The mobile Web grew 110 percent in the U.S. last year and 148 percent worldwide as measured by growth in pageviews, according to a new Quantcast Mobile Trends report.
It's an easy call to predict that mobile web usage will continue to grow in 2010 and beyond but the big questions are by how much? And is it worth businesses clicking onto the trend or dismissing it as a fad and hoping that it will fade away like Pogs eventually did.
The analysis of long-term success for web mobile is based on the classic marketing distinction between a “trend” and “fad.”
What does a trend look like?
Essentially, anything that has staying power is a trend, it may start off small but a trend will grow and develop, it won't happen overnight but after a while you'll see it all over the place. Trends have deep cultural roots, they evolve but never stop growing. Increasing usage of the Internet is a trend, couples having their first child after 30 is a trend, exercise and healthy living is a trend.
A fad is the exact opposite.
Fads represent limited potential rather than unlimited opportunities. Fads come and go, they may enjoy brief popularity before quickly fading into near oblivion. For example in hairdressing terms a bob is a trend, a mullet was a fad. Fads have at most 1-2 years of popularity if that, and so have to be exploited quickly and as frequently as possible. Think Teletubbies, girl power, Tamagotchi and ringtones. A fad won't last and will weaken as soon as they become mainstream.
The boundary between mobile and PC is blurring and web access on the go will be pushed to new levels in the future.
The market for mobile applications, or apps, will become "as big as the internet", peaking at 10 million apps by 2020.
2020 seems like a long time away - what about now in 2010?
Apps will become more personal and practical as their numbers grow,
they will peak at around 100,000 by the end of the year. That will be a tipping point and after that there will be a gradual fall in the rate of development.
Within ten years mobile apps will be as popular as websites are today with consumers and, as accessible with prices for apps reducing year on year.
A developing market.
While developers rush to cash in on this growing marketplace, the warnings are that many are simply doomed to fail. The reality is that this space is only so big and only able to support so many people. The ratio of those developers who will fail is about 90%; they will simply not make a return on their investment. Unfortunately the overhype that goes with [Apple's] App Store is what has driven so many to rush to develop for the market. It is fashionable to do apps and every media outlet tells you apps are cool, but do they really pay?
What are the true economics of mobile apps?
Well they are a very different story and the days of the app store are doomed according to Google. The App Store is flawed with lack of relevance. Who really wants an app where a candle flickers in different colours. Users will need to see more relevant applications that will enrich your life in some way, image sharing, social networking or quicker business communication.
To date, Apple runs the most popular application store with over 65,000 applications. Last week it notched up another milestone with 1.5 billion downloads. But the popularity of Apple's App store is also its Achilles heel because it caters to the "one hit wonder" model. The key for the future is making sure that the app fits your business and their users as a single entity.
Is this trend right for you and your business?
To test if you are on-trend (or if it's right for you and your business), apply the Rule of Three. Aristotle wrote about it in his book Rhetoric. Put simply it is that people tend to remember 3 things, it's a simple rule but it works. So ask yourself do three or more trends apply, otherwise you may be picking up on a fad. Indeed it can be as simple as a Google search to demonstrate that this trend could be relevant to your business.
In Conclusion:
While Web innovation is unpredictable, what is clear is that businesses who want to stay in the marketplace cannot afford to ignore the mobile market in it's entirety. Mobile Web may not be applicable to every business model but certain elements will increase profitability and gain competitive advantages IF it can offer their consumers these services first for example mobile payment solutions, real-time technology and GPS solutions to put shoppers in touch with retailers faster.
Mobile internet users reached a critical mass this year, offering a large and diverse enough base of users to support large-scale mobile marketing efforts and it can only get bigger and better.
Send us your comments about Mobile Web we'd love to hear what you think.
E: michelle@yourwebstar.co.uk
T: 01625 821072
M: 07784 128016
Resources:
Quantcast mobile trends report 2009:
Maggie Shiels - Technology reporter, BBC News, Silicon Valley
BBC News - Technology
Sunday 28 February 2010
Thursday 25 February 2010
New Clients for Web Star
We've got some new client and we can't wait to tell everyone about them. It's been a busy time and news from the web world is that web designers are going to be even busier during 2010 with businesses using their websites to help get them out of the recession and back on track.
Sale Domestic Appliances contacted us and need a website in a hurry. Their previous site had gone down and they now have no web presence. We'll make sure they have a construction page in a few days whilst we develop their new website.
Sale Domestic Applicances sell, repair and install all kinds of domestic applicaces from washing machines to vacs, in addition they carry spare parts for many machines which they want to sell on the web. We're looking forward to developing their website for them over the next few weeks, watch this space!
Marketing Bites are a new marketing company with huge amounts of expertise. Specialising in the technical sector of the market, they aim to provide strategic marketing advice to businesses in ‘bite-sized chunks’. Their clients believe they have taken away the "black art of marketing" and are making it more understandable and accessible to more businesses.
Marketing Bites provides an alternative approach so that even the smallest of businesses can now benefit from marketing expertise. Most agencies are focused on the design and creative work; and even those interested in developing the right messages, will struggle to understand the high tech sector.
We're so excited to be developing not only a website but an identity for this new company. Watch out for more news soon!
Want to contact us to discuss your website. Call us now, it's free to chat.
Email \\ michelle@yourwebstar.co.uk
Tel \\ 01625 821 072
Mob \\ 07784 128 016
Sale Domestic Appliances contacted us and need a website in a hurry. Their previous site had gone down and they now have no web presence. We'll make sure they have a construction page in a few days whilst we develop their new website.
Sale Domestic Applicances sell, repair and install all kinds of domestic applicaces from washing machines to vacs, in addition they carry spare parts for many machines which they want to sell on the web. We're looking forward to developing their website for them over the next few weeks, watch this space!
Marketing Bites are a new marketing company with huge amounts of expertise. Specialising in the technical sector of the market, they aim to provide strategic marketing advice to businesses in ‘bite-sized chunks’. Their clients believe they have taken away the "black art of marketing" and are making it more understandable and accessible to more businesses.
Marketing Bites provides an alternative approach so that even the smallest of businesses can now benefit from marketing expertise. Most agencies are focused on the design and creative work; and even those interested in developing the right messages, will struggle to understand the high tech sector.
We're so excited to be developing not only a website but an identity for this new company. Watch out for more news soon!
Want to contact us to discuss your website. Call us now, it's free to chat.
Email \\ michelle@yourwebstar.co.uk
Tel \\ 01625 821 072
Mob \\ 07784 128 016
Website Launch for Walk The Coast
Back in December 2009 (seems like ages ago) we announced a new client for Web Star. Walk The Coast a Dorset based company were planning to start a business providing weekend guided walking holidays along the beautiful Dorset coastline. They asked us to design a website for them and we thought you'd like to see the results.The original brief was to design a website that would immediately enthuse visitors and promote the dorset coastline as a "cool" place to visit. In order to engage visitors immedately we used a dynamic landing page with images of areas they will be visiting along the walk. With only images and no text to read, users immediately click through to find out more about this new business.
Using the 3 bucket theory on the first page is always a winner. Firstly the eye catching colours attract the eye and then visitors can use these as an easy way to navigate the site, to take them to the most interesting parts of the website. Having 3 options is good, we can consume this amount of information with ease, but having 10 options is overwhelming. This gives users with little time the opportunity to scan a site and they immediately know what you want them to do, so they do it.
Walk the Coast were delighted with their finished website, they had opted to have a CMS system added onto the site so they can update it and keep it fresh and lively and have purchased a blog so they can tell people all about the wonderful places and areas they will be visiting.
A new business with no previous web experience they soon found they were in safe hands, because we helped them make the right decisions from start to finish by explaning all the options along the way, in simple language without lots of tech Jargon.
If you would like some advice or are thinking about starting a new business we can help you get your first website off the ground. We make websites better. It's what we do.
Email \\ michelle@yourwebstar.co.uk Tel \\ 01625 821 072 Mob \\ 07784 128 016
Hot Trends in Web Design for 2010
It's always tough to predict the future and that's all the more true when talking about the web. The internet continues to race along at a faster pace than ever before and businesses need to keep up with the newest trends and hotest designs to engage users who are increasingly looking for more sophistication and greater wow factors in the web.
Overall the trend is towards simpler, minimalistic sites with greater attention to fonts and typography. Forget about stock imagery showing globes, lightbulbs or faceless people sitting at desks and make way for hand drawn sketches that define originality or icon style sites that get noticed quickly and are a delight to the user.
While Web innovation is unpredictable, some clear trends are becoming apparent. Expect the following 10 themes to define the Web this year. Why these particular themes? Simply because they are eye catching and deliver messages in a more concise way.
1. Typography
Started in 2009 it will continue to lead the way in web design purely because the typography becomes an integral part of the overall design rather than a liability. Designers will be using larger, more exciting fonts in place of boring text. In short a website that utilizes Typography as its main design element will be more interesting to a reader than overloading the same site with tons of photos.
2. Minimalist
Forget the old school minimal websites. Websites of 2010 will continue to feature lots of white space but with bold typology and surprising color schemes. Not all minimal websites will agree with the notion of black and white simplicity. Although minimalism is by nature muted, it will also showcase fresh colors. Minimalism isn’t cold, it’s warm and too the point.
3. Sketchy - Hand Drawn
These designs are not exactly headed to an art museum, but they do convey a sense of whimsy, and blur the line between cold web and personal interaction– the ultimate goal of the internet. Sketch in 2010 will become more elemental, and not as much the main focus of a web design. It will be used to personalize standard web copy in new and exciting ways. Love it or hate it, these sites stand out from traditional graphics and give a site a unique, personalised look.
4. Magazine Layout
Many sites will be gearing towards this look in 2010, with short concise articles that are easy to read with sharp concise information. This trend will be especially stong within the blogosphere. Expect this trend to grow and continue to evolve.
5. Huge Images
Nothing delivers a message quite like this trend. It creates a visual impact that is so strong it's doubful that the visitor will forget you. Tipped to be the top mainstream trend during 2010 you can guarantee that a site using this design will have no difficulties engaging users.
6. One page layout
One pay layouts challenge you to edit away what’s unnecessary. In 2010, this trend will move away from the quirky navigation and become more minimal in its approach. Think of these websites as business cards rather than websites.
7. Retro
Retro designs are here to stay but retro can be hard to use, it needs to incorporate three key elements, colour, photography (preferably old) and typefaces that fit in with the overall design. Get all three elements right and you have a winner, get it wrong and you have a disaster. In 2010, retro design will be expanded as designers find new ways to honor vintage art.
8. Icons
Icons can communicate lots of information in the simplest way, so it's no wonder that they will remain so popular in 2010. The web is an environment filled with impatience, wandering eyes and easy distractions. Icons show users where to go for what they need. Quickly scanning images is far simpler than scanning text. Icons cut through visual clutter and guide visitors to the content they are most interested in.
9. Massive Footers
So often it's an area that's overlooked by designers, a place where a few random legal links are dumped and forgotten about. In fact footers for most sites serve no purpose at all beyond framing a page. That's a real shame because footers can be put to good use. 2010 will see footers being exagerated even more than last year, making them less of an afterthought and more of an integral part of the site.
10. Giant Type
If you need to beat the user over the head with a message then use this trend. Using giant type employs the natural and organic beauty of typefaces and provides a megaphone with which to speak. The jumbo-sized type will become the focus of the page if you make use of the style, all you need to do it make sure you say something important!
The key to all of this is, of course finding a style that suits the personality of your business and the overall objective of the website. That's here we come in....we'll take the time to find a style that defines your business, your personality and your products....so you can be a winner on the web.
Email: michelle@yourwebstar.co.uk
Tel: 01625 821072
Mob: 07784 128016
Resources: WebStar did not design all these examples of trends. They were sourced from various articles and websites.
Overall the trend is towards simpler, minimalistic sites with greater attention to fonts and typography. Forget about stock imagery showing globes, lightbulbs or faceless people sitting at desks and make way for hand drawn sketches that define originality or icon style sites that get noticed quickly and are a delight to the user.
While Web innovation is unpredictable, some clear trends are becoming apparent. Expect the following 10 themes to define the Web this year. Why these particular themes? Simply because they are eye catching and deliver messages in a more concise way.
1. Typography
Started in 2009 it will continue to lead the way in web design purely because the typography becomes an integral part of the overall design rather than a liability. Designers will be using larger, more exciting fonts in place of boring text. In short a website that utilizes Typography as its main design element will be more interesting to a reader than overloading the same site with tons of photos.
2. Minimalist
Forget the old school minimal websites. Websites of 2010 will continue to feature lots of white space but with bold typology and surprising color schemes. Not all minimal websites will agree with the notion of black and white simplicity. Although minimalism is by nature muted, it will also showcase fresh colors. Minimalism isn’t cold, it’s warm and too the point.
3. Sketchy - Hand Drawn
These designs are not exactly headed to an art museum, but they do convey a sense of whimsy, and blur the line between cold web and personal interaction– the ultimate goal of the internet. Sketch in 2010 will become more elemental, and not as much the main focus of a web design. It will be used to personalize standard web copy in new and exciting ways. Love it or hate it, these sites stand out from traditional graphics and give a site a unique, personalised look.
4. Magazine Layout
Many sites will be gearing towards this look in 2010, with short concise articles that are easy to read with sharp concise information. This trend will be especially stong within the blogosphere. Expect this trend to grow and continue to evolve.
5. Huge Images
Nothing delivers a message quite like this trend. It creates a visual impact that is so strong it's doubful that the visitor will forget you. Tipped to be the top mainstream trend during 2010 you can guarantee that a site using this design will have no difficulties engaging users.
6. One page layout
One pay layouts challenge you to edit away what’s unnecessary. In 2010, this trend will move away from the quirky navigation and become more minimal in its approach. Think of these websites as business cards rather than websites.
7. Retro
Retro designs are here to stay but retro can be hard to use, it needs to incorporate three key elements, colour, photography (preferably old) and typefaces that fit in with the overall design. Get all three elements right and you have a winner, get it wrong and you have a disaster. In 2010, retro design will be expanded as designers find new ways to honor vintage art.
8. Icons
Icons can communicate lots of information in the simplest way, so it's no wonder that they will remain so popular in 2010. The web is an environment filled with impatience, wandering eyes and easy distractions. Icons show users where to go for what they need. Quickly scanning images is far simpler than scanning text. Icons cut through visual clutter and guide visitors to the content they are most interested in.
9. Massive Footers
So often it's an area that's overlooked by designers, a place where a few random legal links are dumped and forgotten about. In fact footers for most sites serve no purpose at all beyond framing a page. That's a real shame because footers can be put to good use. 2010 will see footers being exagerated even more than last year, making them less of an afterthought and more of an integral part of the site.
10. Giant Type
If you need to beat the user over the head with a message then use this trend. Using giant type employs the natural and organic beauty of typefaces and provides a megaphone with which to speak. The jumbo-sized type will become the focus of the page if you make use of the style, all you need to do it make sure you say something important!
The key to all of this is, of course finding a style that suits the personality of your business and the overall objective of the website. That's here we come in....we'll take the time to find a style that defines your business, your personality and your products....so you can be a winner on the web.
Email: michelle@yourwebstar.co.uk
Tel: 01625 821072
Mob: 07784 128016
Resources: WebStar did not design all these examples of trends. They were sourced from various articles and websites.
Friday 5 February 2010
Google Analytics - Don't Miss Out
Question: Are you using your analytics to full potential? Are you even using Analytics? Do you know what it is?
Answer: Google analytics is a free programme provided by our friends at Google that can show you who is using your website and how they use it.
Using Analytics you an get instant information about:
The number of peope who use your website
What they do when they are on your website
Where they go and how they surf your website
You can then use this information to optimise your website and define internet marketing objectives.
Some of the most critical data that you can analyse with Analytics are:
How many people visit your website per month, week, day & hour.
What pages have these people viewed in order of popularity.
How did people find your website, search engine, a referring site or a direct request using your domain name.
What keywords / key-phrases did these people use to find your website.
What length if time did each of your visitors spend on your website.
What page acted as the entrance for these people and what page did they exit on.
You can extract a lot of technical data, what operating system are they using, what web browser are they using, what screen resolution are your visitors using.
You can easily see the value that this type of data will afford your business. You can start to use this data to make simple changes to your website that will make it more profitable.
You can create links to cross promote services and products, you can position offers and deals on popular exit pages to retain your visitors etc.
Your analytics are the most integral element of continued success on the internet. So what are you waiting for......
If you need some help or advice call us now.....it's free to chat!
Tel: 01625 821072
Email: michelle@yourwebstar.co.uk
Answer: Google analytics is a free programme provided by our friends at Google that can show you who is using your website and how they use it.
Using Analytics you an get instant information about:
The number of peope who use your website
What they do when they are on your website
Where they go and how they surf your website
You can then use this information to optimise your website and define internet marketing objectives.
Some of the most critical data that you can analyse with Analytics are:
How many people visit your website per month, week, day & hour.
What pages have these people viewed in order of popularity.
How did people find your website, search engine, a referring site or a direct request using your domain name.
What keywords / key-phrases did these people use to find your website.
What length if time did each of your visitors spend on your website.
What page acted as the entrance for these people and what page did they exit on.
You can extract a lot of technical data, what operating system are they using, what web browser are they using, what screen resolution are your visitors using.
You can easily see the value that this type of data will afford your business. You can start to use this data to make simple changes to your website that will make it more profitable.
You can create links to cross promote services and products, you can position offers and deals on popular exit pages to retain your visitors etc.
Your analytics are the most integral element of continued success on the internet. So what are you waiting for......
If you need some help or advice call us now.....it's free to chat!
Tel: 01625 821072
Email: michelle@yourwebstar.co.uk
Wednesday 3 February 2010
Get a FREE listing on Google @ Local Business Centre
Did you know about the FREE service from Google that allows you to make sure that your local business listing can be found on Google. If you're not using this simple and FREE tool then you're really missing a trick. Here's how to get set up and why you should start using it today:
1. Visit http://www.google.com/lbc. Create a google account if you don't have one, or sign in to your account.
2. Enter information about your business. You can even add photos of your logo and business or products and add coupons that will give visitors to your site via google with discounts.
3. Vertify that you own or run the business. Follow the instructions and enter a PIN code when you receive it to complete the process.
4. Now you're all set. You can log in daily to see how your business listings perform on Google, including how many times people found it and what actions they took.
Don't miss out on this excellent and very simple tool to see who visits your website.
1. Visit http://www.google.com/lbc. Create a google account if you don't have one, or sign in to your account.
2. Enter information about your business. You can even add photos of your logo and business or products and add coupons that will give visitors to your site via google with discounts.
3. Vertify that you own or run the business. Follow the instructions and enter a PIN code when you receive it to complete the process.
4. Now you're all set. You can log in daily to see how your business listings perform on Google, including how many times people found it and what actions they took.
Don't miss out on this excellent and very simple tool to see who visits your website.
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