LFI University - Technical Difficulties: Is Your Site Ready to Upgrade to Web 2.0?
This is the first of a three part series on the impact of Web 2.0 for businesses who have an online presence. “Web 2.0″ is a term coined for the next generation of development in interactive design and development. Originally published in LFI University.
If you’re a company that isn’t fluent in the latest web technologies collectively referred to as “Web 2.0,” it can seem a bit like a lot of baffling hype and indecipherable jargon. In all honestly, there is a great deal of hype involved in the next generation of web technologies and design concepts. However, the basic principles that have come to the forefront of interactive development are actually based on the direction that much offline marketing has been headed for the last few years.
The emphasis on a rich, intuitive user interface is an interactive version of coffee shops offering deep armchairs and wi-fi access. The idea is to create a comfortable, enjoyable experience for the customer with every transaction; emotionally engaging them and making them want to come back time and time again. Social media is an interactive extension of the oldest form of advertising known to man: word of mouth. In a post 9-11, post-Enron world, customer trust in corporate messaging is at an all-time low. Social media provides an added level of personal credibility to persuade cynical generation-x and millennial customers of the value of what you deliver.
So now that you understand the value of implementing the concepts of Web 2.0 into your online branding strategy; what are the next steps? Will it mean scrapping your existing web site completely, or are there smaller, more gradual steps you can take to create a better user experience?
The first step is taking a look at the basic technical infrastructure of your current site. If you’re going to add interactive features that will remember a user and their preferences upon each visit, is your site currently set up with a database to track that information behind the scenes? What programming language does your current site use? Are there features of your current site that could create a richer user experience that simply aren’t being used at this time? An example of this would be if you are currently on a hosting package that includes a company blog or message board, but you haven’t implemented those features yet.
Another step would be evaluating your site from a design perspective to see if it looks dated, if the general layout of the pages is intuitive and logical, or if there are problems with the navigational flow. Is it clear at first glance to a newcomer what the most important information on your home page is? Is it clear what links, menu items, or other features should be clicked first, second or third? How many clicks is it going to take a new user to find the information they are most likely to be looking for?
As a business owner or marketing and brand manager, you should set aside a little time to evaluate your current site from a user-experience standpoint. Make a list of potential problems, and another list of new features or strategies that you would like to implement. Set up a meeting with your interactive marketing provider to discuss what it will take to bring your online presence into the next generation.
- in the next issue: Risky Business: The perils and promise of corporate blogging?
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tags:Smile, You’re on Candid Billboard
I don’t know whether to be completely psyched or completely freaked out by this.
Apparently, personalized billboards ala Minority Report are being tested. Both Google and Microsoft are working on out-of-home advertising that scans and recognizes traits such as gender and age, and then displays demographically targeted content.
From an advertising perspective, a new outlet for interactive and a new lease on life for outdoor advertising could be a great thing for both. From an individual perspective, do I really want the display ads at the mall pointing out I need to call Jenny Craig?
Of course, actual implementation of these smart billboards is still a ways off. So maybe we’ve all got time to trim down first.
tags:google interactive billboards Microsoft Minority ReportLeapCast: 2.16.07 - A Visit From Alan Gilleo
Alan visits with Mike and Ryan today on the LeapCast with topics ranging from a rant on music downloads to the super bowl.
tags:interactive music downloads online advertising video
Tubes and Pipes
Did you know that the Internet is a series of tubes? Senator Stevens thinks so. It’s how the data moves around. Though tubes. Seriously.
Yahoo is building pipes. The pipes gather and filter data. Through pipes. Seriously. Sound familiar?
Yahoo’s pipes are a bit different from tubes though. First, it’s real. Second, smart people made it (as opposed to Mr. Tubes: Senator Stevens). The idea is that there are loads of data feeds (RSS feeds) out there carrying lots of information. The “lots of information” thing is the problem — there is too much information that we need to sort through and put together in meaningful ways.
Pipes is interesting in another way as well: it has an amazing interface. Imagine a data-driven Visio. You drag a data block in, set some parameters, link it to a filter block, and before you know it you’ve tied the iTunes latest releases of your favorite band to the corresponding YouTube videos and delivered the list to your favorite news reader.
The interface is slick, but it’s definitely technical and not for the un-savvy computer user. No one has yet to find a way to make RSS feeds more accessible, so it would be hard to expect a web application that organizes that data to be simplistic.
I wonder how Yahoo’s pipes will work when Senator Stevens’ Tubes get clogged. Maybe Google will release a tubes cleaning website. I think Drainle would be a catchy name, don’t you?
tags:AJAX web software web2.0 yahooLeapCast 2.5.07 - The Boys in Boston
A discussion about marketing gone too far… or has it?
tags:adult swim boston cartoon network marketingIs your Online Brand a Socialite?
Getting talked about has long been the purview of the Hollywood set and the politicians of both red and blue persuasions. When was the last evening out with friends that didn’t have some mention of a movie, television show or star? Or some reference to politics or a politician?
Getting talked about is how these “industries” build brand value. If nobody is talking about a movie star, you’ll likely see them showing up in B-movies pretty soon.
The same is true of your brand. The internet has become a social medium. It’s where people go to socialize, show off pictures of their children, brag about their favorite sports team, talk politics, and share the latest gossip about movie stars or local celebrities closer to home.
Just as in the real world, these online ‘neighbors’ share their opinions of your brand, product, or service. When someone asks “has anyone ever tried ____”, invariably someone in their blog or forum has an experience or an opinion about that product or service.
When an online user has a great experience with something new, they talk about it, recommend it, and want others to have a similarly positive experience. Just like gathering around the water cooler – whoever has the newest cell phone or cutest outfit is happy to share information on where to shop, what to ask for, how much to pay, and what pitfalls to avoid.
If your brand isn’t yet an Internet Socialite, don’t worry, it’s never too late to get started. But remember, the talking never stops. If your brand isn’t getting talked about, someone else’s is.
tags:branding online brand lift social media word of mouth marketing