Posts by James Davidson
Semantic Web – what is it, and how did we get here?
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hit The Ice video 
The modern website can do some amazing things for your business. It’s truly evolved from an online brochure into one of the major marketing engines and key drivers for growing your business.
To understand how we got from simple marketing sites to complex modern web applications, let’s take a quick walk down memory lane.
The web, in its 1.0 flavor, offered static content and little interactivity. A business would translate its traditional marketing collateral into a series of web pages (brochureware) that were rarely updated, and communication was generally one to many (broadcast). This technique was cumbersome and costly to maintain. It also didn’t scale well as sites grew.
To combat this problem the web evolved in the late ’90s into its 1.5 flavor. The introduction of web programming languages (such as Perl, ASP and PHP) and database connectivity allowed for dynamic content that was centralized and easily updated via a web administration system versus a developer. The underlying theme here is that content became easier to manage and publish more frequently. Databases allowed for the introduction of two-way communication on websites via message boards and self-help applications like FAQ’s and forms. The first generation of web software applications — such as content management systems (CMS) and Ecommerce — were introduced. Unfortunately, the cost of entry generally prohibited most small to medium companies from adopting them.
The next evolution (or should I say revolution?) on the web was Web 2.0. For the first time sites allowed users to interact with the website and contribute to its content. Search engine optimization (SEO) became a major factor in any redesign — site structures and content were highly optimized to gain higher organic rankings on search engines. Community features were introduced, including blogs, ratings, wikis, comments, threaded discussions and groups. Technologies such as web services, XML and RSS were added to allow content to be decentralized and syndicated. Sites also became a little smarter, offering different ways to navigate content by offering related or suggestive content and filtered navigation.
The Prince of Tides So, the question is, where are we now? What is the term being used to describe the next generation of web applications? And what technology separates this evolution from its predecessors? The term that the industry has settled on for the next generation website is the “Semantic Web”. Wikipedia has a great summary of this:
The Worlds Fastest Indian divx
The Semantic Web is an evolving extension of the World Wide Web in which the semantics of information and services on the web is defined, making it possible for the web to understand and satisfy the requests of people and machines to use the web content. It derives from W3C director Tim Berners-Lee’s vision of the Web as a universal medium for data, information, and knowledge exchange.
Google’s iGoogle
platform is a great example of this technology. It allows you to create your own, completely customizable web dashboard. You can add custom content tailored to your specific needs via RSS feeds, applications and widgets (from Google and 3rd parties). All of your settings are saved for repeat visits. At its heart the Semantic Web is the introduction of the “smart website.” Content is highly targeted to individual needs and desires and can be accessed via any number of media, including the traditional web browser, PDA or smart phones. It is the dawn of a new and exciting era online — one that empowers us with access to personalized information on demand, helping us keep up-to-date in the increasingly fast-paced lives we lead.
Reviews of popular Open Source CMS solutions
Last month fellow HD blogger, Gretchen, broached the topic of “What is the best CMS?
” which stirred up some good debate in the comments. The question of CMS selection and approach comes up all the time. Everyone has their two cents on whether your project requires you to buy, build or go the Open Source route. To add to the discussion I wanted to reference an article
1492: Conquest of Paradise movie download in the latest edition of Adobe’s Edge newsletter that reviews some of the popular Open Source content management systems.
The article’s list of CMS solutions is, by no means, exhaustive or comprehensive — it only focuses on systems that run on Apache, MySQL and PHP architecture including: CMS Made Simple, Drupal, Joomla!, Wordpress and XOOPS. That being said, it is helpful and a nice quick way to compare and contrast some popular Open Source solutions. Enjoy!
Community – He who has the most friends wins
As I was thinking of a title for this blog I considered using the “… is King” analogy but it seems the CMS industry has beaten that term to death.
It’s clear with the major success of sites like MySpace
that community and social networking is big business. The marketing world is working hard to find ways to leverage this model for clients. It’s no doubt that when community and social networking tools are thought through and integrated successfully the investment can pay for itself rather quickly by connecting you directly with your customer to grow a relationship that allows you to gain amazing insights.
There are a lot of different concepts to consider when looking at social networking for brands. Instead of listing them all I’m going to borrow from (and summarize) the framework provided in Razorfish’s 2008 Digital Report
using their “The six “C’s of social influence marketing” model.
- download Inside the Koran Boogeyman release
- Content
Content can come in many forms: video, wallpapers, badges, avatars, widgets and information. Authenticity and transparency is critical. Allow your content to be de-centralized (Syndication via RSS or embed). - Customization
Include elements where users can define themselves. Allow users to generate and customize their own content (blogs, comments, threaded discussions, etc). Empower consumers to express themselves. - Community
Give users a reason to interact. Provide unique content, value or engagement. Leverage relational social networking content on brand sites. - Conversation
Build a network of advocates. Using advocates to build new relationships = sales. Accept negative feedback and conversation. Intervene in a problem before it escalates. - Commerce
Gremlins 2: The New Batch divx
Must be soft sold. Consumers do not want a hard sell; any integration from your e-store must be subtle not blatant. Offer coupons, related content or links to store. - Commitment
It requires ongoing customer communication. Solicit feedback on products & services. Add more value to customers. Enhance brand reputation. Enable brand advocacy.
Before looking to embrace the benefits of community and social media you need to consider a solid strategy. A commitment to community requires an all or nothing approach. Provide your customer with a framework and tools that enable conversation and interaction. Don’t forget to invest in updating content that is rich and authentic and adding features that will keep your users coming back.
Humminbird Goes Live
Six months ago Hanson Dodge Creative began working with Humminbird on the complete redesign of their website. Our research and resulting strategy recommendations were simple:
The Ilsa Wicked Warden trailer – Selling online was critical to future success of their business
- Consolidation of the systems and data captured by the website would streamline the process of updating and communicating directly with their customers
- They had a community of enthusiasts who loved their product and wanted to engage with them directly
- Rich content and media was key to providing a deeper customer experience
download Planes, Trains & Automobiles movie The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland trailer
The result? On January 10th we launched the new Humminbird website. Our client wrote a great blog that details the new features and functions of the site. Here is an excerpt from that post:
The Little Drummer Girl film The Viking Queen dvdrip download dvd
Here are just a few new features:
- New e-commerce store: Shop for and find the Humminbird products and accessories you want faster with advanced search and filtering. Experience our products with our new gallery viewer and download product manuals.
- Updated Support section: Register your Humminbird products, find Frequently Asked Questions and download the latest software updates.
- Leading Innovation: Everything you need to know about why our technology will help you catch more fish or locate structure.
- On the Water: Join our community: share in stories and information with our new blog. Plus, Meet our professional team and watch them in action on HBTV Rise of the Footsoldier dvdrip . You can also win Humminbird gear by sending us Gladiatress psp your Side Imaging screen shots!
- Company: Learn a little bit about our roots – check out our official area for media, including press releases, awards and job opportunities at Humminbird.
- Find a Dealer Breaking All the Rules ipod : Want to experience our Product in person? Check out our new dealer locator to find a dealer near you, it even maps the results!
Our website is built on a platform that allows us to continually update, refine and refresh the information. So please come back again and again, or you can always get latest news and updates sent to you directly by subscribing to our newsletter and our blog RSS feed.
We hope you like the improvements and as always welcome your continued feedback Downloading Nancy release
Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia psp .
Thank you and enjoy.