Well I have been summoned down to La Rochelle and to the Watermill, the builder has made such progress in the last 6 months that a visit is needed to start discussing the interior. Its Winter and there is no way I am going to put the miles on my 911 Turbo Cab so its car hire time, and a call to my friends at Budget car Hire will be my first action.

The mill is looking amazing from the pictures, so much has changed, myself and Steve (my business partner) will be so proud to show it off. Usually we roar down for a couple of days in a type of Gumball 3000 expedition but after our last visit we have decided to calm down. The hire car will do just that and speeds will be much more respectable.

So instead of taking this –

I will be leaving it at home until the summer and using my car hire connections with the Budget guys.

As I said the Mill is looking amazing, anyone who has been to the countryside around La Rochelle will understand what a gorgeous area it is. The mill itself is unique but was a complete wreck when we bought it 8 years ago. The renovation has so far taken 18 months and there is still much to do.

Take a look and see for yourself here -

As you can see its amazing, the car hire will be a very convenient mode of transport when all my gear is there since then I can just jump on a plane with hand luggage and get the hire car from the airport.

From there its just 1 hour to our

Beautiful French Watermill

Here is the release on Homebase and its SEO practice.

Taking an objective view on this is difficult considering I am a cynic when it comes to ‘accidental’ bad practice in this industry.

The results speak for themselves and a look at the first snapshot will show you how well this approach has worked when combined with link spiking. For the agency looking after Homebase and its SEO needs then it is quite possible they will be crowing their success. For me the crucial test would come if it were scrutinised by Google, would it withstand this scrutiny? Perhaps as usual I am somewhat overzealous for a story?

For me there can be no excuses for some of these ‘mistakes’, clearly hiding text and headings is not a good way to deliver your website into Google and other search engines. The additional interception of Googlebot and other search engine spiders to ensure a different page is delivered to them than the default landing page is also a bit suspect.

One could argue they are not breaking rules on the interception because they are not seeking to gain any advantage and the page Google gets is similar to the page a user will get (only Google also gets the hidden content). The problem here is that the technique itself is questionable and has always been so, the fact that Homebase are being clever to try and promote their wares in search results is incidental?

For me there are just too many factors blending together here, all are linked by the fact that Homebase have page 1 position 1 profile for terms like ‘furniture’ and ‘kitchens’. It is the blend of these techniques that delivers the success and that is also seemingly underpinned by two massive link spikes.

If you add into the picture the use of Javascript redirects and also Meta refresh redirects then for me there is enough non compliance to trigger adverse credit in any search engine scrutiny. Currently the site is powerful enough to skip over any automated system which considering the use of the ‘no-script’ tag that’s hiding the content is also suprising.

So could I be playing ‘Devils Advocate’ unfairly?

• The argument for the no-script delivery will centre on the need to display alternative imagery should people visit the site without the functionality to see the flash element in the homepage, this is held in the no-script tags.

• The counter argument would state that this is merely a function to allow a non Flash enabled delivery with an ‘inadvertent’ delivery of content since this is also in the no script tags. However it is is a repetition of the existing page content that is still visible should the visitor not be enabled for Flash code and is also keyword orientated to the generic search terms they are now listed for.

• The argument for hiding headings – The setting of heading (H1) tags to be invisible (-1000) – this could be argued as ‘just the way developers do it’, again it’s a very convenient developer foible as it allows the site to present SEO orchestrated heading 1 tags on internal pages.

• Arguing the use of Meta Refresh And Javascript Redirects for visitors, the argument for would be based on usability.
• Again this is a very convenient way to circumnavigate the guidelines, it means that a badly setup platform is able to negate its poor delivery by bending the guidelines that others have to observe and deliver users a different page where they cannot see the hidden text whilst Google gets the hidden text as well.

• The interception of Googlebot (probably by IP filtering) and other search engine bots and delivering them also to a populated homepage with hidden content and hidden H1 tags (along with the visitors) will again be argued by the usability faculty.

• For me this is a clear breach of what is acceptable by justifying it through the usability vehicle. At the end of the day if the front end is delivering a page behind the scenes for the testing and or collection of information then its archaic in its use. Covering that process and enabling it to continue by intercepting people and search engine spiders and offering them pages with hidden factors incorporated is again a very convenient loophole to exploit. By delivering a page enhanced for search engine ranking directly to a search engine spider it is difficult to avoid criticism here.

The link spikes are standard practice in our industry where big brands are looking to get generic profile, the spikes are driven by two short term linking campaigns that utilise blogs, paid links and sitewide paid links, it is probable that this activity was implemented during some high profile PR so the smokescreen for link activity is hidden as people argue that link spikes are the norm with high profile PR. A closer look will show spammy links and a widely used paid linking strategy.

For me the abuse of the guidelines is intrinsically linked to their success, a year ago Homebase were screened out of Google and had No Profile for even longtail search. Now a year on with this ‘user functionality’ sidestepped by convenient techniques they are riding high on the crest of the search results.

See for yourself and make your own mind up- is this justified or an unfair advantage for Homebase deliberately engineered by their SEO agency.

One thing is for sure a smaller brand would not enjoy the same flexibility of guidelines!

Here is your pictorial guide for you to make your own judgement, am I on a witch hunt or is this an unfair advantage for Homebase?

• No Script Hidden Content

The duplicated ‘no script’ content (abbreviated for the screenshot)

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• Hidden Headings

Here is the heading 1 that is set not to display in the CSS, this heading used to be attached to the Homebase logo but that gave a sitewide H1 of Homebase – Make a House a Home which is not very keyword friendly and was wrapped round the logo on all pages. By detaching it from the logo the agency is able to nominate the heading structure on internal pages. The other headings are set to ‘-1000 left’ which allows SEO functionality in the system without improving it, enabling SEO techniques to influence a page to Google with disrupting it to the end user – not fair?.

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• Meta Refresh and Javascript redirects

Here is the use of the Javascript redirect and the Meta refresh command to deliver viewers a different landing page to the default server page.

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• Default server page looks like this

Here is the that default page the server offers when you type in www.homebase.co.uk and is the one that Google used to rank Homebase on (very badly), now Googlebot doesn’t get this page anymore as it is intercepted and given the page with hidden content and headings.

This page has no credible search engine information and a meaningless title and description.

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• Finally is Google just confused by all this – How can the search listing for the generic term Kitchens offer a misleading title and description and look at where the page rank resides?

Maybe that is why Homebase is able to get away with avoiding automated filtering because the interception and redirection is confusing it, here is the PR for the root URL (according to toolbar) and below is the PR for the redirected page (according to Google toolbar) the same results are seen through seoMoz. Then below that see how the search listing mimics the information from the redirected page and then accredits the data to the root URL, this in effect makes me believe this is an Unfair Advantage!

PR 5

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PR Grey

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Look at the listing for Kitchens – How can Google match this title and description?

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Conclusions

• So Homebase have had a meteoric rise in search listings for generic terms but is this at the expense of Google webmaster guidelines? Clearly on an automated level Google turns a blind eye but will the site endure scrutiny without penalty?

• If it is acceptable then should not all websites with difficult and unwieldy front ends be utilising the same techniques?
• If it is not acceptable then what will happen next?

• Do the competitors of Homebase feel the playing field is level?

Brought to you by Internal Affairs

Tomorrow I hope to publish an expanded view of really poor SEO practice deployed by Homebase.

Amazingly they are not getting any scrutiny from Google or competitors, perhaps it will be viewed as just ‘bad webmastering’ but then if that were a good excuse we could all use spammy mistakes.

I will also be looking at the link spikes they have had, there are two very large link spikes, the site is well listed for terms such as Kitchens and Furniture but are they gaining unfair advantage or do you think it is just everyday stuff that is acceptable.

I hope I get the time I need to do the expanded view showing the screenshots and the code etc

Watch this space and spread the word or give your viewpoint.

It is always a very poor strategy to use two domains to target the same search terms, even as a major brand it is probable that they could incur some penalties for their current setup.

Automatic filtering of dupe domains is still a part of Googles strategy and the BOI have got serious non compliancy there, if any competitor picks this up they could get real problems, I am unsure of who is responsible for their SEO but The Bank of Ireland are getting poor advice.

Residing on page 3 for their most important keyphrase (Business Banking) could well be their high water mark and I am sure that Google glitches asside (there are always enigmas in Google) as soon as any forward shift starts then those agencies protecting their territory will become aggressive in their strategy.

Lets see what happens…..

Back today after a couple of weeks away, first thing I did was to tune into the financial sector in Google and see what was happening in search.

I find that Barclays Business and Nat West have both started to move ahead of Lloydstsbbusiness.com in the rankings, perhaps this is just New Year blues but erosion of profile in any competitive market is never a good thing.

The question is can LTSB Business Banking respond, its a tough call since losing competitive spots they have owned for a year or two can indicate an underlying trend that takes months to turn around.

Business Banking, Business Loan, Business Account, Small Business Account, all these terms are waning and will take some turning around. First indicator for LTSB Business will be a drop in traffic as the slippage is taking them from position 1 to below the fold.

If they drop another few places then the traffic will fall off a cliff, I imagine that to turn this around will take about 2 months but any delay could easily turn thatinto six months.

Beyond that its a long haul.

Lets see how they respond.

With BOI its a domain gliche and it could kill them if they do not sort it out, they have never been beyond page 3 in Google search but I imagine that could be their best if the gliche is not fixed fast.

I will be watching with interest.

For me to go out with my friends and have a relaxing and entertaining evening I need to be in a warm and friendly environment, one that has no stress and tension. My last meal at the barn with my fellow director was far from enjoyable.

The staff seemed tense and there were raised voices at times, nervous waitresses made mistakes with orders and people had cold food arriving as well. Our own meals were haphazard with Tina getting the wrong starter and my main course under cooked, the restaurant manager Chris Corke did little to inspire a good atmosphere.

Contrast this to a meal I had at The Lemon Tree in Colchester Town, fantastic environment with a courteous and efficient manager, the food at the lemon Tree was really great and contrast that with the problems with starters and main courses at the Barn Brasserie then it is unlikely there will be an impulse to visit the Barn Resaurant again.

Above all else though the atmosphere also makes such a difference, a light and relaxed Lemon Tree with happy staff was a stark contrast to the prison like ambience at the Barn with staff looking as though they were on their last day through the whole evening, no smiles and no interaction either.

The Barn Brasserie – no thanks give me The Lemon Tree

The Lemon Tree is the place for me… Reservations -01206 767 337

Well in my continued verbal blast against Rip-Off Britain I am today sounding off against Mesh Computers.

My experience makes me believe that I and many other consumers are being used as an overdraft facility or working capital by Mesh Computers.

The story so far….

I placed an order for 3 desktop computers from Mesh at the start of December and well before Christmas as presents for my children, the cost was £800 per machine and was paid in full. As the days went by the fourteen day delivery slot came and went, at 21 days I started to contact Mesh who simply stonewalled me and just promised to look into it then call me back.

As I got nearer to Christmas week I again contacted Mesh customer services to see where my order was and to ask why they didn’t make any of the 3 promised calls, the reply was they were too busy to contact me back.

I called more times starting to worry about my money, Mesh customer services eventually said they had despatched the order, I had an email to that effect but I explained not only had it not arrived but that DHL could not tell me where it was. Mesh customer services told me that it was not their problem since they had despatched the computers and fulfilled their obligation.

I got to the 22nd of December and started to fret that my three boys would not get their main Christmas present in time and I was also £2,500 out of pocket. I contacted Mesh many times in that week and at no point did they ever return a call or try and find out where my computers were, I finally got through to a DHL manager who simply said the problem was with Mesh and I needed to talk to them.

Finally I got hold of a manager at Mesh who said that the computers were still with them, I explained that I needed to have them by 24th but Mesh told me it would be 3 weeks!!!!

So that is 7 weeks delivery when I was promised 14 days, I asked for my money back and Mesh customer services told me I had to write in and cancel.

I cancelled my order in writing and managed to get my computers from Dell within 48 hours!!!

A week later I called Mesh and asked where my refund was, I was told I had to wait for 14 days whilst they put my refund claim to their arbitration service!!!! That service would determine if I was entitled to a refund, that was delivered very bluntly to me and I was savage!!

How can Mesh not fulfill an order and then hold my money whilst they decide in their own time whether I should get it back.

I contacted them after the 14 days only to be told that although my refund had been approved they legally can hold my money for 30 days.

I argued with a very rude Sumati Jetha who told me she was the manager in customer services, she said that I had to wait for 30 days from my date of cancellation so would not be entitled to get any money back until Jan 22nd. I mockingly pointed out that it should be Jan 21st at which she tried to shout me down insisting the 22nd. I then pointed out that December had 31 days and that 30 days was indeed 21st!!!

So here are the bullets of yet another Rip Off experience.

• Mesh are very rude
• Mesh do not fulfill orders but also do not tell you why
• Mesh do not ring back when they promise too
• Mesh hold you to ransome over your money quoting legal rights
• Mesh Customer Services are evasive and obstructive.
• I never found out why I didnt get the order.
• DHL said they never despatched it to me.
• Six weeks on I am still £2500 out of pocket with NO confirmed refund date other than a rude Sumati Jetha telecon.
• The computers were Christmas presents and Mesh knew this.
• Most people would not of been able to get alternative presents.

  I run a business and buy around 7 desktops a month for my staff and normally use Dell but opted to give Mesh a try to see what they would be like, this was explained at the time of my order, thats potentially a £7k per month order that they did not value and will not get.

The business will go to Dell and I will never contact Mesh again once I get my money back – its just one more example at how big companies can rip-off  consumers and customers. The legal rights of the average hard working person in the street are now unprotected in this once great country.

If you want to take my advice do not ever buy a thing from Mesh!

More worryingly what would happen if Mesh went bust, just how many people do Mesh do this too and where is all their money, I believe that consumers are being used as an overdraft facility for Mesh whereby they use our cash for 6 weeks within their business before reluctantly giving it back.

Of all the insurance policies I have taken out over the years this has to be the best decision I made.

My recent treatement would of cost me thousands of pounds if it was not for my Health Insurance from Health On Line, even worse I may have been at the mercy of the NHS which for me would of been a death sentence. Before you go accusing me of being dramatic about the NHS then think about this.

Thanks to my health insurance I had my diagnosis privately after my GP was not happy with my symptoms, the diagnosis showed that I needed an operation fast, two weeks later I had the operation and then when the surgeon came round he said he had more bad news.

During the operation on a hunch he also did a dye test on my kidneys whilst I was out and one of them was also a problem, the second op was scheduled for 6 weeks later because my system needed to recover before a second major op where my kidney was to be removed.

The second op was a success but I was told it would have been only 2 months before the cancer could of spread to other parts of my body. That means if I had not had the operation on my kidney then two months later it would of been too late.

Two weeks after that I had a letter from the NHS scheduling me with the first operation and no indication that they would look for a second issue. Left to the NHS I would now be under a death sentence so if anyone ever asks you is it a good idea to get health insurance then I would say if you can afford it do it.

Health Insurance does more than save you the cost should you need private medical care it could save your life because we cannot always afford to wait for the NHS to try and save us!!

Private Health Insurance – Think about it. Then contact www.health-on-line.co.uk

I have been informed that in respect of the complaint against Tim Newcomb that Essex police will in effect be investigating themselves as the IPCC will not initiate an investigation at that level. Whilst this marginalises any possibility to make progress or a fair judgement I will continue for my own peace of mind.

There has been a fairly comprehensive smear campaign against my daughter and judging by my latest letter from the CPS it appears that they have been ill informed and swallowed the spratt!!!

Undoubtedly it will now take a few days to get the facts in order but this is a very worthwhile way to spend time, the last debacle of the assailant almost getting relocated next to my daughter eroded any remainding cofidence that I had with the system and I firmly believe that had we not raised the pressure through our protestaions that my daughters attacker would now be a few minutes away from her house despite two non molestation orders including one where he is not allowed anywhere near his child either such is the threat level.

I am looking forward to pushing the complaints now and will also be looking to see if I can get the assault caution levied against my wife for protecting her daughter during an attack from the thug overturned.

For the record Essex police (as I know you read my blog) I and my wife and daughter have resisted for 2 months an open offer from the Sunday tabloids to run the story, that is despite a healthy offer of cash so I would like to think our integrity is intact.

As for my daughter she knows the police and the authorities will not protect her and has stepped back whilst its quiet and despite one or two threats coming over from her attacker its fairly quiet at present.

Thank god he is in Clacton though!

The Barn Brasserie in Great Tey, Essex has upset me only second to Essex Police in 2009, the way they treat their staff at this restaurant is really set in the dark ages.

Being a successful owner is more than just wrangling out profits, in a true entreprenerial business esteem is attributed to actually providing a healthy working environment where employees love to come and strive, where they feel part of the business, where they hold their peers in high regard.

Anybody can just treat staff with contempt and rely on getting staff in as quick as they leave but for really top class employers its not just about profits, in fact profits are boosted in a successful business where the staff are in harmony and love the company.

Despite the fact that the Barn has slipped into ‘roadside diner’  category for its service and ambience for some reason the owners seem quite happy to let this all go on. Either they are not in touch with the roots of the business or simply just don’t care!

Staff are bullied and paid rediculously low wages for working up to 16 hours in a day only to be verbally abused by the so called manager Chris Corke.

Employees are regularly bullied by the management who seem to have watched too much Gordon Ramsey on TV and seem to think that the way to run a business is through intimidation and abuse of power.

Chris Corke is a rude person who is nothing more than a small man in a small business and instead of using his position to motivate people and get the best from them simply acts like a little dictator, as soon as people do not agree with his methods or raise the issue about staff working for LESS than the minimum wage they are effectively forced from their job.

I have at my disposal a number of resources to start to rectify some of the injustice, my company has retainership of expensive but very good employment lawyers, I have HM Customs and Excise who are very interested at the possibility of not receiving appropriate employers contributions and taxes due to incorrect salaries being administered as well as acas and TSP Legal.

So Mr Corke watch your mailbox!!