A search engine focusing on web sites and properties originating from South Africa has been unveiled.

The engine, called Funnel, only indexes pages and sites from South Africa and introduces a new advertising service, again focusing on web properties originating from the country.

The Funnel search interface, which follows Google's format, aims to assist South African citizens in finding quality indigenous web properties. The search engine offers several unique benefits such as crawling and updating the South African IP ranges frequently and is reportedly not cluttered with advertising banners.

"The key reason behind starting another search engine is guidedby the fact that South Africa requires a more advanced and efficient channel through which business and non-business people can acquire information at the click of a button," Funnel MD Gideon Galloway said.

The new search engine, www.Funnel.co.za
, claims to provide faster, more accurate and more relevant results as it only indexes domestic sites and it has also introduced the country's first "pay-per-click" advertising program.

There are around four million internet users in South Africa. South Africa already has a number of exclusive search engine sites, including Ananzi and Aardvark.

The Optimiser Newsletter - 27 May 2005

Netscape on Thursday launched version 8.0 of its Web browser, promising better security and the ability to switch between rival browsers Internet Explorer and Firefox.

Netscape was once the dominant browser but is a shadow of its former self, in terms of market share. It is owned by America Online, a division of Time Warner Inc.

Netscape 8.0 aims to restore the browser's reputation, in part by combining rival technologies. It uses the new Firefox, a collaboratively developed browser program, to handle less secure sites, and Internet Explorer, by Microsoft Corp. , to open trusted ones.

"The browser is like a hybrid car that combines the usability of Internet Explorer with the security of Firefox," said Andrew Weinstein, a spokesman for America Online/Netscape.

The new Netscape checks sites for security, integrates Web search and offers advanced features like RSS feeds, which typically link to major news providers.

Netscape 8.0 automatically switches security settings, and the browser it uses, based on whether a site is a known and trusted site or an unknown site, the company said.

Internet News Article | Reuters.com

For all our clients thinking about starting a Google AdWords account, here is a free 20 pound voucher.

Google Voucher

Please call Chris on 023 8042 3306 for more info.

We have posted an updated Google Voucher blog, detailing how these are available.

We have 10 google vouchers to assign to clients opening AdWord accounts.

A Web site's conversion rate is inextricably tied to the success and return on investment (ROI) of a company's pay-per-click (PPC) advertising campaign. The more paid search bid prices increase, the more critical a site's conversion rate becomes to simply remain in the game.

There are three PPC advertising challenges related to low conversion rates:

If you're currently engaged in paid search advertising and the keyword price in the vertical market increases, your site's current conversion rate may not support the higher bids necessary to stay in the game.


Bid prices on a keyword set in your vertical market may continue to rise. If you're not currently engaged in PPC, when you finally decide to jump in, you'll already be priced out of the market.


If either of these scenarios apply to you, you'll need the knowledge and a strategy to increase conversion rates in an effective way.

With bid prices in some markets increasing quickly, companies that haven't yet launched PPC advertising campaigns are taking a serious risk. Bid prices could increase to a point where, by the time Retailer X starts experimenting with search advertising, it will be too costly to learn. It'll write off the medium altogether due to poor results and a seemingly insurmountable conversion rate deficit.

Worse, chances are Retailer X's competitors are already engaged in PPC advertising and working to improve their site's conversion rates. When Retailer X gets in the game, competitors' head start may provide them with a strong advantage.


PPC Advertising Connects to Conversion Rate

A big thank you to all our clients that managed to join us for our first Design Haus sailing day. Fun was had by all and there was a few aching muscles over the following days.



Tom and the Lynx team ready to go



Tony Rice - www.icomia.com



our very own Rob Millward



The loosing boat (at least we played by the rules :-)



Tom and his team get that sinking feeling



Sophie at the helm - Quest TFI



Pete - The Drew Smith contingent



The Lynx team looking smug, little did they know.



Jake from Learning Through Landscapes



The winning yacht.



The winning team getting ahead.



"I will be back" - Chris, trying to navigate as well as he does his clients' Google accounts.



we really did have great weather.



Rob at the helm.



this is the moment the team (that slighlty bent the rules) took the lead, a smug looking Grant - Hythe Marina
Neil Lewis - Mountain Mavericks and Hvar Island, on the main sheet.
& Rachel - Quest TFI, looking rather pleased as she helms the yacht past team Lynx



Ha-Ha-Ha, is that Tom's team with their sails flapping in the background?



a big thank you to Anna and Dave (our 2 skippers) from Blue Spirit Yachting



and the winners are....
.