Virgin Media Phorm Webwise Adverts [Updated: See Post No. 1, 77, 102 & 797]

[Digbert]

Originally Posted by Peter N

The only Phorm/ISP product is "BT Webwise" and typing that puts it top of the list.

Phorm also have this website http://www.webwise.com/ where their system is just called Webwise

Google keep their systems a well gaurded secret but a couple oif things are known.

They rate according to the number of searches and clicks a site gets along with - and probably more importantly - the number of sites that link to the site in question. This second criteria is what ensures that a search for Ford gets Ford Motor Company at the top of the list event if Harrison Ford makes another Indianna Jones movie.

There is also an "x" factor that Google will not reveal and which they say is regularly changed.

It's in the nature of this forum to contain hundreds of links off-site and only a few internal links while other sites like The Register will rarely lonj back to this one. It's because of this that forums discussing external matters (as opposed to, say a TV manufacturer's forum) very rarely rise in the Google placings.

It is extremely unlikely that you can promote a forum in this way but you may get some results by always visiting this forum thread via a Google search rather than coming here directly or via a bookmark. Even then I suspect that it will not make enough difference as you would have to be searching for "Phorm" or "Webwise" everytime and I suspect that there simply aren't enough hours in the day to make it possible.

Also bear in mind that Google is known to contain routines specifically designed to prevent this sort of rank-jumping.

[madslug]

While you are all busy thinking about boosting searches for Webwise - don't forget to put in a webwise link to http://www.phonecallsuk.co.uk/bt-webwise.html. Still doing well at #5 for 'BT Webwise' - so, if you already have a link, please leave it as it is to help keep that position. Let me know if there are any other anti-webwise sites written that are not yet linked to.

Logs are showing a lot of hits from "User-Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1)" without a referrer and no request for non html content on the page - any ideas who it could be? IP address changes although sometimes 3 or 4 requests (GET and HEAD)

It is really hard to get a boost for positions on one word searches when there are a few high PR domain names containing that word within their URLs.

The majority of people searching about BT Webwise are unlikely to look beyond the links provided on the pop-up page that shows that they are already infected by the browser hijack.

If anyone gets to see the Webwise welcome page: please take a screen dump as that image is what needs to get out into the popular press with a warning about the browser hijack.

BTW - has anyone written a site that outlines the effect of webwise/phorm/oix on websites that are also e-commerce sites, excluding the brands that will be advertising through their ad networks on the OIX? - even if only mom & pop sites that are hosting a few affiliate ads to help pay for the hosting and the summer holidays.
If not, I want to do so over the next few days as a reference point for some promotions I am planing.

[isf]

Originally Posted by madslug

Logs are showing a lot of hits from "User-Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1)" without a referrer and no request for non html content on the page - any ideas who it could be? IP address changes although sometimes 3 or 4 requests (GET and HEAD)

That's AVG (the windows antivirus thing) as discussed the other day. I think Grisoft have now decided to fix their product. In the interim, there's a few mod rewrite rules knocking about to redirect it if it's causing you problems.

Originally Posted by madslug

If anyone gets to see the Webwise welcome page: please take a screen dump as that image is what needs to get out into the popular press with a warning about the browser hijack.

Good idea.

(I copied here and used bold cos I think it's a strong point that could be lost in the middle of the other text)

[madslug]

Originally Posted by isf

That's AVG (the windows antivirus thing) as discussed the other day. I think Grisoft have now decided to fix their product. In the interim, there's a few mod rewrite rules knocking about to redirect it if it's causing you problems.

Just distorting visitor numbers - about 5:6 visitors are not real then. Would be nice to have the referrer included so that the search terms the page ranks on can be seen. Even google.ru is sending visitors so I suspect some blackhat may affect rankings soon. Looking through search terms, looks like some interesting searches are bringing the visitors.

People are looking for ways to block the tracking. Others are looking for info on the advertising.

Originally Posted by Digbert

Phorm also have this website http://www.webwise.com/ where their system is just called Webwise

That's why I said "Phorm/ISP product".

No doubt any other ISPs would want to use their own name but for the moment using "BT Webwise" or "Phorm" in discussions will get those casual users the best chance of getting a relevant hit than "Webwise" which always brings up BBC websites on the first page.

To my mind the Google rankings are far less important than getting people to understand the association between Phorm - who they are likely to heard of - with the anti-phishing tool that they will be offered under the name of BT Webwise.

---------- Post added at 02:46 ---------- Previous post was at 00:55 ----------

Out of interest you may want to see the info and opt-in/out page that was being used by Masillion Cable in America (the latest company to put a Phorm-like system on hold).

[tdadyslexia]

That sounds and looks like the BT Interstitial Page watt you can see Here

[jelv]

Originally Posted by Dephormation

I've just overhauled Dephormation.org.uk ...

Any reason why you still have
[img]Download Failed (1)[/img]

and not something like

[img]Download Failed (1)[/img]

There's plenty to chose from on http://www.spreadfirefox.com/?q=affiliates/homepage

[Dephormation]

Originally Posted by madslug

BTW - has anyone written a site that outlines the effect of webwise/phorm/oix on websites that are also e-commerce sites, excluding the brands that will be advertising through their ad networks on the OIX? - even if only mom & pop sites that are hosting a few affiliate ads to help pay for the hosting and the summer holidays.
If not, I want to do so over the next few days as a reference point for some promotions I am planing.

I can help you with that Madslug... You've got my contact info.
Pete

---------- Post added at 08:31 ---------- Previous post was at 08:27 ----------

Originally Posted by jelv

Any reason why you still have


and not something like



There's plenty to chose from on http://www.spreadfirefox.com/?q=affiliates/homepage

I'll get there. The coding behind that update took a little longer than expected. Have you seen the backgrounds? That took some cunning coding.

Never mind the quality, feel the aspect ratio.

I'll update the text next. I've got lots to add, particularly FoI.

[warescouse]

Originally Posted by Azreal

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/07...se_frontporch/

Don't forget to post your thoughts on the 'data pimping' on el reg.

[bluecar1]

good to see the first trade of the day on phorm is a nice sell of 3000 shares and took the price down again

might even go below 900 today, even better

peter

---------- Post added at 09:25 ---------- Previous post was at 08:56 ----------

hot off the press from the stock exchange site

Bid Offer Volume High Low Last Close
850.00 925.00 6,500 912.50 887.50 937.50 on 07-Jul-2008

mid price now 887.5

yippee happy days are here again, phorm below 900

lowest price to date i believe, where is hammy? is his wheel turned into a water wheel yet where he is crying over his investment :P

peter

---------- Post added at 09:37 ---------- Previous post was at 09:25 ----------

free fall

As at 08-Jul-2008 9:20:38
862.500 -75.00 -8.00%

---------- Post added at 09:45 ---------- Previous post was at 09:37 ----------

off the edge??

As at 08-Jul-2008 9:29:44
850.000 -87.50 -9.33%

---------- Post added at 09:52 ---------- Previous post was at 09:45 ----------

going down anyone??

As at 08-Jul-2008 9:36:06
837.500 -100.00 -10.67%

anyone got any idea why the sudden fall??

im happy but curious for the reason

peter

[Florence]

Maybe they realised it was like the titanic and going all the way this time so jumping ship for lifeboats while they can....

Mind would love to think my post on BT beta forums helped BT AGM is only a week off and well if Phorm is still dead then would say it will stay dead shareholders will have their say and Ian and Emma will have to listen they have brought BT onto the verge of disrepute they need to walk the line and not fall foul...

[davethejag]

Originally Posted by bluecar1

good to see the first trade of the day on phorm is a nice sell of 3000 shares and took the price down again

might even go below 900 today, even better

peter

---------- Post added at 09:25 ---------- Previous post was at 08:56 ----------

hot off the press from the stock exchange site

Bid Offer Volume High Low Last Close
850.00 925.00 6,500 912.50 887.50 937.50 on 07-Jul-2008

mid price now 887.5

yippee happy days are here again, phorm below 900

lowest price to date i believe, where is hammy? is his wheel turned into a water wheel yet where he is crying over his investment :P

peter

---------- Post added at 09:37 ---------- Previous post was at 09:25 ----------

free fall

As at 08-Jul-2008 9:20:38
862.500 -75.00 -8.00%

---------- Post added at 09:45 ---------- Previous post was at 09:37 ----------

off the edge??

As at 08-Jul-2008 9:29:44
850.000 -87.50 -9.33%

---------- Post added at 09:52 ---------- Previous post was at 09:45 ----------

going down anyone??

As at 08-Jul-2008 9:36:06
837.500 -100.00 -10.67%

anyone got any idea why the sudden fall??

im happy but curious for the reason

peter

Hi, I think that this fall is almost certainly due to the general economic situation at the moment. The media is full of "recession" this morning with the building industry being particularly badly hit, we are all in for a rough time for a while but hopefully it will be worse for you know who!

Keep up the good work everybody!

Dave.

[Deko]

Possibly the frontporch pull out news caused the drop.


or maybe just maybe BT are pulling out..