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This is the third in a series of posts relating to the mobile Web. This post will focus on social media. Part 2 looked into the mobile Web in one particular area of social media, blogging. In this post I will try and address social networking for the mobile web.

‘Social Media’

There aren’t too many people on the face of the earth that haven’t heard the term ‘social media’ or ‘social network’ at least once or twice. Attributed as one of the main results of, or maybe even catalysts for, ‘Web 2.0’, social media encompasses new ways to communicate and share information. It moves users from being passive viewers of information to contributors, authors and actively engaged agents in data.
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This is the second post concerning the mobile web. In following posts I’ll consider in more detail some of the tasks that can increase your mobile web productivity and some of the tools that can be used to conduct these tasks. This installment will concentrate on mobile blogging.

Blogging

Finding the time to write blog content is one of the hardest tasks of my personal working week. Should be easy right? Talking about topics very pertinent to you and your industry. But fact is thinking about topics, writing the content and taking care of all the other necessaries with copy writing is time consuming, but critically necessary.
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Can you believe it? There is already a forecast for what Web 3.0 is going to “look” like! Just as Web 2.0 is really taking shape; new ways of web marketing, mobile device integration, data connections and much more.

It only makes sense. Continually pioneering and pushing technology to the limit makes advancement possible. In a recent CNN article they talk about 4 areas that will be the foundation of Web 3.0 as it evolves.

1. Real Time Information (this is a no brainier as we are already seeing with Twitter and sites like espn.com and mlb.tv that not only provide information, but you can actually watch and track events as they happen).
2. Web Semantics – I am going to circle back to this one below!
3. Open Communication (again another no brainier as we are seeing widgets and cross integration of data now — it will just be more intense!)
4. Mobile and Geography

Of the 4 points above, #2 Web Semantics is something you should be thinking about NOW! Part of Web Semantics revolves around how websites are coded. I am not going to bore you with all the geeky details — we can grab a cup of coffee and discuss or I recommend some Googling on the topic.

Ultimately at this stage of the web, what it boils down to is creating meaningful web documents that are coded in a way that both humans and machines can clearly understand. Understanding the importance of pieces of information in relation to one another, their hierarchy and allowing a web document to ‘say what you mean’ are important facets of web semantics. To this end, another key element to web semantics currently, is the separation of structure from aesthetics and function.

Four ways a semantically coded website can help you today are improving your website’s search engine optimization, enabling your site to be more mobile device friendly, increasing the likelihood that your site will be ‘future friendly’ and work correctly in the greatest number of browsers possible as they grow and develop and aiding a sites ease of maintenance and scalability.

Contact one of our Indianapolis web design specialists today to get ready for Web 3.0!

This post looks at how mobile devices are unchaining us from our computers. And also how the ability to access digital information from anywhere can help you better keep up with your clients, customers, bolster your knowledge and generally boost your online presence.

Ok so, I’m definitely “that guy.” Inline at the store, in the corner at Starbucks, walking around in the mall, in the waiting room at the dentist…ON HIS PHONE. But, I’m not the guy constantly talking on it. Nope, I’m the guy quietly beavering away at something on my ‘little box’ as my Nan would put it.
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In a recent Visual Blaze blog posting, where I briefly mentioned the TechCrunch article on the First Quarter decline in online advertising, I wanted to circle back and talk a litte further about it and what it might mean.

TechCrunch Online Ad Revenue Decline Graphic

I do not find it surprising to see the numbers gradually decline and then during the current economic recession that it drops off the table. The biggest reason for this I believe is that companies were forced to analyze where and how they were spending money to maintain longevity through the current times. Then the conversation goes something to the tune of: “We are spending X amount of money per month on banner ads and pay per click advertising. Do we have the figures that show it is generating revenue?” (In due fairness that line of thinking probably was applied to many business line item expenses like training, printing costs, employees, etc.)

So the recession then caused companies to pull in closer to their vests and not throw money out there into online advertising campaigns that they really could not configure easily. Data driven decision making is key. If impressions and click through rates aren’t tagged into the ROI, then they get dumped. And if those numbers are not there, what ability do we have to try a different strategy. Will a different image, catchier headline, or higher ad placement increase the numbers? Or, perhaps, there isn’t the data to support the ROI from online advertising and different online marketing strategies are being investigated.

So there needs to be a creative strategies to gain attention that tie into data that can then be continually analyzed and allows the strategy to grow and evolve. Just to throw out a couple of replacement techniques:

• branded Twitter campaign
• keyword-dense landing pages
• interactive viral marketing pieces

Do you know the purpose of your web presence? There are really two reasons for having your business online. The reasons aren’t necessarily exclusive in that they are an either or situation and oftentimes it is a happy medium.

1. Educate and/or inform visitors about your company’s services or products.

2. Convert interested visitors into customers.

My personal belief is that the converted visitors are then classified into paying customers as the ultimate goals. Isn’t that what marketing and advertising attempts to do? Obviously with paying customers you increase revenue and hopefully increase profits.

Lead Generation Websites are a growing trend in web development, especially as online advertising dollars are shrinking. Sites used to be completely focused on Point 1 above in informing and educating visitors. It was about pushing information out like buckshot from a shotgun blast. Now we look at ways that we can drive visitors that know what they’re looking for and are closer to the point of making a decision about your specific product or service.

A contact form in your site is only one strategy to help generate leads. There are many, many other strategies that the Visual Blaze creative team can bring to the table. But the bottom line is, if your web presence does not have any dedicated components like contact forms, Twitter feeds, blogs, interactive info-graphics, surveys, etc. then those people are actively looking for that information somewhere. Can you afford to have that be your competition?

What is the difference, you ask? Quite simply Search Engine Optimized is the foundation that the website is built on and the Optimization comes in for the ongoing, data-driven maintenance for things like keywords, meta-data, etc.

Did you know that without a properly constructed site you limit the amount of Optimization your site can endure? Deservedly so, most people look at a website through their browser of choice and if it looks good that works. Well, in the realm of search engines looks aren’t everything! In fact, search engines couldn’t care less about how your site looks and is more interested in what your site says! To further that thought, search engines want to EASILY know what you are trying to say. The easier it is to read, the easier to index.

Therefore the more Optimized your website is from the beginning will make ongoing Search Engine Optimization that much more effective.

We are excited to share with you our latest Visual Blaze website!

Why the change? Well, our first site (still online for you to visit) was intended to be a viral marketing piece. Something out of the ordinary to capture attention and have people say, “Woah, that is really cool and stand out from the crowd”. It was fun to build a site based around stop-gap animation.

As we have grown over the past couple of years, a common element exists between the sites we have been developing: fun, interactive AND optimized for search engines. Since we are building these sites for our clients why not build one for ourselves?

Just like our first version, though, we wanted to make certain to separate our look and feel from the crowded world of web development. A quick overview of the core components:

• Search engine friendly
• Interactive (check out the contact form!)
• Unique design
• Scalable
• Social Media Integration (follow us on Twitter)

If you, too, find yourself in a highly competitive industry that relies heavily on Internet marketing, this Indianapolis web development firm can help you stand out and be recognized.