Analysing the sales reports from Black Friday could suggest that marketing departments may want to consider tightening their purse strings on social media spending. IBM, in particular, released findings that indicate that only about 1% of Black Friday sales can be formally claimed by social media advertising, matching the lacklustre performance of last year. Should social media marketing get the Scrooge treatment, allocating investments to advertising strategies that boast better figures?

They say travel broadens the mind – and with our pedigree, we’re minded to agree!

In the usual run of events, a discussion about pandas ends up referencing interminable radio and TV features outlining the plight of the world’s least (re) productive mammal.  That being the case, it often comes as something of a surprise to many that Google – an animal with rather more rapacious appetites – chose to name its search engine ranking algorithm after this most recalcitrant of bears.  Yes, it’s true what they say folks – in the world of page ranks, hits and traffic, it’s the cuddly imagery that conceals the weapon beneath. Nowhere is this more evident than in Google Panda – but what is it, and how can you devise a content strategy that stops it wiping you and your business off the virtual map?

In the medieval world a man could choose a variety of ways to attain notoriety. A small flick of the head in a circular motion might have been seen as an attempt to summon a multitude of incubi, whilst any knowledge of the reproductive systems of a woman beyond the strictly rudimentary an insight into a life of carnal depravity. The drama, was, however, likely to remain a local affair so long as the county authorities, the church, or the King’s men were none the wiser.

Following a seven-month investigation, the Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA) announced on Thursday, November 28th, that Google’s use of personal data violates Dutch privacy law. Google had introduced a new privacy policy in March 2012, implementing the use of combined personal data collected from several of its services.

Last week, Google launched Google Play Newsstand, an app that eases mobile news consumption by consolidating the previous Currents and Magazines apps for Android. Readers can access all their magazine and newspaper subscriptions in one place. Newsstand will also replace the iOS app Currents.

Following several days of rumours - and months of negotiation - Apple confirmed the purchase on Monday of the 3-D sensing company PrimeSense. According to All Things D, PrimeSense sold for $360 million.  Apple representative Kristin Huguet responded in the face of the news leak that Apple generally does not elaborate on its plans and purposes when it acquires new technology. Industry commentators have been speculating widely this week on the possibly profound implications of Apple’s move.

A recap of SEO in 2013 includes a zoo of algorithm updates with releases from Google of Penguin, Panda, and Hummingbird. Encrypted search capabilities, with Google’s move to ‘secure’ search in September, have undermined keyword data. This move has caused an SEO identity crisis in some and provoked an answer to the call of the survival of the fittest in others. Google moves in 2013 have led Forbes contributor Jayson DeMers to voice the lingering question, is SEO dead?

The image and video social bookmarking site Pinterest launched a travel-planning tool last Wednesday at its headquarters in San Francisco. The company has called it Place Pins. The feature allows users, or Pinners, to pin articles and images about attractions and interesting spots on geotagged maps on their pinboards.