January – SEO and marketing news

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Feb 9, 2018 / by
January – SEO and marketing news

Two-thirds of EU marketers considering leaving the UK because of Brexit

With Brexit looming over the ever shrinking horizon, 31% of EU nationalists living and working in Britain are considering leaving the UK, says a survey conducted by Marketing Week’s parent company Centaur. These results confirm a growing fear within the industry that talent will flee Britain, which would be devastating for an industry reliant on talent across the EU and the globe.

63% of respondents of the survey want a second referendum, however the majority of the industry is resigned to the knowledge Brexit will be a reality, with 35% saying Brexit has already had a negative impact on their job. How has Brexit affected you?

Meanwhile: Macron’s France lures US, UK tech start-ups

With US President Donald Trump’s anti-immigration rants and the UK having Brexit slowly becoming more of a reality both countries have successfully scared away start-ups reliant on international talent. Meanwhile, Macron has stated that he wants France to “think and move like a start-up”, while moving in to reform many of France’s complex labour regulations. This has already lured back former French businesses back home, but also international start-ups, despite it being easier to set up in London. Britain remained the biggest recipient of venture capital funding at $5.4 billion (4.4 billion Euros) with France behind on $2.1 billion, but France has closed the most deals.

“The amount of support given to entrepreneurs is certainly in my perception much stronger than we could possibly get in the UK,” said Tom Pullen, a 41-year-old Londoner who launched his consultancy Innovinco in Paris last year.

Google removes addiction treatment ads from UK search results

GoogleGoogle is removing search ads related to addiction treatment in the UK, following an investigation by The Sunday Times that the company is profiting from a practice that is illegal in several US states. The investigation revealed an ongoing issue with middlemen known as ‘referral agents’ who advertise themselves as free advice helplines for addiction treatment, but in reality make as much as £20,000 for referring one caller to a private rehabilitation clinic.

This commission has been directly related in increasing costs for addiction treatment in the UK, with just one website using as much as 300 ads to lure addiction sufferers to it. Both the US and UK have seen an increase in addiction searches (with the US currently in drug crises and the UK having an increase in drug related deaths), which has been seen by some as profiteering.

Yorkshire company introduces new immersive marketing To The UK

On the 29th January Yorkshire entrepreneur Mark Shepherd launched his new 3D marketing solution, Apollo3D. Using technology introduced from America, Apollo3D creates a full virtual location that a customer can explore before actually visiting. Using 3D photography and 360 high-definition modelling, Apollo3D would include full floor plans and ‘doll house’ style walk throughs that can be hosted on any site. Mark Shepherd said, “Today’s consumers are more digitally savvy than ever before, and our 3D Showcases offer businesses/locations the ability to stand out and give potential customers a taste of what they can expect before booking, buying or visiting.” Right now, Apollo3D is being used by The Liverpool Exhibition Centre with First Event UK.

UK data watchdog dishes out £600k in fines to 4 spam-spewers

In a lesson in what not to do, The Information Commissioner’s Office has fined four companies £600,000 for spamming customers millions of times. Between 2016 to 2017 the companies sent out millions of unsolicited emails, texts, and phone calls. Barrington Claims, Newday, Goody Market UK, and Cheshire financial marketer TFLI all through either subscribers lists of affiliated sites or failed automated text and call systems sent out millions nuisance messages and calls. Andy Curry, ICO enforcement group manager, said “Firms cannot get away with failing to follow the rules designed to protect people from the irritation and, on occasions, distress nuisance calls, emails and texts cause.”

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