The Digital Single Market and What it Means

A scheme in the pipeline from the EU Commission could mean major changes that would harmonise copyright rules and make digital services available on the same basis to everyone across Europe.

The Digital Single Market and What it Means

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The Digital Single Market (DSM) is being proposed by the European Union and contains a number of initiatives covering things like online security, access to services and even changes to tax and improved delivery systems to make online shopping services run more smoothly across the EU.

What’s It All About?

The EU already offers a free market for physical trade amongst its members. What these DSM proposals would do is to create a similar market for digital services and online selling so that these services can be used anywhere in the EU with very little restriction from national boundaries.

The idea is based around a broad three-pronged strategy, the first being to create improved access for consumers and businesses to digital goods and services right across Europe. The second to create the right conditions for a level playing field across digital networks. Thirdly to give maximum growth potential to Europe’s digital economy and help it compete on the world stage.

Within this the EU Commission has come up with a 16-point plan which will involve a review of a number of existing laws. This will include a review of media frameworks and telecoms rules and an investigation into online platforms. Any changes proposed for the latter will of course mean more work for businesses who offer software testing as they will have a major effect on almost all European businesses or web designers like Cardiff based Net Centics.

Breaking Down Boundaries

The DSM would aim down to remove barriers that currently, for example, prevent people from outside the UK accessing digital services like iPlayer. This will no doubt lead to increased demand for software testing services as applications will need to be changed to cope.

Whilst much of what’s proposed involves digital services, DSM aims to break down physical barriers too. The EU sees delivery costs as one of the main barriers to buying online, so the proposals also look at reviewing the role parcel delivery services across Europe.

It aims to streamline tax too, proposing a single VAT system to make it easier for businesses to sell across national boundaries and a single VAT threshold for new businesses looking to sell online.

It could save money too. The EU Commission estimates it could reduce costs by as much as €5 billion a year by 2017 if fully implemented. They estimate that the scheme could also contribute €415 billion a year to the EU economy and create as many as 3.8 million jobs.

Making government and other services easier to access is on the cards as well. The DSM proposals want to have standards across Europe for things like healthcare provision, energy and smart metering and transport, ensuring that these services work together and can be delivered smoothly across the EU.

Digital Marketing is just an extension of traditional marketing

Many see it as something very complicated to understand and oblivious to their business, but, however, it is “easier” than you think and also affects all businesses. For me, the Online Marketing is nothing more than a digital extension of traditional marketing. It is true that the Online Marketing has its own evolution and that is an area that like most traditional markets, but both are complementary, not substitutes (why I bet on “The Blended Marketing”). Want to see some examples of what I mean? Continue reading Digital Marketing is just an extension of traditional marketing

Christmas is Coming! Things to get you Excited for the big day!

C – C is for cosy! It is the best time of the year for snuggling up in soft slippers, having a glass of sherry and watching a classic Christmas movie. A few of the best ones are Miracle on 34th Street, Arthur Christmas and Elf to name but a few.Christmas is Coming

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H – H is for home. Whether you are going to be at your home or a family members home, there is nothing like home at Christmas time. Making the house look its festive best is all part of the fun. Get creative and check out Makower Christmas fabrics  http://www.higgsandhiggs.com/fabrics/designers/makower-henley-studio/show/all.html, and make some special Christmas tree decorations. Then sit back and admire in all its festive glory!

R – R is for Robins – and thrushes, blackbirds, chaffinches etc.… the robin is of course a Christmas card favourite, but don’t forget the garden birds in the winter time. Get some seeds and makes some fat balls to put in the garden on a bird table. It is the hardest time of year for wildlife to find food.

Christmas is Coming2

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I – I is for inspirational! Get inspiration for making some homemade gifts. People love to receive gifts that you have put time and thought into – it can be a simple photo in a handmade frame, or maybe you are a whiz with a sewing machine, you could make some personalised Christmas cushions!

S – S is for singing! Go to a traditional carol concert or midnight mass to get that warm Christmas feel of days gone by.

T – T is for tree! There are such a range of different trees you can choose from, whether real or artificial, there are pros and cons to both. One of the most fun things is picking out the tree decorations and hanging them on the tree. Remember, if you have a large tree, it may be a good idea to get a couple of sets of fairy lights to make it really twinkle!

Christmas is Coming3

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M – M is for meal! The best meal of the year, Christmas dinner! If you are cooking it yourself, make sure you prepare in advance how many guests you have coming, and if you have vegetarians joining you for dinner. Doing your food shop online and booking a delivery slot is the easiest way to avoid the Christmas stampede at the supermarket!

A – A is for advent – get into the Christmas spirit by counting down the days – and it isn’t just about chocolate advent calendars nowadays! Recently there have been a surge in luxury advent calendars for grown-ups – with the contents ranging from gin to make up and more!

S – S is for spirit – not just the Christmas spirit, but the ones that come in a bottle! This is a great time of year to get adventurous with the cocktails – have a look here for some ideas, or have fun coming up with your own!

Is Google telling companies that it is better not to invest in SEO?

Google is no longer what it was, the great friend of SEOs has decided to show its true face. Providing valuable information about the navigation of a site, totally unselfish, it has given way to a big “not provided”, accompanied by another friend also unhelpful “not set”.

The day, on the grounds of concern for the privacy of users, Google stopped showing much of the data on keywords that attracted visits the page, the web analysts pulled their hair, SEOs lost the direction so far had led them in their strategy and, to make matters worse, they were unable to show those flaming reports on the progress of their actions … everything is black and become much more complicated for the future of SEO. Continue reading Is Google telling companies that it is better not to invest in SEO?

Best Gifts for Wine Enthusiasts

With Christmas just around the corner it’s time to start thinking about what to buy your friends and family, and often this can revolve around their love of wine.

Best Gifts for Wine Enthusiasts

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Online wine retailers are growing in dominance and sales are expected to increase to 14.3% of the total off-trade market by 2019. There are also a range of accessories available on the internet, so if you’re looking for the perfect gift for a wine enthusiast, we’ve pulled together some of the best ideas.

The Coravin Wine Opener

This accessory has to be one of the coolest ways to open a bottle of wine and it’s ideal for the sophisticated connoisseur. The system works by using a thick, hollow needle that goes through the foil and cork, so there is no need to remove the cork. Argon gas then pressurises the bottle to allow the wine to be poured without oxygen getting in, which maintains the quality for years.

Vinnebago

If you know someone who enjoys a chilled glass of wine in the sunshine, then the Vinnebago is perfect. It maintains the same temperature of a chilled bottle for a maximum of 25 hours using innovative insulation technology, and the bottle even has a beautiful contemporary design.

A Wine Travel Case

If you’re searching for the ultimate wine gifts then why not purchase a VinGardeValise, which is a hard-shell suitcase containing temperature regulating high-density foam to protect wine bottles in transit. This is a fantastic idea for travelling wine enthusiasts who like to bring a few bottles home when they go abroad, and it meets airline regulations for checked-in baggage.

A Bicycle Wine Rack

When you’re thinking about where can I order wine gifts online, you’ll probably come across a number of unusual gifts and the bicycle wine rack certainly fits into this category. However, if you know someone who uses their bike regularly to get around and picks up a bottle of wine from the shop, this leather bottle holder could be just what they need.

An Unusual Decanter

Buying a traditional style of decanter wouldn’t be that different for a true wine enthusiast, so opt for something more unique which will became a real feature when they’re entertaining. For instance, the Riedel swan decanter is designed to represent a swan’s curves, which has created a stylish ‘J’ shape.

How Did People Use the Internet Before Google?

It seems hard to imagine a time before Google. A major player on the internet stage for many years, the word ‘Google’ has been transformed into a verb, showing the huge importance that this internet giant holds for us all. Along with Hoover and Biro, this is a brand that transcends the company it represents, passing into the language as a generic term. We ‘Google’ something even if we use an alternative search engine.

How Did People Use the Internet Before Google

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But there was a time back in the 1990s when Google had yet to be invented. The internet was still relatively new, although it was growing in popularity at an astonishing rate, but the technology was still very much in its infancy. We’re talking about a time before laptops and flat screens, when computers had bulky hard drives and monitors were as deep as they were wide.

Look Back in Wonder

If you struggle to remember those dim and distant days – or perhaps you were still too young to recall them – it makes interesting viewing to look back on screenshots from those early web pages. The Wire has some wonderfully pared down examples on its site that show how very simple life was back then.

In a similar vein, The Register as some screenshots from pre-Google days, starting with Alta Vista, which was one of the go-to search engines from around the mid-90s.

These were the days of dial-up connections, when your service provider supplied you with a portal page designed to steer you through web pages through a system of directory entries. Search boxes usually came with the words ‘powered by..’ to show the search engine being used, but they were sketchy affairs.

In those early days, it was important to remember web addresses. These would be given out over the television, incorporating the ‘http’ prefix and a series of letters, words and slashes that needed to be written down before they were forgotten. If you liked the page once you found it, then it was a matter of bookmarking it for easy reference on future occasions.

Searching for Information

When Google came on the scene, it fairly quickly changed the way we interacted with the World Wide Web. By using web crawlers – software that trawled through every web page – Google was able to point people quickly and easily to the information they were interested in.

Search terms made life even easier, as now it was possible to look for website design in Dyfed or Stratford, or whichever town was applicable, and instantly access a list of results. In just a couple of clicks, you could find web designers such as Leicester web design agency Pixel Utopia without having to trawl through a long list of directory entries.

Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who developed Google, continued to refine their search engine, developing keywords and search terms that made finding the information you wanted even easier. PageRank was created to determine the popularity of a site based on links. It’s a little-known fact that the ‘Page’ in PageRank doesn’t refer to the web page but is actually named after its inventor, Larry Page.

The Evolution of the Kitchen

The standard family kitchen has evolved constantly over the last century, to become what it now is in many homes an area for family and friends to meet and socialise. Now it is not uncommon to find every member of the family in the kitchen and involved in food preparation one way or another. Kitchens are no longer simply for cooking – they often links to other areas of the home such as the dining room or living room, and are no longer just workrooms tucked away at the back of the house.

The Evolution of the Kitchen

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In fact, kitchens are now seen as such an important part of the home that, in recent months, it has become quite common to see politicians and other public figures being interviewed in their kitchens as The Mail describes.

Kitchen design

From rooms with only a fixed sink and cooker together with freestanding cabinets and a table for both food preparation and dining, kitchens have evolved to have units built in to fit the available space.

Colours and finishes have changed over recent decades, and today materials such as slate, copper, glass, concrete and stainless steel are among the most popular. In newly built houses today, much more space is allotted to the kitchen than ever before, reflecting changing lifestyles and an increased interest in cooking as evidenced by the plethora of cooking shows on television.

With more windows comes more natural light.  The more light and spacious a room the more enjoyable a place it is to be.  If you have a large window leading out onto a garden or terrace of some form the use flowers and plants can equally add a touch of class.  Of course with every window comes a risk.  If you have the “next David Beckham” and your window becomes his latest make shift goal be careful.  Should a ball come flying at the window and crash through, help is always at hand.  With such businesses as Leicester emergency glaziers NandU being able to put things right in no time at all.

Lighting has changed from a stark fluorescent tube giving out bright, somewhat harsh light over the whole area, to recessed ceiling lights complemented by spotlights for creating a practical but intimate atmosphere. As so much time is now spent in the kitchen, many have built-in entertainment systems including TVs.

Kitchen appliances

From simply relying on a gas or electric stove for cooking and a pantry and perhaps a meat safe for food storage, today we have an appliance for every job. Perhaps the appliance that made most difference in the kitchen was the refrigerator. Commercial refrigeration has been with us since the early 1900s and, first patented in 1914, the modern refrigerator revolutionised food storage, making the ice industry almost redundant and allowing many people to sample foods that they had never tried before. According to the BBC, while 99% of families in Europe and North America own a fridge, this figure is only 63% in Africa and the Middle East, despite the fact that the climate makes refrigeration even more vital than it is in the West.

In addition to conventional ovens and hobs for cooking there are many other appliances available to save time, labour or both. Most modern kitchens have a microwave oven which, even if not used for cooking, is invaluable for heating the ready meals on which so many busy people.

Since there are home appliances that can make everything from ice cream to waffles, as well as “healthy” fryers and professional coffee machines, we are now able to produce any kind of food in our domestic kitchens, and with dishwashers to help with the clearing up, life for the cook has never been easier.

You cannot choose not to have a social presence is essential for brands

According to the study by Weber Shandwick Worldwide in collaboration with Forbes Insights, be “social” is essential for brands today and although many of them are adapting to the digital revolution, significant improvements are still needed to build a brand with its own social identity.

“Socializing Your Brand: guide for the socialization of brands” she was presented this morning in Madrid at an event involving Chris Perry, President of Digital Communication Weber Shandwick and Leslie Gaines-Ross, Strategic Manager Reputation Weber Shandwick. The event was attended by Ana Fernandez Pardo, Communications Sfera, Gosia Pajkowska, PR Manager of Vente-Privée and Guillermo Haro, Professor of Digital Strategy, Tutor Entrepreneurship and Academic Director of the Seminar on Management Communities virtual IE Business School.

The study provides managers of the areas of communication and marks a starting point for creating a truly social brand. The online study was conducted among nearly 2,000 executives from the most important companies in 50 countries in North America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia Pacific and Latin America. Continue reading You cannot choose not to have a social presence is essential for brands

Emotional Intelligence Community Managers

Many are the changes that social media have led since its inception, but certainly head and always to close 2011 facebook again and vanguard leadership position, both for brands and for professions derived from web 2.0

The Community Manager faces a 2012 in which culminate the process of humanization of brands

Paradigms associated with marketing and advertising have been drastically modified. Today is not enough to have a good product, an impeccable reputation and skills to maintain dialogue exchanges (and positive marks) in social profiles. The Community Manager in 2012 must also possess emotional intelligence.

We can not forget that the specific weight of social relations rests on the quality of content and the manner in which they capture the attention of their target groups. That is why we can say that the Community Manager is an indispensable element in the re-definition of the strategy facing brands in 2012. Continue reading Emotional Intelligence Community Managers

The e-mail marketing remains one of the most effective marketing techniques

Customers demand personalized information geared to their interests. A factor where e-mail continues to occupy a special place in the minds of consumers, and is an important source of influence when making a purchase decision, according xplusone study shows.

According to the survey, conducted among a small sample of American consumers, 25% of them takes into account the information received by mail when it comes to deciding to buy. Meanwhile, 16% said that the fact of obtaining a personalized shopping experience is a very positive aspect. Continue reading The e-mail marketing remains one of the most effective marketing techniques