In Defense of Splash Pages

When it comes to website design, I’m a big proponent of usability.  I like sites that load quickly, present me with clear choices and minimize graphics and Flash.  I believe the design should serve the content, and that anything that gets between the user and the information they are looking for should be removed.  This focus on usability is the overall philosophy of The Bivings Group, although I probably take it to the extreme in my preference for minimalism.

Generally speaking, this focus on usability serves the needs of both the client and the end user.  Online branding is more than just soothing colors, cool photos and catchy slogans.  How people perceive your brand online is largely determined by whether they find what they are looking for.  In most cases usability equals good branding.

However, there are times when the needs of the site owners and the visitors diverge.  Splash pages are one such example.  Continue reading “In Defense of Splash Pages” »

Demystifying the Social Medianess – Part 1

While waiting for an oil change, I heard a business man mumble on his cell, “We’ve got to figure out how to use this social medianess.”

Medianess is not word, but what a great way to classify something. Just add “ness” to the end, and somehow social media seems to be safer and friendlier to talk about.

What I took away from the conversation was that this gentleman was both very excited and very confused about social media. This seems to be happening a lot lately. Businesses, organizations, and people, who until recently never gave social media the time of day, are now scrambling trying to figure it out.

Is this really any surprise? I mean for the longest time things were done a certain way. Then in the blink of an eye, the game changed and many have been forced to change and are struggling to adapt.

For those of us who have already made the transition to this space, it’s easy to point fingers at the mistakes made by others.

However, I would argue that it is our responsibility to help those who are less familiar with this landscape make the transition. Sounds great, but how do we do that? We start by demystifying the smoke and mirrors that have been built around social media.

We can not simply throw a life line and yell, “Swim!” By taking on the task of helping others responsibly, we start building bridges. And as the communication builds, the doors begin to open.

Then all of a sudden, that businessman gets it and he no longer needs to add the “ness”.

So, as this discussion continues, we’ll have a series of posts that will help demystify and breakdown what this whole social medianess thing is really about. What are your thoughts? Are there specific topics we should cover? Next we’ll take a look at the essence of social media.