The Web has caused the adoption of software plug-ins to proliferate like never before. Millions of users have installed plug-ins and are now getting an experience different than the one contemplated by the original authoring software company. The following are a few examples of popular plug-ins that are leading this change:  

Browser Toolbars: Since coming into the scene, toolbars have taken the Internet world by storm. It was recently reported that over 50% of the web surfing world now has a browser toolbar installed. And boy, are toolbars impactful! According to ComScore, 11% of US searches are generated via toolbar searches. Everyone in the search business understands the impact of the browser toolbar; with Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, AOL, and Ask all having meaningful entries into the market. The most popular toolbars are the general interest toolbars provided by these companies, which makes sense given the limited amount of real estate on the browser chrome itself.

Layer Applications: This is a newer phenomenon that your average interactive marketing professional hasn’t yet heard of, but this technology solves a real current user problem. Users are running out of space on their browser chrome due to the heavy marketing by the aforementioned browser toolbar players. A layer application is a browser add-on that creates virtual layers that can be edited to create the appearance of having made changes to the underlying website. The functionality is dependent on the website you visited and the layer application that you installed, and therefore doesn’t have to be present on each and every website a user visits. One good example of such an application comes from StumbleUpon, which modifies Google search results page with StumbleUpon’s discover shortcut, user ratings, etc. The key with StumbleUpon’s application is that it provides these additional features in addition to those available to all users who might be running web search with Google that didn’t have the plug-in installed. Another layer application, from a widely recognized communication player, was cited as generating over 5% of this company’s sales, from a credible source I recently spoke with. Based on the size of this communication company, the impact based on my estimate of the layer app, was in the multiple millions annually. These types of applications are no doubt going to have a very high impact for the software and internet media firms who take advantage of their capabilities.

Media Player Plug-ins: Lastly, I wanted to touch on some interesting other plug-ins, as plug-ins don’t simply have to be for the web browser. Several innovative firms have adapted plug-ins for the most common media players. Among my favorites are Soundcrank, which features hi-res album artwork, lyrics, and sharing features for its users. Another favorite is SoundSpectrum, which provides its users with advanced music visuals for iTunes and other popular music software. And the last media player plug-in I wanted to point out is iLike, which has more of a social networking flair. iLike provides concert information, music, and videos from your favorite artists.

If you haven’t considered how software plug-ins can support your software or interactive media strategy, please contact someone at W3i via info@W3i.com and we’d be happy to consult with you.

Rob Weber, Vice President of Business Development and Co-Founder, W3i, LLC
Rob is an Internet marketing pioneer with over eight, profitable years evolving W3i (owner of Freeze.com) in the Integrated Interactive Media industry. 

New phones are driving explosive (2x to 10x+) mobile internet usage growth.

What can you do to maximize your user engagement with this audience?  Take into considersation these factors when designing your website:

1)      Smaller and Different Proportioned Screen Resolutions

2)      Bandwidth Limitations

3)      Similar Multi-Channel User Interface

Screen resolutions are dramatically different on your phone.  Web designers have long designed their pages to fit the lowest, but still predominant, PC screen size which is usually some multiple of 4×3 (Ex: 800 x 600 pixels).  Several common mobile phone resolutions are:  128 × 160 pixels,  176 × 220 pixels, 240 × 320 pixels, and 320 × 480 pixels (iPhone).   These multiples vary from a 4×3 and are not consistent.  To adjust for this, you should consider a single column design.

In addition, you should consider scaling back your use of images. Mobile connection speeds are significantly lagging behind fixed broadband speeds, which are now the norm with PC users in the U.S. If you are going to offer a mobile-only website, design it with the above listed factors in mind; and you will allow for a more consistent user interface when your website is accessed from each of these channels.

For example, Facebook is coming out with a new iPhone application in September which looks very similar to the their website.   You can see from this article (http://venturebeat.com/2008/08/20/facebooks-forthcoming-iphone-app-to-be-more-like-its-web-site-that-site-redesign-was-no-coincidence/) how similar the application is to their website, leading to an easier adoption by users.

Ryan Weber, Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Co-Founder, W3i Holdings, LLC
Ryan is an internet marketing pioneer with over eight profitable years evolving W3i (owner of Freeze.com) in the Integrated Interactive Media industry.

W3i is proud to be a part of comScore’s Trees for Knowledge initiative which recently announced it had sponsored over one million trees being planted through their partnership with non-profit Trees for the Future.

W3i has supported comScore’s efforts by offering its users the choice to download comScore’s RelevantKnowledge desktop application while downloading W3i desktop applications, such as W3i’s Green Earth Wallpapers, which are processed by W3i’s Install IQ technology.

Others are also getting in the game by creating their own cool “green” desktop applications including GreenPrint, a desktop application which helps users save money by eliminating unwanted pages saving paper, ink, money, and millions of trees. Additionally, Snap.com has been marketing their CO2 Saver, which saves energy when its user’s computers are running idle.

For all of the negative publicity surrounding the interactive media industry and online privacy, it is good to see socially responsible companies pitching in to do their part.

Have you asked yourself why the iPhone deserves so much attention?  I’m not talking about whether or not the phone is fashionable. Plenty of phones are fashionable and are very successful, but the iPhone is more than just a fashion statement.

I will present a few reasons why the iPhone deserves your attention.  

1. Multiple Increase in Mobile Internet Usage – The iPhone breaks down the two largest barriers for mobile internet usage:  a great mobile internet user experience and the fact that all iPhone service plans have unlimited data usage.  It’s not an incremental improvement in mobile internet usage, the impact is much greater with frequent recognized gains by a factor of 2x to 10x+.  The improvement is documented whether you are considering advertising click through rates, accessing websites, searching the internet, etc.
   • In an interview with AdMob’s CEO, he mentioned that they are seeing a 300% improvement in CTR and eCPM with their mobile ad inventory served over the iPhone.
      
2. iPhone continues to Increase Market Share –  The iPhone is in a position to continue gaining market share as they have recently dropped the price of the phone to $99 and continue to innovate.
     
3. iPhone Represents Next Generation Devices – The iPhone doesn’t need a meaningful share of the market to have a much grander influence.  The leading device manufacturers are all looking to clone the iPhone’s capabilities and so these new devices will accelerate the adoption of devices that take advantage of the increase in mobile internet usage.

4. AOL Thinks It’s The Right Move – Kevin Conroy, Executive Vice President of Products and Marketing, recently announced that AOL would sunset their MyMobile product in favor of concentrating development on key devices such as the iPhone and Blackberry.   

I hope you have a new appreciate the next time you see an iPhone story; I certainly do. 

Ryan Weber, Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Co-Founder, W3i Holding, LLC

Ryan is an internet marketing pioneer with over eight profitable years evolving W3i (owner of Freeze.com) in the Integrated Interactive Media industry.