Facebook in data row

Just read a v. interesting article on the BBC website about Facebook and how they have changed their terms and conditions which means that you don't own your own data on the social networking website anymore. I can imagine bouycots will follow.

I find it odd when phenomenal sites such as Facebook make basic mitakes that annoy their avid fans who make them what they are. Facebook has one of the best advertising portals available - making them very rich indeed, but if everyone leaves the site as they are scared about data issues then their value will nose dive.

Read more at the BBC website.

Smug Couples Day?

We all know it's smug couples day tomorrow (or at least I hope we all do) so if you have realised that this is Friday the 13th with good reason, make sure you get yourself in the good books tomorrow by picking up something for tomorrow from the supermarket the way home:

• Skint? A £2 pound bouquet of red roses from Asda wont break the bank
• Special offer from Sainsburys gives you a box of Thorntons Chocolates and a bottle of pink bubbly for only £12

Enjoy tomorrow!

What do you buy a six year old for their birthday?

Another year gone, another year older - Mancala turns six today and we've certainly come a long way from the cupboard under the stairs...

So once the party poppers have stopped popping and the jelly and ice cream has melted into the brightly coloured plastic bowls we will celebrate properly - by making sure this year is the best yet!

You can read what's changed in the world of the web and internet marketing and SEO on my Online Marketing for SMEs blog here.

Facebook Changed My Life

We've been banging on about social network marketing for a while now, but it is easy to forget the impact that sites like Facebook, MySpace, Bebo etc have on everyday people, not just us in the Internet Marketing community.

There's a great article on the BBC website about everyday people in not-so-everyday circumstances who claim that Facebook - 5 years old today - has changed their life. From finding the job to let them stay with their girlfriend from being reuinited with long lost relatives it appears that the eponomous site has indeed got philanthropic qualities as well as mercenary ones.

Have to admit though, if I ever only communicate with my sister via the internet, please give me a pen.

Tweeting on Twitter

Deryck has just announced that Twitter is the future...if he can get it to work from his mobile phone (anyone know how to set it up via Orange?).

Twitter appears to be basically Facebook without all of the annoying applications and photo tagging (you know who you are) - basically you just say what you are doing right now in 140 characters or less. Stephen Fry is already a fan so it must be good.

You can follow Deryck on Twitter at http://twitter.com/newcastleseo

Merry Christmas!

2008 has been a great year for Mancala. Not only have we moved to our fab new offices at Black Swan Court on Westgate Road, but we have also been lucky enough to meet lots of people at our Internet Marketing and SEO seminars whether at our Newcastle City Centre office, at La Riviera on the Newcastle Quayside or through the Business Link Enterprise Shows.

We're really looking forward to coming back in the new year to get going with our hands-on workshops focusing on SEO Newcastle, Email Marketing, AdWords Campaigns and How to Run a Successful Ecommerce Store from our fabulous Newcastle City Centre offices.

Our Christmas night out on Monday was great fun at Barn Asia in Grainger Town where the Asian fusion food was to die for and Deryck got a wee bit over-excited about the cheese plate (see photo) as I did about the Singha beer that made me wish I was spending Chiristmas in Thailand a la 2002...

So, all that is left to say is that we hope your holiday is a warm and fuzzy one and we look forward to helping you ensure that 2009 is a successful year.

Merry Christmas!
xxx

PS - You can check out our holiday hours here.

Christmas starts here!

We realise that it's Christmas here at Mancala when we can't leave the office because of the height of our to-do pile. It's a cruel joke - we should be eating, drinking and generally being merry (or at least shopping anyway) but December is traditionally our busiest time of year.

So, thank God for Aegis IT whose annual Christmas bash gave us the excuse we needed last night to leave the office and have some fun. Reindeer hats, Play Your Cards Right and Deryck winning the bingo card later and I'm wondering whose turn it is to nip for a skinny latte and bacon sarnie...