next few years. Audio is currently seen as something of an afterthought, but it is believed that sound can be used to seriously add value to a site. What do you think?

Digital music sales now account for 15% of the world wide music market, with total revenue from sales via the web growing by over 40% during 2007. Projections indicate that online sales may account for as much as half of the world market by 2010!

Plug of the week: The Catalyst project has teamed up with consultancy specialists Further to provide a series of courses designed to help strengthen working relationships between users of digital technology and suppliers. The workshops address users and suppliers separately and take place at venues around the region. For more information email catalyst@n-e-life.co.uk.

Story of the week: Computer giants Microsoft bid a reported $44.6bn for search engine company Yahoo! The offer has clearly raised more than a few eyebrows, with Google said to find the proposed bid ‘troubling’. Could such a move create a monopoly on search engines? Are Google right to be concerned?

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .