Tuesday, May 01, 2007

How I'm Learning to Love Flash and Its Many Cousins

As a Web copywriter, my attitude toward Flash is generally that it is of the devil.

It interferes with the ability of the search engine spiders to read and index Web pages. It takes an interminable time to load, steering most visitors away who have no time for such foolishness.

 

And, recently, it’s actually becoming a sales tool.

 

Copywriters, particularly those with a search engine optimization background, generally hate Flash. Flash designers, generally dislike copywriters. Kind of a “good vs. evil” thing, although I leave it to you to decide who is the good guy and bad guy here.

 

Flash was once the exclusive province of the artistic and those who sought to appear cool. You may recall my blog about my experience with Ted, who was so dedicated to the idea of appearing “cool” that he was sacrificing sales leads every day.

 

Well, I’m coming around. Not to the idea that a site needs to be cool, although if a site can be both effective, i.e., turn prospects into clients, and cool, that’s great.

 

No, I now see that marketers are figuring out how to make Flash work to their benefit.

 

Marketers and designers are figuring out how to structure Flash within a site so that it does not dominate the site and drive spiders away or take a long time to load. And when I say a long time, I’m taking into account the fact that three seconds is forever on the Web. Three seconds is long enough to drive most visitors away if they have to wait for your site to load.

 

Those who have worked out the structural aspects are also figuring out something else, if you make Flash and its many cousins interactive, people will stay and “interact” with it.

 

There are sites that now offer “talking heads”-- animated individuals who speak only when rolled over or clicked on, thereby giving the visitor the power to decide if they wish to interact or not.

 

Some offer games or quizzes, adding entertainment value to the site. And entertainment is becoming increasingly important in attracting younger prospects who at the age of twenty are already jaded individuals made cynical by years of advertising bombardment.

 

And I’m seeing many other applications which are designed to engage the prospect, rather than merely put on the Internet equivalent of a laser light show (which inevitably prove boring and dull after a few seconds of initial viewing).

 

As marketing learns to work with Flash, perhaps we will finally see the day when copywriters and Flash designers can stand together and say, “We actually like each other.”

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Monday, January 29, 2007

Design Strategies for Health Related Projects

There is a wealth of health related information available to people online today. Research, facilities, tools and methods have all evolved, and the medical industry is as progressive and high tech as any field out there. Somewhere in the focus of information, it seems much of the industry has a lack of focus on the presentation of the information.

The presentation of the information is essentially the “bedside manner” of the document/ page. There are ways to deliver that information so that is it easier to understand, helpful to the user and sensitive to what may be personally traumatic or even devastating circumstances.

The big challenge is putting the user first. If you can first understand their state of mind, you can better deliver a message that communicates what they need. It is important to consider not just the situation, but how it would be as the patient or their mother, husband or son. Visually, you may want to convey a blend of emotive aspects, such as calmness, caring, authority, trustworthy, clean, focused, and helpful. It is also important to remember that anything that can help them is most important. At a confusing and shaken time in their lives, it is important to make it easy to find directions, phone numbers, documents they’ll need to download, and even tips for caregivers and support.

This thought process translates into every detail. The use of clean, calming colors is the foundation for the environment. Blended with the right photos with sensitive, understanding, yet strong faces can create a warmth and connection. Clear, simple type and consistent navigation structures and a solid hierarchy of highlights on the main page and throughout help users find things with ease. All of these aspects come together for a healthcare site for users who may be in the most need of all.

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Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Youtube for $10,000.00

  You Tube for $10,000?

 The calls usually go something like this--

 “Hello Sir, This is Peter from Direct Stench Media. I want to create a site similar to YouTube.com. I plan to make money by allowing people to sign up for free accounts and selling advertisements.”

 Lately it seems I get a phone call like this every day. Youtube or Craiglist for $10,000.00 (or less)? If it was possible we wouldn’t have a development team in our office today.

 Every time there is a website sold for an insane amount of money there are millions of speculators trying to “reverse engineer” this technology. After someone else spends years and countless hours painfully developing, testing, and marketing a site, Peter thinks he can easily “reverse engineer” his ownYoutube.com (did I mention he wants it done by the time the NCAA basketball tournament begins in March?).

 After several conversations with Peter he decided that he wasn’t ready to develop his version of Youtube. Instead he’s working on a site for the Beijing Olympics.

 Good Luck, Peter.

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Monday, December 18, 2006

Being Creative in a Technical World

Good design is easy to spot. In a nutshell, it is memorable, visually pleasing, the message conveys its purpose and it represents the brand well. And it is no wonder. That is what graphic designers are trained to do.

Web design follows the same principals of design and elements of design. The same tricks and solutions work aesthetically. But, there are 2 other factors that make the problem solving end a bit tricky:

Functionality and usablility.

And those are big. The added dimensions for web design make it a challenging medium. Knowing what will happen to your design as it is being coded, understanding why users may not “get it”, and designing with scalability in mind are things that only seasoned web designers can foresee. Companies who hire designers who are not familiar with the inner workings of the internet are often left with a beautiful but short-lived website.

Do yourself a favor. Hire specialists, experts in web design, people who know their craft and are passionate about it. There are web firms geared towards all sizes of businesses and projects. And there are firms like Zunch, who offer several service levels from start-up to enterprise. Do a bit of research and don’t sell your company short. Instead, invest in the best web presence your budget can handle.

Build a site that you can grow on. Let us know how we can help!

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Thursday, December 14, 2006

Zuncherific!

This year has certainly been an "interesting" one for Zünch. Through it all, the development team at Zünch has worked tirelessly to maintain our high standards for delivering quality sites to our customers. We anticipate launching several sites before the holidays.

Next year looks to be big for the dev team. I can't say much right now but we are currently planning and developing new cutting edge systems designed to simplify the creation of small, medium and large websites. We're all very excited about this new project and can't wait to unveil it.

Stayed tuned for more details.

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Monday, July 10, 2006

New FCKeditor 2.3 Faster and Less Buggy

I've come to love Frederico Caldeira Knabben's HTML text editor.  And to my relief, the common problems I've ever encountered with the WYSIWYG have been fixed allowing for a more smooth operation.

Examples would include a memory fix in IE where over time it was using up more ram.  A small security problem was fixed and the security warning on IE over HTTPS has been removed.  But that's not the best part. The new Toolbar Sharing system, a system in which all of the buttons on the interface have merged into one, allows the editor to move up to 3x faster. Faster is always better. This also allows a much easier way to skin the tool.

Cool new features include mouseovers on some of the buttons like text color and background color. Also the "src" of images can now be set using CSS. They've also added a new toolbar button allowing the new "Fit to Window" feature. Snazzy. The new features will be very helpful for both Zunch clients and HTML developers like myself who use our zMS. Be on the lookout for the newest version of FCKeditor technology in all current and future Zunch products.

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Thursday, June 29, 2006

Writing Content for the Web

At Zunch, we find over and over again that one of the biggest challenges of building a website is writing content. Often, our clients decide to take on that daunting task themselves, planning to use content from print. It's a good place to start, as long as it is appropriately and strategically re-purposed.

Here are some quick tips to writing Web content:

1. Avoid marketing fluff.
    Online users find it self-inflating and time-wasting.

2. Make the text scannable.
    Use short phrases and common words to help them digest it quickly, including your keywords.

3. Be concise.
    Pretend they have OADD (online A.D.D.)
    Don't make the user wade through bloated text to find the meat.

4. Break up long pages.
    If it must be long, try anchor tags at the top to help users get what they need quickly.

5. Cross-reference related pages with hyperlinks to help the user get there.
    it's great for SEO too!

6. Keep forms short.
    By asking questions that aren't necessary, you'll be less likely to get any info from the user at all.

7. Answer questions.
    As you write, think about what questions users will have and answer them.

There are more content tips and in-depth explanation in an article by Jakob Nielsen.

Of course, the best idea is to have Zunch take on that task so they can make sure all the pieces are in place and user-friendly.

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Thursday, June 22, 2006

Bill Gates Does the Robot

 Us Zunchers in the Dev Pit (soon to be the Dev Office Array, hah) love to geek-out on anything cool going on in the wild world of tech-knowledgy, so the idea of dabbling in robotics raises more than one eyebrow in this pleasant little cube farm we call home 2.0.

This week, Microsoft announced Microsoft Robotics Studio, a new software suite designed to help simplify the process of interfacing with robotics hardware.  The current system will integrate with the upcoming Lego Mindstorms NXT robotics hardware kit, and is geared towards early adopters in Industry as well as collegiate and hobbyist users.  It’s also going to expand to support many other robots from other manufacturers.

The application integrates everything you need – a visual programming tool, debug support, modular interface support (for windows/web based controls), *and* a 3D physics engine for doing real-world simulations so you don’t destroy your hardware when you try something.

We are unsure yet on whether the robot will require product activation in order to function.  :-)

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Thursday, June 15, 2006

Souped Up Branding

You may have seen our "Zunch Wagons" rolling around Dallas for a couple of years now.  We've decided to overhaul the design for more brand recognition and spead more rush hour cheer along DFW highways.  Over the next couple of months, you'll see a brand new face on our little fleet.

Honk if you see a Zuncher!

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Monday, June 12, 2006

Remote Web Services are Extremely Useful

Remote Web services are a fascinating new way of allowing Website visitors to view content tailored to their needs. Using a few lines of code, a Web developer can query data from a remote server and publish the data in whatever format he needs. XMethods.net, one of the larger free Web services directories, has free code examples for a plethora of services including currency conversion, email validation, World Cup soccer tracking, anagrams and lotto number generators.

If you're looking for more commercial application of Web services, take a look at Amazon.com. Amazon.com is one of the main sites that allows its customers to create an Interactive shopping cart for their own personal website(!) that links directly to Amazon's enormous product database. Using their API, a designer can build a storefront which pulls all the data (pricing, images in different sizes, all manner of product details) in a short amount of time.  The developer runs a query, using keywords, product title, author, etc, and the web service pulls the data back as a xml-formatted packet that can easily be displayed using XSL or regular HTML code.

Web services are the backbone for one of Zunch clients.  This Website is the first Zunch-developed site to use Web services to provide up to date ticket information to their customers. Looking for tickets to the next Texas Rangers home stand? No problem. Just go to the Texas Rangers page, select the game you're interested in and voila! A current list of all tickets for that day's game shows up, displaying pricing, the number of available tickets and seating information. There's also a link showing a stadium seating chart.

As you can see, the uses for remote Web services are wide and incredibly useful. The dev team at Zunch has the know-how and experience to implement any Web service to suit your website's needs.

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Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Tableless Design: The Search Engine's Best Friend

The use of tables within HTML has spawned a generation of websites bloated with layers of tables within tables.  As a result, bandwidth is wasted downloading tangled text, time is wasted waiting for sites to load and search engines are easily confused.  This is why the creation of CSS (cascading style sheet) and more importantly, tableless design, has been so revolutionary to the realm of website structure and design.  Now, developers are able to structure (HTML) their websites and design (CSS) using much less text than before.

Here at Zunch, we fully understand the implementations and benefits of tableless design.  First and foremost, we use tableless design to aid our clients with a search engine friendly layout.  Since this style of web development uses much less text, search engines are able to process the websites much faster, optimizing the detectability of the website.  Less text also means less room for error and easier w3c development.

Contact our award-winning design team and let Zunch design a tableless website for your business!

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Friday, May 12, 2006

Using FCKEditor in AJAX


The FCKEditor is one of the best opensource compenents to reach the web.  Written purely in Javascript/DHTML, this rich text editor brings forth a whole new level of website management, allowing you to use a Word-like interface to manage web content.  We've talked about the benefits of the FCKEditor before (checkout WYSIWYG Of The Stars). 

Now, we've been working on taking the next step though.  What if you want to open the editor using AJAX without doing a page refresh?  And what if you also wanted to submit the revised content using an AJAX call as well?  Dig no further, the Zunch Geek Squad has found a workable answer :-)  First, lets review the problems...

Typically, you'd create the instance of the editor by creating the proper iframe element and a hidden input element.  When you first create the iframe dynamically using AJAX, it's not really that big of a deal, everything loads just as you'd expect.  The first problem is that you can't just query the hidden input element for the current value of the editor - that was set when the page loaded, and the hidden input field hasn't been updated since then.  To pull the content out of the editor to send in through an AJAX call, use this Javascript code:

var content = FCKeditorAPI.GetInstance('HiddenInputName'').GetXHTML();

The next problem you'll encouter is that Firefox doesn't seem to like to close and then reopen the editor without refreshing the page first.  This is a simple issue of certain variables already being intialized, so all ya have to do to work around it is destroy the interferring variables.  Turns out the two offending variables can be simply set to Null before ya load the iframe!

FCKeditorAPI = null;
__FCKeditorNS = null;


Now that we've figured out that little nuscance, be expecting to see alot more interactivity in our applications.  We're working hard to build the next generation of applications that will keep your website easily updated and flooded with potential customers. 

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Thursday, April 27, 2006

Ive got the blues

I read a while back that some 60-65 percent of logos are blue or contain some form of it. That certainly rings true in my experience; maybe more. There are myths that blue is the color of success. And, with 60 percent of organizations using blue, there are going to be some successful ones to note.

Blue is one of my favorite colors. But in the design realm, I’m completely bored with it. Sure, it has it’s emotive value: cool, calming, comfortable, stable, and even “low-arousal”, as this Boston Globe writer notes. That’s why blue is a safety net.

Identity is the core element in all your marketing efforts. If you want to stand out from the crowd, and if it makes sense for your company and industry, try something new. Use colors that communicate your unique values and vision. Don’t be afraid to try shades of red, orange, green, or purple to create a bit more personality, energy and warmth and to set you apart from your competitors.

Let Zunch help with your next logo design!

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Friday, April 21, 2006

Zunch Team Launches Leading Recruiting Firm Website

Our team recently designed and developed this great-looking website for Q&A Recruiting.  It was built using our proprietary content management system, zMS.  The Zunch team did an awesome job updating the usability and architectural layout of this site. 

If your business is looking for a professional and experienced web development firm that delivers website success-- your business is looking for Zunch.  We have top-notch designers and industry-leading developers that know how to create solutions that are right for your business.

Integrating your website into your business-- that's what we do.

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Thursday, April 20, 2006

Designing with Objectives in Mind

While great design is important in a website’s appeal, it is only a part of the big picture. Here are some design and marketing ideas we have used for clients that have lead their users in the right direction:

--Highlight and link to those special action areas on the main page. Example: Monitronics

--Implement functionality that supports your objectives and establishes expert status in given industries, etc. Example: Popcornopolis: They wanted to be seen as a gift resource, so we added multiple recipient shipping to their shopping cart, and pulled the ‘gift baskets’ section to the top navigation.

--Offer free services or special giveaways in exchange for a qualified ‘lead’.  Example: ConferenceCall.com

--Start a corporate blog to build links and online WOM (word of mouth) about your brand, products and services. This blog is a great example!

--Give them plenty of opportunities to contact you. Example: Big D Apartments

--Use Interactive PR and Pay-Per-Click to strengthen your SEO strategy.

--Brainstorm new features every 2-6 months to stay ahead of the industry game. 

At Zunch, interactive strategy is what we do everyday. Let us help your business become a major player!

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Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Microsoft Atlas Framework

Today, I’d like to discuss a new technology that will be a part of Microsoft’s next generation programming platform, .NET Framework 2.0. While the new version of .NET will bring about many new features, the most interesting to me is called the Atlas Framework. Atlas is a set of features that are integrated into ASP.NET (the web development leg of the .NET framework) that will assist developers in creating Web 2.0 applications using AJAX (Asynchronous Javascript and XML). 
 
So what is this AJAX stuff? There are many discussions of AJAX technology throughout the web (we’ve talked about it before), the benefits are obvious. The main idea is that you can allow the web browser and the web server to communicate without having to reload the entire page, as with traditional website development. For instance, you could add a record to a database, and have it appear immediately in a list of records without having to refresh the entire screen. Or, you could have a text box that uses auto-suggest to drop down a list of things often typed in that particular field.  And these are just two simple examples – the possibilities are limitless! This technology allows web applications to behave & interact more like traditional computer programs that run on your own computer, and make web application seem more... well... seamless.
 
So back to Atlas…  Microsoft has built this technology to enable developers to harness the power of AJAX technology without having to get lost in a world of compatibility issues and specialized coding that you typically need to make AJAX work. This allows you to spend your development time on more pressing needs such as the business logic that drives your application, rather than spinning your wheels trying to nail down complex UI (user-interface) logic. With Atlas you can use the already simple-to-use ASP.NET tags to specify how to control updates to the UI. If you click a button which should update a list of database records, the control can do that by simply asking the server for the new list records. And if you want to sort a list of records, Atlas can do that without even calling the server – it just uses Javascript to do the sorting. 
 
Now, if you’re a total geek who really loves to get your hands dirty and do this stuff yourself (and you know who you are hah), you are still welcome to do so. ASP.NET does not force you to use the Atlas Framework to utilize AJAX technology. The <script> tag still exists, and you can still sit down and do it all yourself if you wish. In fact, ASP.NET has never even required the use of User Controls to get the job done – you can still write code in the traditional top-down mode that classic ASP & PHP programmers have long embraced, allowing you to pick and choose the Microsoft technologies you want to use and letting you hand-code the rest. Gotta love that flexibility.
 
I, for one, am very excited about this new world of rich applications. Atlas gives Zunch an opportunity to impress our customers with cutting edge websites that require a very small learning curve for the developers involved. As soon as .NET 2.0 ships, you can bet we’ll begin finding ways to use Atlas to improve the usability of our products - Hey, it’s our passion!

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Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Choosing Photography that Works

Using imagery online can make your site aesthetically pleasing and make a lasting impression. It gives insight into your company’s vision and personality.

When choosing photography for your business’s site, there are several things to look for that help you find a winner:

1. Mood

Lighting, overall tone, and facial expressions, among other things evoke different emotions and have connotations with them. Be sure these create a positive mood on your site.

2. Brand Cohesion

Photography tells a story. Choose images that support the brand, contextually &  visually. Match colors where possible, and place the user in a setting that feels right for the rest of the story to play out.

3. Target Audience

Make sure the message you’re sending is reaching the intended ears and eyes. A librarian may look at things differently than an engineer. Be sure you don’t pick personal favorites, but ones that will support the desired actions.

4. Budget

A stock photo can cost anywhere from $100 to $1000s. While you have to use your budget wisely, it’s most important to HAVE A IMAGERY BUDGET. Whether you have many images or one global photo, make sure your site has visual impact.

 5. Consult a Designer

The designers at Zunch have an eye for imagery that makes an impact.  We know how to make it work with usability, branding, layout, hierarchy  and other design elements. See our portfolio for samples of Website design that gets results!

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Monday, March 27, 2006

What's New in the Zunch Dev Cru

The Zunch development team has been working hard these last few months in building new applications not only for client support but also for public access.  The greatest accomplishment is the blogging tool, Sympozeum, which you are experiencing right now.  It may not seem different from any other blog you've seen that's out there...but on the admin side...it is quite a piece of work.

The Sympozeum Website itself is an accomplishment for the next big application that Zunch will be releasing by the end of the year, zMS.CF2.  This is our content management system second version.  The Sympozeum site will be built using a beta version.  We are all very excited.

Look for more great applications from the Zunch Development Cru.

Coming soon to a Website near you!

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Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Timing is Everything

My roommate is an Olympics junkie. I mean, she is into it… and she’s keeping up with details. She knows the athletes, their hometown and everything about them. Before Chad Hedrick's race, she went online and clicked on what appeared to be an article about him. It was actually the race results! I heard a gasp from the study, and a sad face appeared saying, “They should have warned me.”

She had forgotten that the televised events are a delayed broadcast. Preferring to watch the race unfold before her eyes, she was disappointed to know the outcome in advance. Her guy won, but the experience was tarnished.

The difference is the medium and what users expect from it. Web users are usually information and results focused. We know that, and often maintain sites with that in mind. While, broadcast viewers, like movie-goers, want to experience the emotion, the struggle, the victory. And, we (being a cross-medium species) sometimes get a bit startled by the lack of cohesion between the two.

The Internet is becoming more universal. Podcasting and the like are sure to bridge some of the gap technologically. We can post more info, turn broadcast into podcast, and feed it wherever we want at the click of a button.  But, as technology grows, we have a constant challenge ahead of us; a bigger mission (should we choose to accept it.)

We have to address the user, anticipating what and when they'll want information, and their reactions once they get it. We constantly ask how we can enhance their experience, which doesn't always mean simply throwing EVERYTHING at them. At Zunch, our strategies are more than SEO friendly and functional but also have the user in mind: names of links, where they’re located, where and how content is posted, and now more than ever, timing is a growing factor.  We know that immediate action is often important in beating competition to the punch. However, patience can be a virtue at times, even in our “instant” society. But under any circumstances, clarity is key.

We use the Internet as a tool, somewhat like the nightly news. But there’s a big difference. We forget the Internet is not in the same local bubble with the bulk of our broadcast experience.  As Internet gurus and technologists bridge the gap between the two, industry leaders like Zunch will need to continually consider the user response and our timing in the global community.

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Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Google Desktop and More Featured on Dell PCs.

In a new deal announced this week, Dell has announced that Google will begin distributing its Google Desktop Search, Google Toolbar, and a Dell-customized Google Homepage inside of some new Dell PCs.  While Google has been distributing the Google Toolbar inside HP, Gateway, & Apple computers for a while, this new arrangement is a first for Google Desktop Search, a search engine that searches files on your own PC and displays immediate results as you type.

Microsoft has historically used their operating system agreements with PC manufacturers to prevent certain competing applications from being bundled into PCs.  For instance, when Netscape was gaining market share in the late 90’s shortly after Internet Explorer 3.0’s release, they motivated manufacturers to stop bundling Netscape software by offering a discount to those manufacturers.  This is partly what started the anti-trust case against the company by the U.S. Department of Justice back in 1997.  Since then, Microsoft has been disallowed from such practices.  This opens the door for software companies to start making deals with manufacturers to get their software bundled into Windows PCs.

Enter Google.  Users equate to advertising revenue for Google; so of course, they want to make as many loyal users as they can.  Also looming in the ranks is Windows Vista, Microsoft’s new operating system that is to revolutionize the way we interact with computers.  One of the many noticeable enhancements to Vista is its built in search capabilities, both for searching your local files, but also for searching the web via their new MSN Search.  And if the past is any indicator, when Microsoft seriously decides it wants to get into an area of technology, there aren’t many forces that can stop it.  Just ask Netscape, IBM, Oracle, or the many other companies that have been eliminated, or at least squelched, by Microsoft’s intents.

Now, given all this, it seems Google’s quest to gain user’s loyalty is going to be the only way to prevent Microsoft’s search brigade from taking down the recently gone-public company.  A month or two back, Google released the “Google Pack” - a suite of free software, some written by Google, some free or open-source, which combines loads of software goodness into a single, self-updating software package.  Included in the pack is: a web browser, virus scanner, screen saver, two chat/instant message clients, their own Desktop Search & Toolbar, and more.  They’ve even hinted that a Microsoft Office competitor could be an upcoming part of the Google Pack.  If so, Google Pack users would likely be automatically notified that the Office-alternative is now available as a free download.

Investing in desktop users is only one way which Google can help retain user’s loyalty.  The rumor-mill has been backlogged with talks of Google doing many things: targeted digital TV advertisements; a world-wide Wi-Fi network that could allow them to have the home page of every connected user; broadband access over power-lines with integrated digital phone & television services; even building their own operating system for low-priced PCs;  While there is no official word of a plan from Google, there have been investments in various companies that could back any of these ideas.  In the end, though, there is no telling whether Google is looking at any of these options as a serious marketing effort or is simply diversifying investments for financial gain.  We have seen an announcement that Google would be building an in-car navigation system in conjunction with Volkswagen utilizing Google Earth technology, and of course this more recent entry into pre-packaged desktop PC software.

With all this activity at Google, and the counter-activity of its chief rival, Microsoft, it will certainly be interesting to see how this battle pans out.  In the end, this is nothing more than a healthy, competitive industry that has been churning out new innovations on a pace faster than many folks ever expected.  And, who knows, maybe there will never be a winner.  Perhaps Microsoft and Google will eventually learn to coexist and allow each other a turf of their own.  Or, they’ll be forever enemies like the many Microsoft has already created in its relatively short lifespan.  One thing is certain – right now, the consumer can be declared the winner.

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Tuesday, February 07, 2006

First Impressions

When people meet, we instantly make judgments on certain factors. We know pretty quickly if we like the look of a car or a pair of shoes. Paintings and drawings invoke instant strong reactions.

So do websites.

You’ve got once chance to make a first impression…and on the web, that time is lighting fast. 50 Milliseconds, according to a study done at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. Basically, they flashed websites in front of users for 500 milliseconds and 50 milliseconds. The outcome was virtually the same. Users determined whether a site was appealing in 50 milliseconds.

Whether you like it or not, users are quickly deciding if they want to be on your website. If you can get them to stay long enough to read some of your content, and click through a few pages, you’re off to a good start.

But, if they bounce, all your effort (and your budget) is in vein. It’s true, you need SEO to bring traffic, and if the site doesn’t function properly, it’s useless. But, those are things you can fix. A bad impression is a customer lost forever.

That quick first impression is likely based on organization (layout and hierarchy) and the use of color and or imagery--visual elements that are easily digested. Successful interface designs depend on the balance of simplicity and uniqueness to give the user that good first impression-and quick.

Design seems to be the easiest thing for companies to scrap as they're budgeting for their website. But, it is a healthy, well-rounded approach that really gets the job done right. Don’t shortchange yourself. It is important to build a solid site architecture. Design a memorable, brand-conscious look with a user-friendly layout. Write content that tells the story clearly and with a strong voice. Develop functionality that makes the site really work for you. Then, finish with a knockout SEO strategy that will help you make that great first impression many times over.

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Thursday, February 02, 2006

AJAX, the Way of The Future

AJAX, or Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, is the newest means for creating dynamic and interactive web applications, and is currently the most effective way to interact with the end user without causing confusion and/or frustration while using RIA (Rich Internet Application). Even if you are unfamiliar with the terms AJAX or RIA, you most likely use both of these on a regularly basis. Such examples include Google Maps or Google Suggest. Both applications demonstrate the technologies to their fullest.

However AJAX isn’t a single technology, rather it is composed of several cohesive components working for a single goal. This incorporates:

  • XHTML and CSS
  • Dynamic Display and interaction using the DOM (Document Object Model)
  • Asynchronous data retrieval using XMLHttpRequest (Script Function)
  • Data interchange using XML and XSLT
  • JavaScript to bind everything together

This makes AJAX programming different from traditional web applications. Instead of loading a webpage at the start of a session, the browser first loads AJAX which prompts one engine to load (the AJAX JavaScript-based file) instead of several that include files or functions. This means the end user doesn’t receive the data until they request it. See example flow below.


Source: Ajax: A New Approach to Web Applications

Stay tuned for more news about our upcoming products using AJAX and other cutting-edge technologies used here at Zunch.

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Thursday, February 02, 2006

WYSIWYG of The Stars

I want to take some time out of my day and talk about a component we use consistently in various products that isn't talked about much. What am I talking about? WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor or “Word-Link Editor” reused throughout our product line as means to manipulate content. Unfortunately I can not take credit for such a robust and powerful component… Our WYSIWYG is actually a third-party plug-in from FredCK, an open-source programming company, geared towards making web-based applications easier to use.

Click here for more information on FCKEditor.

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Tuesday, January 31, 2006

The Video Factor

Back in December, Jakob Neilson made some comments on his alertbox on repurposing video meant for other mediums such as TV, video, etc. for use on the Web. They did some interesting studies on where the eyes concentrated when a “talking head” news cast was played for 24 seconds online.

It appears people are constantly looking for something more. The talking head commanded some attention, but the eyes moved on to text and links on the right, a sign in the background, etc. They were looking for more info, more options… and in the eternity of 24 seconds, they got just plain bored and distracted. Part of the difference he notes is that broadcast viewers are accustomed to being sponges, while online users are usually driving their own experience. People don’t VIEW the Web, they USE it.

In this business, we often get similar requests. A company wants to post a video of their CEO welcoming people to the site, or a “host” pointing out navigation and links. So, the CEO feels important, the marketing director gets patted on the back, but the user is left wanting.

This may work for a kiosk or CD-ROM. But for the Web, it may be more distracting than beneficial.

The trick is using the video to your advantage, adding value for the user. It is a deceptive medium if not used with strategy. On the Web, video may better serve its source (and users) if it adds something to the experience that would otherwise be lost. For instance, Zunch used video testimonials from mesothelioma survivors about how an incredible mesothelioma surgery is prolonging their lives at an unprecedented rate. Now, that’s video-worthy. On another site our creative team used short “how-to-demos”  for pilates poses which may have been confusing if only described in text. Again, giving the user more.

If used correctly multimedia has the ability to create impact that text and imagery alone may not. But, even on broadband, our kbps is too valuable to waste if we’re getting nada-in-return.

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