Infographic Reveals the State of Facebook in 2012

Posted on February 21, 2012 by mikeq

A few days ago, Infographic Labs revealed a wonderful infographic detailing just about everything you’d ever want to know about Facebook in 2012. Although it’s getting to be common knowledge that Facebook has an enormous user base (845 million and growing, at last count), many of the other statistics are much more surprising.

One of the most startling revelations handed down by the infographic is that 20% of all page views on the entire internet belong to Facebook. Another stat that will have your head spinning is that Facebook users issue an average of 2.7 billion “likes” every single day.

If you’re a savvy site or blog owner, you’ll want to take a careful look at the stats presented within the infographic, as they could significantly influence the way you shape your social media campaigns.
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Mobile Searches Dominated Valentine’s Day Restaurant Queries

Posted on February 16, 2012 by mikeq

According to Google, an incredible 62% of searches for national restaurant chains this past Tuesday (Valentine’s Day, if you’ve already forgotten) were conducted using mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

Google said that it chose to focus on well-known chains because they’re easy to identify as restaurants. However, there’s no reason to believe that the same figure didn’t apply to the entire restaurant industry.

Shocked? You shouldn’t be, especially when you consider that 41% of queries for Super Bowl ads came from mobile devices as well. The news solidifies the notion that smartphones and other mobile devices are becoming the preferred way for many Americans to access the internet. Adjust now or be forever left behind.
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Google Wallet Suspends Prepaid Cards Due to Security Flaws

Posted on February 14, 2012 by mikeq

If your site uses Google Wallet for any financial transactions, now might be a good time to rethink your decision. Although the service is still in its relative infancy (launched in September of 2011), Google has announced that it will temporarily cease its disbursement of prepaid cards due to two potential security issues, according to Search Engine Watch.

If you’re already in possession of a prepaid card from Google Wallet, you may be at risk, and you’re advised to contact Google immediately to disable the card. This will immediately negate any implications of the potential security issues and ensure that your funds are secure.
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Google to Launch New Hosted Storage Service

Posted on February 9, 2012 by mikeq

For nearly the last half-decade, we’ve been hearing that Google will soon release a hosted storage service, effectively giving users access to the search giant’s version of the Cloud. According to the Wall Street Journal, that long-standing rumor is finally coming true. If the WSJ and other sources are to be believed, the new service – reportedly entitled “Google Drive” – will launch within just a few weeks.

Of course, this same rumor sprung up in 2007, 2009 and September of last year, but this time the WSJ says it has confirmation from “people familiar with the matter.” Not a rock-solid confirmation by any means, but a reason for your site or blog to prepare nonetheless.
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Google Remains Biggest Traffic Source for 23 of Top 30 Sites

Posted on February 7, 2012 by mikeq

Twenty-three of the 30 most visited websites still receive the biggest chunk of their traffic from Google, according to a recent study by Citi analyst Mark Mahaney. Shocking, right? (The reality of the situation is a bit more complicated, so read on.)

Mahaney, who has something of a history with Google, analyzed comScore data regarding visits to the five biggest sites in various categories. He found that, overall, Google delivers 16% of all traffic to the top 30 sites. Meanwhile, Bing and Yahoo! drove 6% and 11% of traffic, respectively, to the same sites. The report didn’t mention how much traffic Facebook is driving, probably because its IPO is still awaiting approval.
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