9 for '09: Current Web Trends

by Jill Butler, Content Development Specialist

Our art and tech department banded together for this blog entry-- a survey of the top web design trends for 2009. Read on to find out all about how Technology, Creativity and Strategy are changing online.

TECHNOLOGY

1. Mobile Compatibility

Site: Pizza Hut

With more and more users getting their daily web surfing done on their iPhones or Blackberrys, smart websites have made the leap to offering content that either works well with or is specifically designed for these devices. Check out Pizza Hut's innovative iPhone app, that allows the user to order their pizza from the palm of their hand.

2. Online video/ Internet TV

Site: NBC.com

Regular TV-watching has become a thing of the past. After all, with the busy schedules and tightening household budgets of many tech-savvy TV lovers, cable just isn't convenient. So they turn to the Internet, which offers full episodes, either for download or streaming, whenever and however you want them. The smart networks, like NBC or the CW, have turned what might look like a cash-drain into an opportunity, offering exclusive content online and becoming the best source for reliable, quality online programming. As the old saying goes: if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

3. Personalization

Site: iGoogle

The web can only be what you make it--and the trend towards making it your own has been growing steadily. With leaders like Google, even the browser you use to surf the web can be completely customized to suit your taste and needs. That's more or less the entire purpose of iGoogle--one stop for local weather, custom features, and news feeds that cater you YOUR every demand.

CREATIVITY

4. The Big Picture (layouts)

Site: The White House

This is a hot one: designers have been going for the high impact statement more and more, with bold, eye-catching banners and header that incorporate content and are more than a pretty face. The White's homepage is a great example of that--using their carousel-style banner to display important links and information.

5. Minimal: White Space and Then Some

Site: Concentric Studio

Clean, straightforward and useful--the trend to have more of nothing has been catching on for a while now, as more designers opt to de-clutter their web spaces and put focus on only the most important elements of the website. The upside? The user doesn't get overwhelmed by too much information only choice -- there is only where you want to guide them.

6. Big and Bold: HUGE typography, illustrations and vibrant graphics

Site: National Television

If you want big, eye-catching communication, there's nothing like a sure bet. Placing emphasis on words and putting illustration front and center has a fresh, almost European feel, giving the website an equal focus on design and communication.

STRATEGY

7. Keeping up with social media

Site: Fuel Your Creativity

More website are realizing the power of putting social media front and center--like Fuel Your Creativity has done here. It's wise to put these hotlinks in a very visible place, making it as easy as possible for any interested users to click on your blog, visit your Facebook page, or subscribe to your Twitter. There's no point in hiding these links-- you want people to use them, so gathering them into a one-stop corner of your website is a smart move.

8. Closing the Back Door

Site: Web Design Ledger

The "back door," in this case, refers to ways that stop your readers from clicking away from your blog or website--namely, by getting them interested in something else they'll find useful. There are many ways to do this, but one that is gaining speed is the "Related Links" widget. By using this feature, placed at the bottom of a blog post or page, you can catch your user's attention while you've still got it, and point them in other directions they may find helpful. It's good for them--they find out more about a topic they're interested in--but it's great for you--you get to keep your reader for a longer visit.

9. “Speaking” navigation

Site: Intereactive

Looking for clarity? You can't go wrong by adding this feature. "Speaking" navigation is more or less what it sounds like--instead of having simple, one or two word navigation (such as "Home" or "About Us") you use the coveted space to expand just a little on your company. This is especially helpful if the navigation your company has chosen is unconventional. It also gives you another chance to be personable and really connect with the people using your website--which is never a bad thing.

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That's our top nine web design trends for '09. Got anything to add? Leave it in the comments; we'd love to hear your thoughts.

10 Harsh Truths About Corporate Websites

One article that has made the rounds of Applecore’s inboxes is Paul Boag’s 10 Harsh Truths About Corporate Websites, which we originally found on Smashing Magazine. As Boag states in his introduction:

We all make mistakes running our websites. However, the nature of those mistakes varies depending on the size of your company. As your organization grows, the mistakes change. This post addresses common mistakes among large organizations.

We took these 10 harsh truths and added our own viewpoints, and what your company can do to change them.

1. You Need a Separate Web Division

There needs to be one division for web. Period. And it’s for this reason that outsourcing your web needs is so helpful: no one trespasses on anyone’s turf, and decisions are made for the benefit of the website, rather than anyone’s ego. A single unified team means that the website won’t be a brochure, or an extended resume: it will be an accurate representation of your company’s daily life, and often, objective outsiders can provide the best picture.

2. Managing Your Website is a Full-Time Job

This is self-explanatory. In order for a website to be truly useful, it needs to have a dedicated team. But something else to think about: it needs to have a dedicated team that’s empowered to make forward-thinking changes.

3. Periodic Redesign is Not Enough

Careful consideration through every stage of the website’s life, along with a willingness to tweak minor things that don’t seem to need drastic makeovers, can save so many hours of redesign in the long run. Sometimes, the only way to get this kind of insight is by asking a third party to consult.

4. Your Website Cannot Appeal to Everyone

A website designed without this in mind will be too incoherent to serve your business well. You can’t please everyone. You can, however, determine which of your demographics is the most important to your business.

5. You are Wasting Money on Social Networking

In other words, when you proceed into social networking, make sure you understand what makes social media work: that it’s people connecting to people, not just another venue to talk about your company. Use social networking to make your company more human, because at the end of the day, no one wants to visit your blog or Twitter account if they don't get anything in return.

6. Your Website is Not All About You

Self explanatory. No jargon, no insider acronyms. Your website isn’t being designed to suit the tastes of your staff; it’s being built to cater to the needs of your users. After all, they’ll be the ones spending their time there, so their requirements shouldn’t be ignored.

7. You’re Not Getting Value From Your Web Team

A web designer brings much more to the table than simple programming. They understand what makes a website work, what translate best to the web and what features are most helpful to a user. Use this amazing resource to produce the best possible website.

8. Design by Committee Brings Death

Harsh, but accurate. Design by committee is well-intentioned, meant to give everyone a fair stake in the decision making process. However, often what’s required is an educated, objective decision.

9. A CMS is Not a Silver Bullet

A Content Management System is like any tool— it won’t make the decisions for you; it can only make the decisions easier to implement. You need to have the resources in place for timely, relevant updates.

10. You Have Too Much Content

Constant review of content ensures that there’s no useless information taking away from your most important messages—only what is fresh, relevant and useful.

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Does any of this sound familiar? If so, interact with us--the solution is closer than you think.

The Sides of a Golden Triangle

by J. Butler, Applecore Content Development Specialist

According to a Google-commissioned study performed by Enquiro Search Solutions, Inc, this is roughly how the human eye absorbs the information based on a first-time visit to a unique search query page. What follows is a heat map tracking a user's first viewing-- the darker the hue, the more time the eye spent on that area:

Notice that shape. It's what led to christening this pattern the Golden Triangle--a term that covers the area and order in which the eye reads and processes information. In the early days before this innovation, a big percentage of optimization was done on educated guesswork. But when the Golden Triangle was introduced at the Search Engine Strategies conference in 2005, it changed the way many designers, search engine marketers and users looked at how people use search engines.

The Golden Triangle doesn't just apply to Google—similar eye-tracking tests run against several other search engines, such as Yahoo or MSN, showed the same results:

So the big question: what does the Golden Triangle really mean? Well, it means that if your listing doesn’t fall inside that triangle, your chances of being clicked are drastically reduced, if not totally diminished. The top-three results draws 100 percent visibility, while result four gets 85 percent, and so on. Anything from result six onward has to fight for the remaining visibility of 50 percent .

Research like this gives real depth to the importance of search engine marketing, and how using Search Engine Optimization properly is key to any solid marketing plan.

Source: Eye-Tracking Study More Than Meets the Eye [Google Blog]

It’s a celebration!

Applecore Interactive has successfully passed the QMI external audit and has been officially recommended for ISO 9001:2000 certification!

We are the first company of our kind in Newfoundland & Labrador to receive this designation, and join a very elite list of web design companies across Canada and North America with the ISO 9001:2000 certification.

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ISO (International Organization for Standardization) - http://www.iso.org/
ISO 9001:2000 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_9000
QMI – SAI Global - http://www.qmi.com/registration/iso9001/