Most popular Social Bookmarking services

Social bookmarking is a method for Internet users to share, store, organise, search, and manage web bookmarks. The concept was pioneered by del.icio.us, who coined the term social bookmarking. That was way back in 2003. Since then however, a multitude of alternative services have appeared.

ShareThis, one of the newest services on offer, has just released some interesting data on the popularity of the dominant bookmarking services:

Interestingly, the data shows that email is by far the most important way of sharing links, followed by social networking site Facebook. The actual core social bookmarking sites are lagging behing substantially. Unfortunately the data is US centric, but it would be difficult to imagine the European results being too far off.

Irish Web Awards

It's that time of the year again, and the Irish Web Awards are upon us. There are only 12 days to go mind you, to nominate your website, so get nominating!

Right now only the creators/builders/owners of websites are allowed to nominate their own sites.

New Olympic Coke Spot

Sure it has nothing on the BBC's wicked idents, but it's flashy and fun, and definitely worth a look.

China and the Web

As with most people there are certain websites I regularly visit, and Trendspotting is one of the best. Great, really well written content. Last week I found this presentation on the state of Chinese web use. I had to share.....

Number 10

Downing Street has just launched it's new website; a portal to all that is British politics. Well, a portal to all that they want you to believe is British politics. The site is billed to allow the public to "keep up to date with all of the developments of the PM’s activities through news stories, videos, Flickr images and our Twitter channel".

Hmmmmm..... well it's nice to see all levels of industry and government realising the importance of the web, and the site itself is clean and easily navigatable. I'll put my pessimism aside and let you form your own opinion.

Microsoft Multimap

Microsoft UK’s specialist online mapping service, Multimap, has launched a digital ad campaign to raise awareness of new features following the redesign of its site, and increase traffic. Digital agency LBi have developed a creative, which is the first character-based advertising that Multimap have used. The ads were collaborated on by Aardman Animations, who were integral with Wallace and Gromit.

The campaign centers on a pair of dimwitted pigeons who become the site's Bird's Eye view feature. Through a series of less then perfect journeys, the two birds demonstrate the business and route finding services that the site offers. My favourite of the ads allows consumers to ask the pigeons to find "swimming pools in Barnsley", and shows them flinging themselves off a diving board into a puddle. Classic stuff, honestly! (links to follow)

Digital Marketing: The Present and Future

Check out this fantastic presentation by John Lambie (from Bates 141) on the Present and Future of Digital Marketing.

In this presentation John looks at how the internet has made the progression from a flat read-only collection of webpages to the fully customisable, user-centric wonder we now all take for granted.