Digital Mouths

Survived Panda? Now Google introduces new page layout algorithm

Stephen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:30:36 +0000

News of a further update to Google’s search algorithm will undoubtedly have many bloggers, webmasters, internet marketers and sploggers quaking in their boots.

If Panda didn’t get you, and this one does, it could mean a massive drop in income.

The new page layout algorithm is aimed at websites and blogs that display too many ads above the fold, making it difficult for visitors to find the content they are looking for.

Frustration, anger and complaints from web users have forced Google’s hand on this one. And for most people it is a good move.

This is what Google says on the blog post announcing the update:

As we’ve mentioned previously, we’ve heard complaints from users that if they click on a result and it’s difficult to find the actual content, they aren’t happy with the experience. Rather than scrolling down the page past a slew of ads, users want to see content right away. So sites that don’t have much content “above-the-fold” can be affected by this change. If you click on a website and the part of the website you see first either doesn’t have a lot of visible content above-the-fold or dedicates a large fraction of the site’s initial screen real estate to ads, that’s not a very good user experience. Such sites may not rank as highly going forward.

There is no help from Google about the level of ads it deems excessive. This is something we have work out ourselves.

It shouldn’t be too hard for most us, and if your stats take a nosedive today you can bet your bottom dollar you’ve been hit by the new algorithm.

The irony of this is that AdSense (a Google product) is almost always the ad used on sites that display too much advertising in places where people expect to see content. It’s good to see Google taking positive steps to banish MFA (made for AdSense) sites and others who ruin the user experience by placing too many ads on one page.

The number of sites affected globally is, Google says, about 1%.

What can you do if you are hit?

Simple. Completely remove the ads or change the layout of your page(s) so the screen real estate above-the-fold (the part of the screen visible without scrolling) is more user-friendly.

This is an algorithm change and not a manual penalty so your site should come back into the results some time over the next few weeks.

Facebook status updates and managing your subscriptions

Stephen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:32:34 +0000

How to see more or less of what your friends are saying on Facebook

By default your Facebook account is set up to see MOST UPDATES from friends, as opposed to ALL UPDATES.

Some coding within Facebook’s algorithm automatically decides which status updates you should see. The decisions are based on your previous interactions with your friends.

I’m not a big fan of an algorithm deciding whose updates I should see.

Luckily, there are at least two ways of manually choosing the amount of updates you see from Facebook friends.

Method One

On your Facebook page (not your timeline) look for a status update from a friend or somebody you subscribe to. Over to the right hand side of the update, level with the persons name, is a light-grey downwards arrow (it only appears when you hover over the status).

Click the arrow and you get a box like this:

As you can see, my Facebook account is subscribed to most updates from my friend Ian. To change it, simply click on the option most suitable – All updates or Only important.

In this case I’m going to choose All updates as Ian shares some interesting stuff on Facebook.

If he starts getting on my nerves I can unsubscribe from his updates by selecting the Unsubscribe option.

Method Two

Another way to do this is to access the News Feed.

Scroll down to the bottom of your feed and look for the Edit Options link and click it. You should see a pop-up window titled Edit News Feed settings.

The greyed out names are people I no longer see updates from.

Click on the Manage Subscriptions link to get a list of all your friends. In the right-hand column is the status of your subscription.

Notice the arrows in the picture below? The solid dark-grey circle and light-grey arrow indicates a subscription to all updates, the dark arrow indicates a subscription to most updates.

Change your setting accordingly.

If you have a lot of friends it may take a while adjusting the setting for each, but unfortunately I don’t know of a quicker way of doing this.

What does your Facebook profile look like to others?

Amazing acrobatic dog

Stephen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:59:02 +0000

The things a dog will do for a Scooby Snack.

An amazing performance by this dog as it balances on a thin chain between two metal posts.

How do you train a dog to do this? I have no idea.

Life-size Stormtrooper cake

Stephen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:59:20 +0000

Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing in at around 300 lbs, this Stormtrooper, would you believe, is actually made of cake.

It was created by Amanda Oakleaf and her amazing team of ten to feed 600 science fiction fans at the Arisia Sci-Fi Convention in Boston. The team took two weeks to design and build the cake and used 208 eggs, 140lbs of sugar and 55lbs of marshmallows.

A metal frame holds it all together.

The Stormtrooper cake was donated to the Arisia Sci-Fi convention, but if you want to order one for a forthcoming event expect to pay around $9,000.

Oakleaf Cakes

Greg Pattillo – beatbox flutist

Stephen — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:49:24 +0000

You are in for a treat!

Most of us find it difficult to beatbox or play an instrument like the flute, but what about doing the two at the same time?

Could you do it?

Greg Pattillo can.

Greg Pattillo lives in Brooklyn, New York and the collection of YouTube videos showcasing his incredible musical ability has amassed millions of views.

After earning a masters degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, Greg found work as the acting principal flute of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, became a founding member of the Collaborative Arts Insurgency and the 16th and Mission Thursday night gathering for performers in San Francisco.

He now performs as a solo artist and flutist for the PROJECT Trio. He also teaches others how to play beatbox flute.

“the best person in the world at what he does.”
- New York Times

More videos – freedomworksfilms
PROJECT Trio on Twitter

SOPA blackout pages

Stephen — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:04:19 +0000

Websites across the internet are today disabling access to their pages in protest against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and PROTECT IP Act (PIPA).

Wikipedia, WordPress.com, Boing Boing and others have added blackout notices.

Twitter remains open, as does Facebook.

This is what some of the sites look like today:

Wikipedia

Google.com

Tell Congress: Please don’t censor the web! (sign the online petition)

WordPress.com

Boing Boing

WordPress.org

Wired

Flickr

Flickr didn’t go completely black. Users had the option to make images darker for up to 24 hours.

Craigslist

Copyblogger

Matt Cutts

XBMC

CyanogenMod

WordPress Plugin

Many owners of WordPress powered blogs installed a plugin causing their sites to look like this:

Tell us about a protest page you know about sopa@digitalmouths.com

This is what Wikipedia says about the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA):

The bill, if made law, would expand the ability of U.S. law enforcement and copyright holders to fight online trafficking in copyrighted intellectual property and counterfeit goods.[2] Presented to the House Judiciary Committee, it builds on the similar PRO-IP Act of 2008 and the corresponding Senate bill, the PROTECT IP Act.[3]

The originally proposed bill would allow the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as copyright holders, to seek court orders against websites accused of enabling or facilitating copyright infringement. Depending on who makes the request, the court order could include barring online advertising networks and payment facilitators from doing business with the allegedly infringing website, barring search engines from linking to such sites, and requiring Internet service providers to block access to such sites. The bill would make unauthorized streaming of copyrighted content a crime, with a maximum penalty of five years in prison for ten such infringements within six months. The bill also gives immunity to Internet services that voluntarily take action against websites dedicated to infringement, while making liable for damages any copyright holder who knowingly misrepresents that a website is dedicated to infringement.[4]

Searches on Twitter

Tell us about a protest page you know about by leaving a comment below or emailing sopa@digitalmouths.com

14 superb photos of fireworks

Stephen — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:30:58 +0000

Most people are excited by the sight, sound and smell of fireworks. They evoke memories of good times, celebrations and special days in our lives.

Fireworks were invented in China during the 7th century. These days there are firework competitions and celebrations all over the world.

In the UK, each November 5, the night skies are lit up by fireworks in celebration of the foiling of an attempt in 1605 to kill King James 1. It’s now known as the Gunpowder Plot.

In the US on July 4, Independence Day, there are firework displays to mark the day the United States adopted the Declaration of Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain (as it was then known).

And on New Years Eve capital cities across the world host massive firework displays, usually built on or around a famous landmark. As our memories of New Years Eve start to fade, here is a little reminder of what happens each December 31 – a collection of superb photos of fireworks, I hope you enjoy them.

Fantastic Bobble Brush toothbrush stand

Stephen — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:04:17 +0000

Do you remember Weebles? They wobble but they don’t fall down? Weebles is a range of children’s toys that were originally all the rage a very long time ago (the seventies). Since then there has been a couple of relaunches too…

Anyway, this Bobble Brush toothbrsh stand is based on the same round-base principle and is a quirky addition to the boring world of toothbrush holders.

Bobble Brush – Always Up For Brushing

The main features incude:

Plastic insert slot that fits most standard, non-electric toothbrushes
Rubberized, weighted base keeps the Booble Brush from sliding
The Booble Brush’s top and mid sections can be unscrewed at detached for easy cleaning
Available in three colors – white/pink, white/blue/, white/charcoal>
Dimensions of the Bobble Base: Max width 2.5″, height 2.4″

Yours for $12.99 *

Braille burgers by Wimpy

Stephen — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:49:23 +0000

When Wimpy wanted to let visually impaired people know they offered braille menus in all their restaurants, they decided to make the above video.

A team of skilled chefs made burgers for the people in the video and on the buns they created a message in braille using sesame seeds.

Credits:

Creative Director: Wes Phelan
Art Director: Dale Mullany
Copywriter: Keith Manning
Director: Will Collinson
Music: Loyiso Madinga
Photographer: Mike & Nick
Retoucher: Darren Bell

Source

Motorcycle through the Himalayas with Iain Crockart

Stephen — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 15:13:07 +0000

Iain Crockart is a London based photographer who recently rode a 350cc Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle through the Himalayas, photographing and documenting the 1400km journey.

The group of over thirty, all riding 350cc Royal Enfield Bullets rode to a height of 18,340ft.

Way up in the sky, life is very different, the faces and places we encountered were unlike anywhere else on earth. We are now part of a small group of adventurers who have tackled this route, as we know, the Himalayas are not for the faint-hearted, the mountains sheer magnitude is a test in itself, add to that the high altitudes, unpredictable weather, the risk of landslides, sheer drops, roads that are mud, water and sand, sudden border closures and route changes and you realise why this is one of the most challenging motorbike adventures on the planet.

The journey taken by the group is documented by Iain Crockart in a book called Enduro Himalaya 2011, Adenture in the Sky, which is available to buy here.