Daily Archives: September 27, 2011

Advertising, B2b, eCommerce, Internet, Online, Search, Searching, SEM, SEO, Services, Social Networking, Web, Web 2.0, Web Marketing

New Research Reveals Gmail is Growing in Popularity

Leave a comment

New analytics reveal that just five years after its launch Gmail for business is poised to be more popular than Microsoft Outlook, say QueryClick.

Recent research from leading analysts at Gartner, the information technology and research company has revealed that Google’s cloud-based Gmail email for business has become a ‘viable’ alternative to Microsoft’s Outlook. While Microsoft’s Outlook service has traditionally been the email provider of choice for many companies, Gmail’s growing influence within the business sector means that the gap between these two providers is getting smaller, say Queryclick.

Christopher Liversidge, QueryClick’s Managing Director says: “The research from Gartner is really very interesting because it reveals that Gmail is not only a good service for personal emails but also a well-respected email service in what is still a relatively small market. Web-hosted email services account for around 3-4% of the enterprise email market, Gmail’s overall market share currently stands at 1%, which sounds minimal, but is actually quite a large section of the existing market.”

The cloud-based email system that Gmail uses is seen to be much more secure than traditional email systems, and much easier to access remotely, ie from home, work or even on holiday than any other system that’s currently available to users. While Microsoft have recently launched their own cloud-based email, Office 365, a new version of it’s well-known Exchange email server, the gap between these two technical giants could be getting smaller, as the cloud-based technology becomes more popular, say QueryClick.

Chris continues: “While both Microsoft Outlook and Gmail are considered to be very reliable email systems for both personal and commercial use, it is predicted that email services are going to grow over the nest few years, with email services expected to make up 20% of the total market in 2016, and grow to a 55% share by December 2020. This is obviously a prediction, but it’s true that businesses are becoming more reliant on emails as a method of communication, and they will obviously need an excellent email system to help them do that. So, with so much riding on email, both Microsoft and Google are bound to be making more and more updates to their existing systems, which can only be a good thing.”

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

Advertising, B2b, eCommerce, Internet, Online, Search, Searching, SEM, SEO, Services, Social Networking, Web, Web 2.0, Web Marketing

Facebook’s Smart Lists to Improve User Experience

Leave a comment

Facebook have decided auto-generate relevant content for users, which could help improve the overall user experience, say QueryClick.

Earlier this month, Facebook announced that it was going to improve its lists feature by introducing so-called ‘smart lists’, a new feature which auto-generates lists of updates and contents for users. The update which is already in operation was designed to group together associated pieces of information such as status updates, photographs and links into the correct list, or category, and could help make finding specific information much easier on the site, say QueryClick.

Christopher Liversidge, QueryClick’s Managing Director comments: “The new ‘Smart list’ feature was designed with user comfort in mind because it helps Facebook users in creating special categories or lists on their news feed, based on their information. For example, if a user has put down what school or University they attended, and some of their Facebook friends who went to the same school or University do too, then a Smart List for that very establishment will be created. So , if a user says that they went to Oxford University, and then their friends Bill and Ben also confirm that they studied there, then a smart list called ‘Oxford University’ will be created, with the original user, Bill and Ben all on it.”

All in all, there will be four categories that make up the auto-generated smart lists, namely: Work, School, Family and City, which means that users will be able to streamline their news feed and be able to concentrate on the people and the subjects that mean the most to them on any given day. So if a user wants to try to find an old school friend, all they have to do is go their school’s smart list and scroll through what’s there, which will save time and effort, according to QueryClick.

Chris continues: “The addition of these smart lists will really make it so much easier to find relevant information in Facebook, as everything associated with a certain place, such as a school or a place of work have been handily put together, which means that users will find what they’re searching for quite quickly, when compared to searching for it manually through the site. Users can also choose to add their Facebook friends as either a close friend or an acquaintance to filter content further, and Facebook can even suggest users to add to lists, which not only makes using the site much easier than before, but also a lot more fun.”

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2C, eCommerce, Internet, Online, Services, Shopping, Web

Parents Whose Kids Skip School Should Forfeit Benefits Says DiscountVouchers.co.uk Research

Leave a comment

A high percentage of British consumers have told online money saving website DiscountVouchers.co.uk that they feel parents of children who skive off from school should lose their benefits. The website, which helps shoppers save money at more than 800 stores, polled site users on the subject of school truancy.

Of the deals website’s respondents, 78% said they feel that parents should be made to pay by losing full benefits if their children regularly skive off school.

Claire Hayes, Chief Operations Officer at DiscountVouchers.co.uk, says: “The UK’s education sector has always been a source of pride and provides the workforce of the future. Parents who are allowing their children to miss school are undermining that and so it is understandable that people feel they should be punished for doing so.”

DiscountVouchers.co.uk features more than 500 new voucher codes every day from over 3000 retailers including Marks & Spencer, House of Fraser, Lastminute.com and Sainsbury’s.

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases

B2b, B2C, Domain Names, E-mail, eCommerce, Events, Hosting, Internet, ISPs, Services, Web

BT Offers Small Businesses A ‘Kickstart’

Leave a comment

BT Business has launched a finance scheme offering start-ups the chance to lease up to £15,000 worth of technology and telecommunications solutions. Under the ‘Kick Start Scheme’, in conjunction with Shire Leasing, new businesses trading for under three years will be eligible for funding subject to credit vetting.

BT’s ‘KickStart Scheme’, available through BT Local Business, aims to help small businesses raise funds in a challenging economic climate and to avoid having to rely on bank loans, overdrafts or credit cards.

‘KickStart’ offers start-ups the opportunity to purchase a range of technology and communications products and services including business telephone systems, business mobiles, handsets, connection charges, software licences and IT equipment such as laptops, as well as small business IT support. The scheme is open to all industry types and has very flexible underwriting, aimed at delivering higher acceptance levels for new-start companies. An average £3,000 loan will cost less than £20 per week and can be added to as the business grows.

Declan McGlone, general manager of BT Finance, BT Business said: “The UK has an average of 270,000 start-up businesses every year. In light of the current economic climate we want to help these businesses access the products and services they need to get their new venture up and running. Our ‘KickStart Scheme’ offers finance over a fixed term, at a fixed rate, making it easier for customers to budget.”

One business that has already benefitted from a similar scheme with Shire Leasing is A.I. Global Media Ltd. The publishing company, established in November 2010, needed funding to purchase a technology and communications solution for its eight staff working on a new corporate finance publication.

Jane Peter, director, A.I. Global Media Ltd, said: “When starting out, it was crucial to launch the business in the most cost effective way possible. We needed to install a BT Versatility phone and broadband system, so that staff could work on the magazine straight away, but couldn’t afford any major spend. The leasing scheme allowed us to get the equipment we needed at a fixed rate and also meant we keep what capital we had in the bank to ensure we had some cash flow. This scheme really helped us get our business off the ground and we now have over 53,000 subscribers to our magazine.”

Karina Knudsen, Head of Business Development at the British Chambers of Commerce also welcomed the launch: “The BCC has long called for more support for small businesses. Financing that specifically helps start and grow new ventures will considerably reduce the current credit difficulties that owners face.”

New and existing BT Business customers will be able to take up the ‘KickStart Scheme’ offers as long as they have been trading for under three years, subject to a credit check. For more information about ‘KickStart’ and other BT products and services, interested parties can contact BT Local Business at www.btlocalbusiness.co.uk.

Via EPR Network
More Internet & Online press releases