The 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing Blog

Clearer Website Design For Bloomberg LP May 26, 2011 – 8:00 am				Abdul Fattah Ismail

Bloomberg, the financial data services hub, launched a new website this week.  The website redesign, as this article from the Journal points out, is indicative of a shift in content presentation.  After acquiring Business Week last year, a wider consumer demographic is their goal for future earnings.  The Wall Street Journal itself made this transition from a rugged financial source to one with a wider editorial perspective when News Corp purchased it some time ago.  From an online strategic view, it makes sense that Bloomberg become a more sophisticated portal of digital content. The content has potential for strong online advertising gain, specifically in larger interactive placements. Consumers can check real-time currency rates, listen to podcasts on government policy, and view livestream video.

Hardcore fans of the previous black mnemonic interface will find a new crisp, white background balanced with space on both sides.  Market data streams on the top banner, updating in real-time.  Banner display ads are not overwhelming in the top and right panels.  In the middle, you have a mix of Flash banners leading to feature stories of the moment. Several headlines to relevant sectors fit into two columns, making it simple for readers to quickly scan while scrolling down the page.  It is a smart interface strategy for a brand which hold a deep reservoir of content.

Web analysts will see a rise in time spent on the page, and clicks go to a solitary landing page with the search engine optimized for news, quotes, and opinion pieces.  As you enter your query, a short menu of matching keywords shows below until you hit return. The return button lists your index results according to relevance or date. When searching for stock data, enter the symbol, where you’ll get a short panel of company news along with a large interface of performance data with landing pages of historical quotes and graphs.  A beginner with minimal knowledge is capable of interpreting the data. Be mindful, however, of searching for a stock quote from a news result query.  You will have to go back to the original search engine on the home page.

This is merely a small quibble which could be adjusted after feedback is reviewed. Otherwise, I think Bloomberg has potential in becoming the premiere hub of information. Click on the photo to experience the new site.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing, blog, Business News, Flash, Website Design | 1 Comment »
Tags: Blueliner Marketing, digital marketing agency nyc, web design new york, web marketing new york

The Advantage Of Minimalist Website Design May 23, 2011 – 12:57 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

The word minimalism is defined by a reduction of tone. In music specifically, according to Dictionary.com, minimalism utilizes only simple sonorities, rhythms, and patterns. Repetition and hypnotism surface through motion.

How does this theme apply to website design? This structure carries a lot more weight than many consider today. As we know, the world is cluttering the senses.  Minimalist design can pay dividends for the UX (user experience) while growing your brand equity.

First, a digital marketing producer must speak with the website designer about the fundamentals. Creators know these by heart: color, layout, white space, graphics, and typography.

This writer discusses how to apply minimalist aesthetes to your site, leading to improved traffic and ultimately revenue.  I will list a few short examples flowing into the root piece.

Color

Color choice is not only an important strategy for appeal. It also unifies the visual experience. Horner recommends using a minimum palette base of black, white, and grey.  This allows a single accent color to have a greater impact. Contrast is key to generating a more dynamic, sensual expression.

Layout

Cleanliness is godliness when it comes to layout.  It is important to maintain some white space to honor category differentiation. Fonts must be able to display cleanly across platforms, since people view content from multiple sources. Mobile marketers must keep this in mind when constructing their site architecture.

Logo

The logo must be cemented since it is the symbol representing a company. It encompasses the mission, reflects brand strategy, and hints at product development. A minimal logo can speak fluent notes to an observing customer. If you inquire with the United Colors of Benetton, I bet their executives preach that less is more. Click on Benetton to receive more minimalist design tips.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing, blog, Flash, web development, Website Design | No Comments »
Tags: Blueliner Marketing, digital marketing agency nyc, Website Design

MYHABIT Debuts Through Amazon: My User Review May 11, 2011 – 4:27 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

As an Amazon Prime member, you receive tremendous benefits and exclusive, including accelerated shipping delivery for millions of items.  If you are a college student, the membership fee of $79 is waived.  One more benefit includes a membership to the new flash sale portal: MYHABIT.

I received the email today about this e-commerce portal from Amazon, and figured that I would give a short review.  The competitors include Gilt Groupe, Ideeli, and other flash sites.  The website design effuses minimalism from many angles.  You see few diversions in font type or color scheme.  Navigability includes drop-down menus to segmented pages of product for men, women, and children. The load time was pretty swift.  Product photographs display excellent lighting to reveal fabric texture.  I do wonder about the lack of social media widgets. You can follow through Facebook and Twitter, but no option for YouTube is available.  The online product mix includes seasonal clothing from nominal designers like Report Collection, Rebecca Minkoff, and Rare Editions.

I think that an introductory video to describe the mission behind MYHABIT would have been a good brand differentiation strategy, much less online video advertising.  I mention this last statement because Gilt Group is still investing in new consumer products, valuing itself at $1 billion this year. The article in the Wall Street Journal mentions that the flash e-commerce industry is getting saturated with copycat websites along with corporate investors reaching for that high-end level. Inventory for luxury goods is coming off of shelves at full price, affecting the online trader’s purchasing flexibility.

Overall, it is doubtful if Amazon will emerge as a serious player in the e-commerce private sales industry.  A lot more vision must take place in terms of the label inventory and market segmentation since it is so dynamic. Take a look by clicking the logo. Come back to give thoughts.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing, blog, Business News, Flash, Interactive Marketing, Marketing, Website Design | No Comments »
Tags: Blueliner Marketing, digital marketing agency nyc, Digital Media, ecommerce development agency, Website Design, website development agency

Build Your Projection. Stimulate Your Senses. With Wrigley May 11, 2011 – 2:21 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

Wrigley’s is building an interesting pitch for its new ’5′ chewing gum product.  The British confectioner is using a dynamic range of electronic music disc jockeys and entertainers to stimulate senses, hopefully ending with high sales.   Wrigley is making a strong push with the ’5′ gum, guaranteeing it holds the longest flavor stimulation on the marketplace.  Wrigley developed a new social media menu along with adding interactive flash elements to their new website. You also have close to forty pages of building projections to observe with digital tracks. If the tracks are not your speed, you can toggle them off while experiencing the shows.

In South Africa specifically, Wrigley’s is allowing users to create their own building projection. Those who create their own illustration can have it shown in Cape Town or Johannesburg. Winning creatives will be contacted of the show location.

Mobile application users also have the option of downloading the Nightjar from iTunes. The UK and South Africa seem to be the only marketplaces holding the campaign at the moment.  Experience the 5 below.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing, blog, Business News, Flash, Graphic Design, Interactive Marketing, Marketing, Social Media Marketing | No Comments »
Tags: Blueliner Marketing, digital marketing agency, flash website news, new york interactive marketing agency, social media marketing agency, website development agency

2011 Spring Webinar Series: Web Design Trends, Thursday, April 21 April 15, 2011 – 12:25 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

A website is the sentry to information online. Whether it is through your laptop, smartphone, or tablet, a good website is your first campaign. A strong site broadcasts your strengths. The user experience must have several items that stand apart from the internet sea. A unified color palette is underrated but crucial. Potential customers spend an average of 15 seconds reviewing an unfamiliar web portal. Color stimulates the senses at the start, then functionality is the next phase. You want an interface that is navigable, meaning that with one click, you can access another landing page with pertinent information. Your services should be legible on the home page. A couple of clicks should access the valued content of your site.

Blueliner Marketing specializes in website design amongst other digital strategies. Our CEO Arman Rousta is hosting a free webinar on Thursday, April 21st. Long experienced in consulting with graphic designers and programmers, Rousta will give you an insider’s perspective on the development of a website. He’ll explain how to organize your site map, build the architecture, and many other details to help get you started. Click the button below for more details and to register.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing, blog, Business News, Flash, Website Design | No Comments »
Tags: 2011 spring webinar series, arman rousta, blueliner webinars, digital marketing agency nyc, green web design, riyaad edoo, web design agency, web marketing new york

Does RIM Have A Winning Playbook? January 10, 2011 – 5:09 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

Research In Motion opened up their Playbook to CES trade show participants over the weekend.  Executives are looking to offer the sleek, slight device to longstanding Blackberry customers for easy integration between devices.  Other companies have debuted tablets over the last few months, but Blackberry has unique differences.  

RIM is maintaining its strong security protocol standards with the Playbook, as it does with other devices in their portfolio.  This will prove advantageous to web developers that are concerned with the open source platform of Android, where little restrictions exist. From the start, developers get a solid standard of quality without sacrificing proprietary control as Apple executives demand for the iAd.  Adobe Flash Interactive, a major source of contention with Apple, is a key point in differentiation for tablet users, as it allows interactivity with a simple finger swipe.  Blackberry users can multitask through applications, play music, and upload videos.  The device is also light in size, fitting easily into the palm of your hand.

Despite all of this promise, the jury is still out on RIM’s marketing strategy for the tablet.  It is unclear if solely targeting the Blackberry customer base will generate enough revenue since they use the least amount of applications.  The App World grew approximately at 543% from 2009, but still has only 18,000 total applications, trailing even Nokia by 7,000.  Third-party developers are being asked to handle a lot of the software creation, but the incentives may leave them wanting more.

On the other hand, business customers should be content with the current package.  They could find the improved 5-megapixel camera useful for its dual viewpoints, including frontal.  Videoconferencing is a possibility, and rumor has it that Skype is already located inside the Playbook.  Apart from that, RIM may have to target different bases in order to gain market share for the Playbook.  They have a current marketing campaign with mashup DJ Diplo.  The emergence of online video advertising could create an opportunity for the brand to explore the peripatetic nature of his music enterprise.  I think that a commercial unit with exclusive audio and visual clips for both the smartphones and tablet is a starting pillar.  We will see if the Playbook has enough strategy to last in the tablet playoffs. Here’s the latest demonstration from CES 2011.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in blog, Business News, Flash, Interactive Marketing, Mobile Applications, Mobile Marketing | No Comments »
Tags: blackberry, digital marketing agency nyc, flash interactive, internet marketing ny, research in motion

Weekly Blueliner Newsminer November 5, 2010 – 2:28 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

Good afternoon, everyone. We have another edition of the Weekly Blueliner Newsminer.  Let’s begin.

1.  Microsoft Kinect Launches Nationwide

The Kinect was released yesterday by Microsoft, and it aims to promote a whole new interactive experience where entertainment and communication merge to free consumers from gadgetry.  I spoke yesterday in more detail about the product, which can be found in the title. Microsoft has been aggressive in promoting their new products on several channels, through social media and e-commerce stores such as Amazon.  As the holiday season approaches, we’ll see the effectiveness of their efforts.

2.  Blekko Arrives To Slash

Blekko is a new beta search engine that aims to reduce spam content in your search list by using the slashtag.  I discussed the search engine in greater detail this week, and although the premise is good, I feel like it is more of a specialized engine for digital professionals.  In order to segment your searches properly, one must create their own slashtag by linking it to a specific URL, which seems to counter the current search trends which are running algorithms for consumers to interact less e.g. Google Instant.  I am not sure that the average person is interested in taking those steps to have a deeply personalized search.  One must also be careful of making sure that their slashtag is public or private. After you designate the tag public, it is permanent.  Beta sites always have funky glitches to be mindful, so it will be interesting to see their future development.

3.  H&M Launches Lanvin Collection Online

This week, the new collaboration between H&M and the French house Lanvin set the blogosphere on fire.  H&M has done these collaborations the last few Novembers to spur foot traffic and generate visibility for haute couture designers.  For Lanvin, they are using a higher price point for the collection pieces, which will improve profit margins but may decrease unit sales.  If unit sales beat expectations, then a good earnings report should surface come early 2011.  This time, H&M opened the lookbook to its fans with a vivid display of the collection in a dollhouse setting.  The website design is a tour de force of Flash, although the subject headings on the top right and left margins blend in with the color scheme and overlap messily.  H&M does not run an e-commerce store online in the States, but word is that will change in the near future.

4.  Privacy Breach Tops Google Index List

Google is guilty of crossing the line of personal data collection from wireless networks.  The cars that Google uses to catch Street View footage collected data from sources such as emails, usernames, passwords, and the like.  The FTC made a ruling that Google should halt the campaign immediately, but Google has yet to formally comply in public and private.

These incidents are appearing in the headlines constantly as consumers uses several channels to collect information on goods and services.  Technological firms are trying to keep up with one another in this race to tailor their online advertising campaigns, which will increase traffic, reset PPC rates, and so forth. Google may have taken a clandestine methodology in its acquisition of personal data.  Now, the search giant gets subject to further blockage in the European market, which has not been welcoming to the penetration of Google’s local strategy.  Be careful what you type for.

5.  Facebook Deals A Hand to Places

Facebook added further segmentation to its burgeoning application, Places.  The new “Deals” feature looks to align corporate entities with consumers that are purveyors of their products.  Gap started a promotion of giving away 10,000 pairs of free denim for those who check in with their iPhone or Android smartphone.  Currently, the four types of deals include these subjects:  Individual, Friend, Loyalty, and Charity. Facebook executives are seeking future partnerships that will manifest themselves into more chances over time.  At the moment, deals can be found with Chipotle, McDonalds, and 24 Hour Fitness.  For iPhone users, a quick refresh enables you to score by location, location, location.

That’s the Blue news this week.  See you next time.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in blog, Business News, Click Fraud, Digital Media, Flash, Interactive Marketing, Marketing, Mobile Marketing, Pay Per Click (PPC), Search Engine Optimization, Website Design, World | 1 Comment »
Tags: digital marketing agency nyc, facebook deals, h&m lanvin, internet marketing ny, seo media agency nyc, website design agency, website flash, weekly biueliner newsminer

Chew on Mint.com’s Fresh Data October 28, 2010 – 1:47 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

A couple of years ago, Blueliner CEO Arman Rousta discussed the sleek minimalism of Mint.com as a website. It has improved my money management on simple levels due to its clear interface.  The website design has been lauded by experts, and Mint has engineered a new level of online money management in an age where thrift is king.  You can manage all of your accounts online whether they are property, savings, or loan accounts.  They also offer a smorgasboard of services that could save you fees in the future.  As a synergic triumph of e-commerce and financial management, Mint is highly recommended. Currently, Mint is not charging for its services, but that could change as it popularity grows.

The web designers at Mint are back with a fresh vein on the leaf.  MintData aggregates the budgetary habits of their anonymous members nationwide, tracking trade at businesses while analyzing the trends.  The new website gives the member a keen understanding of our consumer habits along with an opportunity to see the straw that stirs our economy.  In short, it uses a similar algorithm that is applied on the individual and branches it out for the Mint community at-large.  With only 4 million users, Mintdata is a sample size of working professionals that have consistent access to cyberspace. They are a factor in our demographic, and have the ability to push the marketplace.  If interested in analyzing commercial business data, or just want to observe purchasing trends at your local Brother Jimmy’s BBQ, crunch some leaves here.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in blog, Business News, Flash, web 2.0, web development, Website Design | No Comments »
Tags: arman rousta, Blueliner Marketing, brother jimmy's bbq, mint.com, mintdata.com, new york e-commerce agency, new york website design agency, online financial management, web 2.0, web 2.0 design, Website Design

Web Development: Respond: React October 14, 2010 – 3:13 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

Nowadays, with content streaming through various channels, maintaining a quality website is more critical than ever to marketing success.  People want an interface that has a linear theme telling a story in the development of a brand and its portfolio of products. When a firm has a website with a lacking user experience, the consumer will gladly move online, knowing that someone will meet their needs. Ben Gremillion, a writer for Smashing Magazine, discusses the importance of applying test feedback to gage your design abilities along with understanding the quality of your presentation.  He asks some key questions in several themes:  Does this piece serve a purpose or solve a problem? Is it easy to use? Is it meaningful? Is it clear?

1.  Regular Upkeep or Rigorous Pruning

This sounds easier than done, but with technology advancing at light speed, it is paramount.  Your customers’ needs and access to content changes with the passing of time.  It is critical to constantly research new software advancement and see if they fit in with the mission of your website.  Otherwise it is much ado about nothing.

2.  Ponder the Questions

The thought above may seem silly or impractical, but in the long run, you can minimize customer service by anticipating the errors before they come into existence.  Gremillion lists a few thoughts that can go a long way towards expediting the design and empowering your user experience.

1.  Turning the ‘About’ page into your home page.

2.  Turn the website sidebar into a footer

3.  Swapping the colors of the heading and background

For more details on his thoughts, click the Smashing logo.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in blog, Flash, Graphic Design, Interactive Marketing, Marketing, web development, Website Design | No Comments »
Tags: seo friendly website design, smashing magazine, website design agency nyc

What Game Do You Play On Facebook? September 30, 2010 – 10:10 am				admin

There is no doubt, on reading the latest news in Telegraph UK, that more than 200 million users are playing social games on Facebook each month. The so called social games on Facebook are on the rise these days as Facebook is the most popular social networking site at present. Zuckerberg said at Facebook’s gaming event that“despite being in the top five that people like, social games are also in the top five things people hate”. Read the full news here.

Here is a list of social games on Facebook that I picked up based on reviews and voting from friends and others.

o    Farmville
A virtual world game developed by Zynga is the top social media game available on the Internet right now. With a small piece of land and money, users can start playing this game. 11 million active daily users reported.

o    Mafia wars
Be your own Mafia boss, do jobs, earn money and buy weapons. This is idea behind this game. Developed by Zynga and with about 4 million active users daily, this is the second on list of popular games on Facebook.

o    Zynga Poker
This is another social game from Zynga, where you can play poker with your friends and win daily bonus. This game has attracted players from more countries with about 30 million active monthly users.

o    Yoville
Just like the ones above, Yoville from Zynga is another virtual world game that allows users to create personal avatars, Yovillians who can play games, chat, attend events and interact with friends.

o    Pet Society
This free game from Playfish allows the users to create their own pets, involving in activities and earning coins to buy cool stuff. Pet society has about 13 million active monthly users.

o    Word Challenge
Another social game from Playfish is Word Challenge, where you are asked to create 3-6 letter words from the given 6 letters. Players are awarded a ranking based on the results for a comparison with their friends.

o    KickMania
The animated Kick Ass game on Facebook where every kick is unique and fun filled. A lot of people are playing this game developed by The Broth.

o    Happy Aquarium
This is a cool social game on Facebook with 12 million active users who can adopt a cute baby fish, watch them grow and build a happy aquarium.

The above list is a small one and soon this may increase in numbers. Now, go ahead and add the one you are really addicted to play and do it again.

Posted by admin
Posted in blog, Content Marketing, Flash, Interactive Marketing, Social Media Marketing, web 2.0 | No Comments »
Tags: Content Marketing, facebook, Farmville, Mohamed Mohideen, Playfish, Social Games, Social Media Marketing, The Broth, Zynga