The challenge of using fonts on the web is not a new one (we discussed it most recently after SXSWi). For years designers and developers have been using the same 15 fonts on the web, only able to implement non-web fonts with workarounds like Flash text, javascript and text in images. Now, that's beginning to change.

In May, Google announced the launch of the Google Fonts API, which allows developers to use a select number of web fonts in their pages. All the fonts in the Google Font Directory have open source licenses so they can be used on any website, from a private blog to a large commercial site.

You can check out the full list of fonts that are part of the Google Web Font API here: http://code.google.com/webfonts.

The Portland office loves a practical joke or two... While Jeremy and Aaron were out of the office for their annual partner meeting, we took the liberty of redecorating their offices. Check out the story below (thanks to my wife!) to see how it all turned out.

There once were five boys who worked hard all day.

Two went out and three stayed to play.

(Aaron's office)

(Jeremy's Office)

Two more left leaving one all by himself.

(Justin's Desk)

So he shifted the blame onto somebody else.

(Scott's Desk)  

We’re always looking for new ways to extend the reach of the web world, and we’re very excited about the potential concerning 2d printed codes. These codes allow mobile users (with the right scanning application) to point their phone at a code and immediately visit a URL, call a number or send a text. 

Who will win the top spot in terms of acceptance across the US and international sites? QR codes already have a head start in Japan and Google has added QR codes to their map world allowing people to scan a code and identify it as a favorite place.

Both have strengths and weaknesses. Here are just a few of our findings so far:

• QR codes support a higher variety of code types (email address, sms, geo coordinates)
• MS Tags can be printed significantly smaller
• QR codes are an open standard, so you can make a variety of different kinds of tags
• MS Tags have analytics built in since they all go through a single data system
• QR codes can be read by a variety of readers already deployed across many platforms, while MS Tags can be read by a single reader (developed by MS but available on major phone platforms)
• The detail in a QR code can cause issues with phones that have weaker cameras, while the simplicity of the MS Tag allows it to be read under tougher conditions
• Both can be integrated into applications for on-the-fly code generation and rendering

It’s hard to tell which one may end up being the industry standard, even though QR codes have a nice head start. We will keep watching and playing to see how this can enhance the overall experience for you and your customers!

It comes as no surprise that as Facebook continues to evolve it is creating more ways to bring our friends and acquaintances together, even outside the confines of the network. For many users, this is a dream come true, allowing our sphere of influence to impact all aspects of our online experience, from hearing songs our friends like on Pandora to seeing our friends’ reviews on Yelp. 

The new Facebook plugins allow websites to incorporate familiar Facebook activities such as “Like” and “Recommend” into their sites. As of last week, over 100,000 websites have incorporated the new plugins resulting, for many, in increased site traffic.

While the plugins allow other sites to offer the same personalization that we love experiencing on Facebook, it is not achieved without some controversy and ardent debate. Facebook continues to mitigate significant privacy concerns, including a backlash of users coordinating mass “Quit Facebook” days.

We each have a different comfort level regarding our privacy and the Web. Be aware of your personal privacy settings and set them accordingly to match your comfort level. Click here for answers to questions surrounding the new social plugins.

Online reviews are commonplace, from company sites to social networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Unmonitored reviews from customers may have been a fear of companies in the past, but today they must be embraced. A recent eMarketer interview with Denise Zimmerman of NetPlus Marketing, Inc. highlights tactics for addressing any less-than-stellar reviews that might surface about your company.

"Reviews were positive for the business. If you had a good product and you were a good company, the positive reviews far outweighed the negative ones. You also got valuable feedback about potential issues or problems with a product that you might not have gotten before. But the challenge for retailers was, what do you then do about it? And a lot of this is relevant to the larger social media picture." - Zimmerman

She says you have three options:

1. Ignore it.
2. Respond.
3. Take it down.

Sure, one and three may seem a bit "anti-social," but they are clear options, and there are times when they are very appropriate. Companies should determine whether or not the review stemmed from an isolated event, or was potentially submitted by a "trouble maker." Based on this analysis, they can proceed with the best response.

Read the full interview here.

In our offices, we’ve got folks on the iPhone, Blackberry and Android. We’re always peeking at them during site development to make sure our sites aren’t completely useless to one of the fastest growing user markets.

One thing we continually notice is that often times, a mobile app is much more usable on our devices than a full website. Let’s face it – the screens are tiny, our fingers are giant and clumsy and when sites aren’t optimized for these devices, browsing them can get frustrating in a hurry.

Here’s an example of a mobile app on the iPhone for a news aggregation site called Fark (where I enjoy getting my humorous sports news headlines) and the same full website as viewed on a mobile browser. The advantage to using the app is that I can see the text without zooming, click easily and quickly access relevant content, or the main reason I visit Fark’s Sports headlines.

Fark App:

If I visit the full website on my phone, I get a junky experience. The site is unreadable without zooming: I have to move the screen to read anything when I am zoomed in, and I have to wait for extra graphics, banners and ads to load on the screen.

Fark Full Website: 

To me as a user, the advantage of the app is clear. But as a developer, it introduces the issue of possibly having to develop a website, as well as an app and maybe even a mobile version of the same site. Now it seems like I’d have to support three separate platforms for the same site. However, if sites like Fark would offer a mobile-friendly version, I’d be happy, and for the most part, both versions of the site would be fed by the same information infrastructure.

A great example of this is the mobile commerce site we developed for KEEN Footwear. By simply detecting whether someone is viewing the site on a mobile device, we are able to provide a simplified HTML experience within the browser that essentially delivers the same advantages of a mobile app! Clean, simple, readable.

KEEN Mobile Site:

As a developer and provider, developing a mobile version of a site is the clear winner. Regardless of the device, users get a pleasing, streamlined experience, without the provider having to support apps for an array of devices and platforms.

Congratulations to Rodeo Austin for winning another award for its redesigned website, this time by the Service Industry Advertising Group!

"Rodeo Austin was also awarded the Bronze Award in the Website division. In 2009, Rodeo Austin was proud to partner with Wright Strategies in redesigning RodeoAustin.com for 2010 to capture the true spirit of the organization. The interactive site allows visitors to learn anything about the organization and its events as well as listen to music from entertainers booked to perform during the 2010 event, create a custom schedule or send an e-greeting card featuring a Rodeo Austin event." - Rodeo Austin Press Release

Earlier this year, Rodeo Austin also won the Best Website Award from the Texas Association of Fairs and Events. We redesigned the award-winning website in 2009, using our new Saffire Software suite for events and ecommerce. You can visit our portfolio to learn more about the site! 

According to a recent eMarketer article, marketers need to be aware of the changing US Internet population. In 2010, eMarketer predicts that 71% of the total US population, 221 million people, will be online. By 2014, that number is expected to grow to 77%.

The characteristics of US Internet users are beginning to resemble those of the US population in general. The average age of Internet users is rising. In addition, growth is occurring among all races and ethnicities of online Americans, with racial and ethnic characteristics more closely mirroring the population as a whole.

According to Lisa E. Phillips, eMarketer senior analyst, “Marketers should use multicultural marketing campaigns to target Asian, black and Hispanic audiences, because most are proud of their heritage and appreciate marketers who reach out to them with cultural messages.”

As web developers, we spend a lot of time helping our clients figure out what’s most important so we can put it above the fold (meaning viewable on an “average” configuration without scrolling). This is incredibly important, since people spend about 80% of their time looking at information above the fold.

But horizontal placement is also important. According to user interface expert Jakob Nielson’s research, Web users spend 69% of their time viewing the left half of the page and 30% viewing the right half. This is good to know when designing a website, since it makes a more conventional layout more profitable.

Here are some things to consider:

• Keep navigation all the way to the left. This is where people look to find a list of current options.
• Keep the main content a bit further in from the left.
• The most important stuff should be showcased between one-third and halfway across the page. This is where users focus their attention the most.
• Keep secondary content to the right. It won't be seen as much here, but that's okay — not everything can get top billing, and you need a place to put less-important material. 

Of course, rules are made to be broken, but if you know the rules, you will have a better shot at a profitable website.

It’s usually design, user experience and high tech breakthroughs that take the cake as hot topics at SXSWi. This year, I was surprised (and delighted) to notice a content revolution taking place. The push? Treat content as a living, changing element of your website and your company’s overall online presence.

When we talk content, we’re not just referring to text on a page. Everything from the error messages that pop up on the site to video/audio clips fit under the content umbrella. Each piece of content should work together with the design and other site elements to enhance the user’s experience and engagement with your brand.

This sounds like a big task, and it is, but it’s doable. It all starts with content strategy. It may entail auditing the current content on your website and working from there to improve your cohesive messaging throughout the site.

The Content Strategy Plan:

Audit. Look at your website, Twitter, Facebook, microsites, etc. Check for relevancy and consistency. Anything redundant, outdated or trivial goes.

Ask. Why do you have this content? Who is it for? Who’s writing it? How often does it get updated?

Analyze. Take a look at your current content and determine what you need to create.

Align. Content does evolve. Create a plan for its life cycle, and involve the appropriate parties.

Assume responsibility. You are a publisher. Take responsibility for your content.

Interested in brainstorming ways that a content strategy plan or editorial calendar could enhance your brand online? Let us know!