Latest News from Intendance

Intendance�s latest report, Online Publications Best Practice is available now

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 11:50:15 +0000

]]>Intendances latest report Online Publications Best Practice focuses on how professional services organisations can increase the impact of their know how through the Internet.]]> ]]>Produced in conjunction with legal news aggregator, Linex Legal, the report investigates how firms can improve the quality and presentation of their legal knowledge output, and why it is essential in the modern-day legal marketplace to do so. Analysis of Linex Legals data produced some interesting findings such as how simple improvements like adding a catchy title can increase an articles readership.]]> ]]>The report has many other valuable features, including:]]>]]> ]]>Interviews with all sides involved in the creation, distribution and assimilation of law firm know-how]]>]]> ]]>Best practice guidelines on how to optimise article presentation]]> ]]>Further information on the report, and how to buy it, can be found in our dedicated research area

Advantages of Open Source Software in today's economy

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:13:44 +0000

]]>With the economy in a state of turmoil and the number of redundancies we have been reading and hearing about recently inexorably on the rise, it is no wonder that everyone is inclined to give cautious predictions for professional services IT and web development in 2009. After all, who wants to be an optimist?]]> ]]>One of the predictions made recently in the annual Society for Computers and Law Predictions Review]]> is by Kit Burden, Partner at DLA Piper. Kit suggests that the use of Open Source software will come increasingly into focus and commented that ]]>What will be interesting to track will be whether there is any change in tack by customers in the procurement and contracting process (i.e. to lighten the load in terms of the length of the process or the types of clauses being sought) in return for lower costs.]]>]]> ]]>In what seems like an economic drought, companies and firms alike are trying to cut back costs wherever possible, which makes open source, as a non-licensed option, an ever more compelling choice. But one of the main issues surrounding open source software is the question of what happens when things go wrong?.]]> ]]>This is a very valid question when unsupported open source applications are used - a high-risk strategy in a business - but there is a growing range of commercially-supported open source applications that offer the best of both worlds. Take the mighty Sun Microsystems who have developed Open Office]]>, a suite of applications to rival Microsofts Office suite. Commercial support is there if needed, but otherwise you can use the Open Office suite for free. Intendances principle content management system MySource Matrix]]> offers similar advantages: the cost-benefits of no license fee to pay, but a dedicated support team there when needed.]]> ]]>So good can come out of bad: if the downturn compels firms and companies to reassess their use of technology, those that survive could emerge leaner and fitter than before. Surely that is a good a reason as any to be optimistic?

Intendance design and develop new website for LSLA

Tue, 9 Dec 2008 17:24:41 +0000

]]>The London Solicitors Litigation Association (LSLA) has launched its functional new website, providing a superior online platform for current and prospective members.]]> ]]>Intendance designed and built this visually appealing and easily accessible website, using the cost-effective content management system, MySource Matrix]]> to power it. MySource is also very user-friendly, allowing users to create, upload and edit content quickly and easily.]]> ]]>The LSLA has 800 members, and currently represents the interests of a wide range of civil litigators in London.

Intendance's new website for the Infectious Disease Research Network goes live

Thu, 4 Dec 2008 17:30:49 +0000

]]>The Infectious Disease Research Network (IDRN), one of Intendance's oldest clients, has launched�its new website.]]> ]]>Intendance designed and built the functional new site to give IDRN an improved online�presence, both for members and the public.�The site�was developed�on a bespoke basis, using PHP which supports the database and forum aspects of the site.]]> ]]>The�IDRN aims to promote multidisciplinary collaboration between many of the different�parties involved in high quality infectious disease research. This functional website will help them achieve this.��

Intendance lands UCL online research platform project

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:38:12 +0000

]]> Intendance has been hired to develop a bespoke website for University College London (UCL), designed especially to encourage and further the sharing of research ideas. The collaborative online platform will have both public and password-protected levels, allowing a range of users from across the university and beyond to use the facility. ]]> ]]> UCL is one of the foremost universities in the UK, and London's leading multidisciplinary university. This forum, built by Intendance's systems]]> team will boost both their research capability and their online service to stakeholders.

KM Languages site given fresh design and rebuilt

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:36:38 +0000

]]>Intendance has recently�completed a major web redesign, rebuild and search engine optimisation]]> project for KM Languages. The new site, complete with a fresh design]]>�and imagery to reflect the international business of language training�-�went live this week.]]> ]]>KM Languages is�one of the leading translation and language training providers in the UK. In order to reflect�the company's�position�-�and accomodate future growth -�the new site is significantly larger and more functional than the old one. Powered by our cost-effective and user-friendly content management system, MySource Matrix]]>, the new site is�simple to edit and up-date. The�SEO strategy can�also be easily managed in MySource.��

Search Engine Optimisation, is it for everyone?

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:11:56 +0000

It's natural to want the best return on an investment and website owners are no different. Irrespective of sums invested and business case identified, you've probably paid a significant amount of money to establish a credible web presence. Even in the best of times you want to be sure that your website is pulling its weight and can be found by all comers. ]]>

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is a well-established technique to ensure a website is as visible as possible, but is it for everyone? A recent discussion I had threw some interesting light on whether large, high profile professional services providers need to worry about a proactive SEO campaign. If a firm has a sufficiently high profile already - both on and offline - surely it can sit back and let the traffic flow?

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The discussion threw up three reasons for not adopting a laissez-faire attitude to search engines: general visibility, new initiatives and geographical penetration.

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General visibility may be a matter of just maintaining a watching brief on search engine listings, but for credibility reasons it is imperative that your website is listed on the first page of results when the firm's name is searched. Not always as easily done as said, especially if the firm has a relatively common name - or has to share space with a higher profile namesake. We had an incident recently where a client reference on our own website had a higher profile than the client’s website itself. Up to that point we hadn’t offered them any SEO help…

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New initiatives could be a new service area, the arrival of a new team or perhaps a recruitment initiative that needs publicising. Whatever it may be, tailored SEO – which could be extended to paid advertising on search engines – can help build the web profile of the initiative. We took advantage of a new directive from the London Stock Exchange last year about online reporting (Rule 26) and attached a pleasing number of enquiries through an SEO and pay-per-click campaign.

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Geographical penetration: a large number of firms are keen to develop new business in new territories. A classic example is the push into the Middle East and China by law firms. There’s a high chance that these firms will not be particularly well known in these regions, so SEO can be used to help build profile. China can be a real challenge for Western firms: search engines that dominate the West (Google et al) aren’t necessarily the right ones to use in China. And then there’s the issue over whether to translate web content.

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SEO is a huge subject, but this conversation made me realise that there’s a case for all firms to establish an effective SEO strategy. Given enough time, anyone who has a reasonable understanding of web technology can crack SEO, but of course time is not always available when you need it. We argue that it is worth the time as just one enquiry could pay huge dividends. Not everyone relies on word of mouth to choose their advisors…

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If you would like to know more about search engine optimisation please get in touch with me at james.tuke@intendance.com. You may also be interested to read a longer piece about SEO at: Best Online Practice.

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Intendance's latest white paper - Homepage Best Practice - is now available

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:06:17 +0000

An essential guide to increasing the effectiveness of your homepage, Homepage Best Practice is the latest white paper from Intendance.

A Content Management System for all seasons

Fri, 7 Nov 2008 13:54:49 +0000

We spend a lot of our time talking to clients and business friends and even those who have enjoyed a very good run of business over recent years are finding that website budgets are being � or soon will be - squeezed. This is particularly manifested through a subtle shift in conversation from the aspirational �what more could we be doing (full stop)?� to the more pragmatic �how can we get more out of what we have got?�.

Intendance gets blogging

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:05:51 +0000

With our new blog facility, Intendance can now keep clients and other web visitors up to date with all the latest news, opinions and developments on everything and anything related to 'online', and occasionally beyond.

How sharepoint can integrate with MySource Matrix CMS

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:01:45 +0000

Well, here�s some news to make all you Sharepoint users perk up Intendance is happy to announce that MySource Matrix � Intendance`s content management system (CMS)� can now be integrated with Sharepoint, Microsoft�s market-leading document management platform. For far too long the inability to create an easy, out of the box integration between a web CMS and a document management has caused headaches for large enterprise organisations: many users have just have had to put up with two separate content repositories that could never mix and mingle.

Survive the Credit Crunch

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:12:04 +0000

We�ve all had to become hardened to the inexorable flow of news headlines predicting lasting economic gloom, but on the ground many web teams are feeling the pressure. The powers that be are, at the very least, demanding that measurable benefits are demonstrated in return for a website budget, but at worst bosses have � or are threatening � to cut or freeze spend. So the emphasis in many � but not all - organisations is having to shift away from the aspirational website development plans to the more practical �what can we do with what we�ve got� discussions. If the basics are in place: a website that is not onerous to update and enough content to give the site some weight, there is still a lot that can be done.

Welcome Blog

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 09:51:48 +0000

Welcome to the Intendance blog page. Many of you know us for our website best practice research activities, our website development services and graphic design output but, to date, we have only fed back the intelligence we gather through the more traditional channels of client briefings, research publications and events.

Next exclusive members roundtable lunch to take place on 31st October

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:32:17 +0100

Intendance's exclusive series of roundtable lunches for members resumes on 31 October 2008. This exclusive networking opportunity allows members to discuss all the pressing matters of the day relating to online strategy in the professional services sector. The lunch will be hosted as usual by James Tuke, Head of Intendance Research. James will kick proceedings off by talking about a variety of topical matters, such as how to get the most of your website in the current economic downturn.

Intendance to manage SEO strategy for two recruitment agencies

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:47:35 +0100

Intendance has been hired to formulate and manage the search engine optimisation strategy for two affiliated recruitment agencies, Taylor Green and Careers 4 London. To give these websites maximum exposure Intendance will run organic and PPC (pay-per-click) campaigns at the same time.