So, you know you need to have a mobile app for your next campaign, but you don’t know where you should start. I asked Aleksey Cherfas, our top mobile app developer, to tell me what he thinks digital marketers need to know about app development, and he distilled his guidance around how to choose a platform, how to choose what type of technology to use, how do you determine what features to include in your mobile app, and how to drive continuous engagement.

One of the most important decisions in preparation for mobile app development is to decide which platforms you will target. Do you go for the iPhone OS, because everybody seems to be so hyped about the iPhone and iPad; Android, because you heard it is a promising open source platform; or the BlackBerry, just because this is what your boss uses? Regardless of whether you decide to cover multiple platforms right away or focus on just one from the beginning, you should start with analyzing your prospective users and the marketplace. Determine if you plan your app to have a global reach or focus on local markets and seek out device usage in those markets before committing to any particular device. A safe bet would be to single out one device to start with and then gradually expand to others, focusing on those that are more relevant to your domain.

Once you decide on the platform, you have at least three choices in terms of the type of applications you can develop. You can go for developing a native app, which takes advantage of platform specific functionality and design, arguably making it easier to operate for your users, though condemning your development effort to be very complex and technologically involved.

On the other end of the difficulty spectrum in the world of mobile app development are Web apps. These applications are Web pages that are rendered inside a mobile browser and capitalize on the browser’s multitouch technology for navigational interaction. Some basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is usually sufficient to build a simple and effective application. There are even frameworks that allow you to harness the power of JavaScript in mobile browsers without much effort. JQTouch, a jQuery plug-in for mobile app development, is one such framework.

Your third option is a combination; kind of a half-native, half-Web app where you would create a native app that uses a browser engine for rendering your content as Web pages but requires you to develop your own navigation instead of using built-in mobile browser navigation controls. This option is a little more technologically involved than a simple Web app. Because you are using a browser engine for displaying your content, the effort is not quite as involved as with the native app.

At this point, it should be mentioned that there are several services that try to solve the multiplatform conundrum and complexity of native development, making your entrance to mobile app development a lot easier. These services will allow you to write your code once, in many cases using JavaScript and HTML, and they will take care of compiling applications into the native code for different devices. Some of the more prominent of them are Rhomobile, PhoneGap, and Titanium. If you plan to develop an app by yourself, do give high consideration to these services.

As you think about the design of your mobile apps, consider these options. You can either make your design very specific to the standards and conventions of each platform, or use your design from other domains (website, desktop software) and transplant it onto the mobile app. Even with the array of platforms out there, it’s possible to use blueprints that will nicely fit into different platforms without violating too many conventions for each platform. There’s no right answer when it comes to design. If you deviate from the standards, you should still stay within familiar metaphors so that the users don’t have to work too hard to learn how to use your mobile app.

The main difference of mobile apps from your other domains is limited display area, so keep it very simple and to the point. Don’t try to incorporate every single feature into the first version of your app. Start with a simple feature of essential functionality and let the user feedback drive your future functionality and application design. One way to keep functionality to the minimum is a product requirements document (PRD). In its simplest form, PRD is a list of application requirements (features) with a brief explanation and some weights attached to each feature. The commonly used weights are “must have,” “good to have,” and “may have.” Keeping these weights in mind makes it easier to set development priorities and move unessential application features into the next releases. Again, keep it simple – think in terms of “must have” requirements for the first release.

Even after users install your app, you are still only one of many that occupy their home screen and will constantly need to compete for their attention. Updating your app often is one approach to keep users engaged and interested. Many successful apps release updates at least once a month. With each update they address bugs and performance issues, but most importantly they try to come up with a small new feature that will keep users interested and prompt them to re-download and open your app.

With so many options to choose from when developing for mobile platforms, your decision should be based on your requirements and resources. If you are to remember one takeaway from above, it’s: keep it simple.

Rob Weber, Vice President of Business Development and Co-Founder, W3i, LLC
Rob is an Internet marketing pioneer with over ten, profitable years evolving W3i in the consumer application industry.

There are many options available for building desktop applications; however, before you start there are three things you must consider. First, decide whether to build a cross-platform application or target a specific operating system. Next, choose the development tools to build your application. Finally, select an installation technology to deliver your application. Each of these decisions depends on a number of factors including your target audience, the type of application that you are building, and the distribution method that you plan to use.

In choosing a development tool, first consider the platforms (operating systems) on which your application must run. The top three operating systems are:  Windows, Mac and Linux. If you want your application to run on more than one of these, you should consider using tools that provide cross-platform capabilities, such as Eclipse, Flash and Adobe AIR. These types of tools can speed development and give you a larger audience. However, they can also add significant overhead in terms of distribution size, and may affect performance. Carefully examine the run-time requirements of the development tools you choose to determine the impact on the performance of your application and the ability to distribute it. Consider your distribution method—if users are downloading your application then size and dependence on additional components is a concern, whereas if you are going distribute your application on a CD or similar media, then size is generally of little concern. Also, review the run-time requirements of your development tool. You will most likely need to distribute extra software or require your users to download and install additional components. Some tools allow you to bundle these components with your application, but others may require a separate download from their site, which can complicate your installation process.

A more traditional approach to application development is to use a programming language such as C++, Pascal, or Java. This method requires a higher level of technical skill, and your application will not be as readily platform independent, although platform independence is still achievable. There are many development tools available, such as Visual Studio, C++Builder, and CodeWarrior. The advantage with traditional development is that you can make smaller applications that are less dependent on other software or components. If you are targeting a single platform and have the technical resources, this is a very good option for building desktop applications.

With traditional development there are many frameworks and code libraries available to help speed your development time. Frameworks provide a structure to build on while hiding much of the complexities of the operating system. Libraries add additional functionality and simplify common tasks such as parsing XML files or manipulating images. Frameworks and libraries are great for reducing your work, but take care in choosing them because they typically add significant size and may require additional run-time components. Also pay careful attention to code quality, especially when using open-source or third party offerings. Some popular frameworks include MFC and .NET (Visual Studio) and VCL (C++Builder). SourceForge is an excellent source for obtaining open-source frameworks and code libraries.

Installers are a very important part of building desktop applications. It is the first thing your users see, so it is important that it looks professional and works properly. There are many good tools available, such as InstallShield, Advanced Installer and NSIS. Most tools produce a self-running executable and some can also produce MSI files which use the Windows Installer technology. A typical installation program has a wizard to walk the user through the installation steps. The wizard starts with a Welcome screen which typically displays a description of the application and a EULA (end user license agreement). Next, optional items are presented, the installation begins, and a progress bar is shown.  Your application should also include an uninstall option, typically located under Control Panel – Add/Remove Programs. All of the major installation tools provide these functions automatically.

Software developers are always looking for ways to monetize their offerings, and because the current trend is to distribute applications for free, it can be difficult to generate revenue from your products. W3i’s InstallIQ technology can help you earn revenue from your distribution by offering additional products during your installation process. Implementation is simple—InstallIQ manages the wizard process and runs your installation along with any optional products the user has also selected. To use the InstallIQ wrapper, you need a silent version of your installer, which most install tools can do with a simple command-line switch so there is no extra work involved.

Building desktop applications can be a daunting task, but there are many tools and resources available to help with this effort. You must plan carefully and assess your needs to ensure that you choose the right tools and platforms. When you are ready to distribute, the W3i Application Network, featuring InstallIQ technology, is a great way to recoup your development costs, especially if you are offering your application for free.

Bill Zitomer, Software Development Team Lead, W3i, LLC
Bill uses his over twenty years experience to build W3i’s core desktop products as well as back-end technologies.

The Challenge
Going live with an advertiser’s offer is only the beginning when distributing through the W3i Application Network.  As with landing pages, the challenge is to optimize the critical elements so that ROI is optimized.      

The Solution
W3i provides consultative and testing services for advertisers to increase acceptance rates.  One of the first things we look at is the disclosure screen itself.  The disclosure screen is the screen shown to the user within the installation manager, InstallIQ, that discloses the required information about the application.  Ultimately the goal is to improve acceptance rates.  It works like this, W3i mocks up multiple disclosure screens based on the findings of previous tests.  W3i runs tests on the disclosure screen mocks showing the various screens to users to determine which one has the highest acceptance rate.  W3i replaces the original disclosure screen with the one that performs the best. 

The Results
An example of a disclosure screen test that W3i recently ran was for a security application.  There was a 6.45% gain in acceptance rate with one of the versions tested. Needless to say, that version was rolled out.

Here are some things that W3i found to perform better in terms of improved acceptance rates with disclosure screens, but ultimately testing can only determine what works best for each particular application:

• Illustrating what the software does instead of having multiple useless graphics
• Having the copy left aligned
• Showing the functionality of the applications simply
• Trying to limit the amount of information on the screen to avoid crowding

Following is an example of these tips at work on an internal W3i product disclosure screen:

The top image is a control disclosure screen for one of W3i’s internal products.  The bottom image is a test version that had a 2.48% improved acceptance rate.

Find Out More
To learn more about optimizing within the W3i Application Network, contact Nicole Przybilla at nicole.przybilla@w3i.com or call 320-257-7500 ext. 1020.

Nicole Przybilla, Account Executive, W3i, LLC
Nicole focuses on growing W3i business relationships, making sure the client has what they need to help them be successful. If they aren’t happy, she isn’t happy. 

Please pass more turkey and mashed potatoes!

I am an art lover and an art creator.  Unfortunately, these aspects of my personality often clash with my job, designing banners, much like blaze orange clashes with pea green.  (Shudder!)  In an industry where user “clicks” are the goal, we are sometimes asked to do things that should be illegal; such as using designs that are copy-heavy and garish in color.  Why are users more likely to click on the least artistic banner on a webpage?  Are they honestly more attracted to tacky and gaudy?  Or maybe, just maybe, that designer has figured out how to lure in the unsuspecting user with the use of subliminal messaging saying, “click me… click me… click me…”  (Note to self: search “subliminal messaging conferences” and sign up.)

In the midst of all of this thinking (and contemplating Thanksgiving at the same time), I have come to a conclusion.  Designing “clickable” banners is a lot like planning for Thanksgiving dinner… add as many salads and gourmet goodies as you can, but stop fooling yourself!  People are really only coming for the turkey and mashed potatoes.  They do not care that Great Aunt Ermintrude has outdone herself in her use of Jell-O in the salad this year.  All your family wants is a chance to overdose on grilled turkey and gorge themselves on mounds of creamy mashed potatoes.  This is what I mean: users are looking for the meat and potatoes (the hearty stuff) of an advertisement.  Let them know exactly who you are and what your product is as quickly as you can.  Take out the fluff, take out the pretty.  Get to the heart of the matter so they can decide immediately if they are interested or not.  People don’t want to stare at the Jell-O salad for five minutes, trying to figure out exactly what surprises are in it.

Let’s take, for example, two of our display banners:

Version 1:                                                                      Version 2:

Version 1 outperformed Version 2 by nearly 100%!  At first glance, this may not solidify the point that I’m trying to make.  But what you can’t see in the screenshot is that Version 2 needs time to scroll through the different screensavers and features available before finally getting to the screen that is shown above.  Conversely, Version 1 shows everything from the get-go.  No waiting needed.

Do you see what I mean?  Beautiful is not always better in designing banners.  It may be easier on the eyes.  It may prompt us to hang it on our wall.  But it does not always translate into user “clicks.”  I can only speculate on the reasons for this behavior… Perhaps the user likes to see the branding and product throughout the whole process.  Possibly, loud colors naturally draw the eye and compel users to click on them.  It could even be the voices in their head telling them that the world can be saved by clicking on that banner.  (Have you come across other reasons for users’ actions?)  Whatever the motivator, it doesn’t mean that you should stop fighting for gorgeous designs.  What it does mean, though, is that there should be a way to mesh these two taste palates together.  How can that sprig of parsley be added to the turkey?

Keep in mind when designing banners what the user is looking for; hook them with straight-forward facts and a strong call to action!  Art will not always need to be sacrificed for a concept that works, but strive to simplify your designs and feed your users’ need for information quickly.  In the words of Thoreau, “simplify, simplify.”  Take away the funky Jell-o creations and give them what they want – the hearty stuff that will keep them content and satisfied.

Jessie Schroder, Marketing Specialist, W3i Holdings LLC
Jessie uses her experience in internet marketing, graphic design, and testing to guide W3i’s focus of marketing promotions.

Discover how W3i – an application distribution company that connects publishers, advertisers, and customers – used multivariate testing to achieve a conversion rate lift of 162% for Profile Pimp for MySpace software.

What happens when you combine the strength of Google Website Optimizer Multivariate testing capabilities with InstallIQ’s proprietary Experimentation Platform? That’s what we wanted to know.

One of our primary focuses in the W3i Marketing team is translating creativity into big revenue gains for our partners. In January 2008, we released the first version our proprietary Experimentation Platform that allowed us to test the user experience inside our installation manager, InstallIQ, which is the engine that drives the W3i Application Network. Over the next year we tested things as small as skins and as big as a fully customized experience based on demographics and split by traffic sources, often with double digit gains. However, as we tested more, it became harder to achieve big lifts.

Earlier this year I began hearing the same issues from our partners. Not only were they struggling to achieve bigger gains, many also faced tighter resources, shifting user behavior and technology challenges. We decided to assemble an internal team and go back into the test kitchen. We had dabbled in Multivariate testing a couple of times, but it was expensive and we weren’t able to find a partner that could tie into our Experimentation Platform to test all the way through to revenue. Which, let’s face it, is where we all need to be.

About the time the team was ready to hit the streets to start gathering intelligence, we received a call from our friends at Google. They were working on their “Google Jumpstart” program and were wondering if we did any Multivariate testing? Timing is everything! Shortly thereafter, we met the amazing folks at WiderFunnel Marketing Optimization, a Website Optimizer Authorized Consultant, that doesn’t just “consult” but provides all the services required to design and execute a conversion rate optimization strategy.

Both our teams worked closely over several weeks and the results of our combined efforts are truly amazing. We are incredibly excited to be able to offer our partners stellar conversion rate improvements in these challenging economic times. Kristen Groom, Sr. Marketing Specialist at W3i, has written the case study below detailing this experiment. I hope you find the possibilities it holds as exciting as we do!

Enjoy!

Lisa Nistler
Sr. Director of Marketing
W3i, LLC

W3i MARKETING CASE STUDY: Increase Landing Page Performance by 162% using Google Website Optimizer

I can hear the sighs now – another article promising to increase your landing page performance. While it’s true and feasible to achieve our success on your landing page, the extent will likely vary depending on your niche and level of existing optimization.

There are a few killer take-aways from our experience so read on to find out what you can do to maximize your landing page performance while taking advantage of the Google Website Optimizer.

WiderFunnel Marketing Optimization
W3i recently had the opportunity to work with a company called WiderFunnel, a Conversion Optimization Services company that provides all the services required to design and execute a conversion rate optimization strategy. WiderFunnel managed to increase the click thru rate on one of our highest-volume landing pages by 162% – and just on the first experiment! Their team of experts analyzed six major factors on our page: Value Proposition, Relevance, Clarity, Urgency, Anxiety, and Distraction. After determining where the landing page lacked in the various factors, Google Website Optimizer (a free testing platform offered by Google) was used to setup and flight the test.

Google Website Optimizer
Ah the miracle of multivariate testing – in a matter of one week, WiderFunnel was able to test 45 different combinations of landing pages, isolating 11 different elements of the landing page. Now that is efficient optimization. Additionally, Google Website Optimizer automatically determines the smallest sample size necessary to be confident in the results, so traffic is not wasted.

The landing page performance experiment broke down like this:

• Style‎: 5 variations dramatically altering the overall look and feel of the page. This included the background image, typeface, download button color, size, and call to action.
• Copy‎: 3 variations all aiming to increase clarity and the value proposition rather than simply state the product title
• Demo‎: 3 variations intended to increase the clarity of the product offering.
• Total = 45 combinations

Google Website Optimizer identifies the winning combination

• Style – the color palette was not originally relevant enough for the target audience, which is young and female. The original landing page was blue and orange – gender neutral. Although we knew the demographic was young and female, I suspect everyone was just a little nervous to go full on feminine. But that’s exactly where the test led us. One new style had a big pink download button, pink headline, and pretty swirlies in the background – very feminine. The second new design was also very girly in a less direct way. The design played to the current “Twilight” phenomenon. Style had significantly more weight than any other element that was tested. Three out of the four top-performing combinations had the same design.
• Headline – updated the headline to highlight the value proposition of the product. The new headline actually lists out the features of the products, and emphasizes the fact that it is free.
• Call to action – added the missing value proposition that the product is free to the download button (and significantly increased the size).
• Copy – the original copy actually performed the best. You can’t win ‘em all.
• Demo – this is referring to the graphic on the right side which is a flash demo previewing some of the product’s features. In order to improve the clarity of this demo, a mouse image was added over the buttons to emphasize their function.

Control 

 Winning Combination #1

 Winning Combination #2

Validation
Internal testing on our Experimentation Platform confirmed the click thru gains seen in Google Optimizer. Combination 2 actually was the highest performer, once revenue was factored in with a 51% lift in earning per click.

Take-aways
Plan. Spend some serious time understanding your audience and then catering to their preferences. Don’t be afraid of big pink buttons. Speak to your audience as well. Put the value proposition directly in the headline – don’t make it hard to find. And keep the copy simple.

There are other tools out there, but we highly recommend using Google Website Optimizer to run multivariate tests for measuring landing page performance. The analysis and changes can certainly be done without an agency, but we also highly recommend working with WiderFunnel if your budget allows.

Kristen Groom, Senior Marketing Specialist, W3i
Kristen uses her experience in internet marketing, graphic design and testing to lead the charge in marketing management, optimizing all touchpoints with consumers.

Throughout the past year, W3i focused on optimizing landing pages. Considerable success was made from A/B testing translating to increases in bottom line revenue. Several tests saw double digit percentage increases in EPC (earnings per click) and downloads. Although success was made, optimization is an ongoing process that doesn’t stop at landing pages, extending to keywords, installer skins, and consistency in the overall installation process.

The key to a successful text ad campaign is matching your landing page keywords to your ad keywords. This same concept applies to the creatives you use later in the process, such as the installer. Creating consistency through the entire download process from the landing page onward is the ideal scenerio; and this led to our installer testing. The ultimate goal of this installer optimization was to increase conversions, defined by how many users accept offers and download the product, as well as overall revenue. Below is how W3i’s first installer test resulted in an increase in both EPC (earning per click) and downloads.

By creating consistency, aligning the design used in the installer with the design used on the landing page, we saw significant lifts in EPC (earning per click) ranging from 10%-15% due to increased conversions.

Background:  W3i recently redesigned wallpapers.com, a consumer site which offers three different types of downloadable wallpapers: static wallpapers, animated wallpapers, and wallery, an application that rotates wallpapers. This radical redesign drew attention to subsequent creatives in the installation. After reviewing the entire download process, W3i considered the potential benefit of an installer that offered more design consistency with the site (our optimized landing page in this case). The site is merely an entry point to complete the installation process. After hitting the“Download” button, the user reaches an installer where they start the installation process, accept offers and ultimately download the product.

Optimization Test:  The task was simple and required W3i to align the installer creatives with the site creatives and then test the new installer creative against the original.

Wallpapers.com Site: This page is treated like a download page and
starts the installer when the user hits “Download Now.”

Control: The original installer – lovely              New Design: Notice the black skin with the
design, but not very consistent with the site      blue shading that resembles the design used
creative.                                                            on Wallpapers.com.

Results:  The new installer provided significant lifts in EPC (earning per click) ranging from 10%-15%. Completed downloads also increased conversions anywhere from 3%-10%, depending on the product. Providing consistency in the install process clearly made users flow through the download and complete the install with less hesitation.

W3i’s optimization efforts provide considerable rewards, and we will continue to find better ways to increase conversion rates. With the valuable learnings as a result of our installer test, W3i intends to move forward with several more tests and make the download process a seamless and consistent user experience from start to finish.

Jessie Golombiecki, Marketing Specialist, W3i
Jessie uses her experience in internet marketing, graphic design and testing to lead the charge in marketing management optimizing all touchpoints with consumers.

Every time your keyword matches a search query, a quality score is given to your landing page.  Why is this important?  Because according to Google, “the higher your quality score, the lower your costs and the better your ad position.”  Here are four easy ways to quickly improve this score.

Give Users What They Want
What does “relevant content” really mean?  It means that your content matches the keywords you are buying for – whether it is a software download or an informational article.  Load up on descriptive copy of your offer, but also make sure your keywords match your landing page descriptions.   Ultimately, give people what they are after.  Content is king – even if it is additional content beyond just the offering.   This, of course, does not have to be as prominent as the downloadable content.  Another thing to keep in mind is to avoid having redundant copy with different landing pages or affiliate pages.  Google considers this to be less original.

Add Navigation
The navigation piece is twofold: it must be quick and easy for the user to access the content promised in your ad, but not so simple that the landing page becomes a trap.  If your landing page is too basic, then Google considers this a removal of choice and consent.  Solution – send users directly to the page where they can download the content, but build in additional navigation. This allows the users to look around if they are interested.  The navigation could be as simple as linking to similar products or offerings on your site. In order to reduce conversion rate loss, try using less prominent buttons, tabs, or text links.

Briefly Explain Your Business Model
This applies to the whole concept of trust, or as Google refers to it, “transparency”.  In some form or another, explain what you are up to, even if it is a small paragraph at the bottom of your page.  Give a brief description of your offer and overall business model.  Give users an idea of what is in store for them.  For instance, if you have an ad-supported model, explain to users why it is that way and highlight the benefits of it (it is free!).  Also, if you insist on collecting user’s personal information on your landing page, clearly explain how you intend to use it.  Your best bet with personal information is to just not collect it.

Add Legal Documentation
This is a very basic one and supports your landing page’s “transparency” level.  Simply add links to your Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy at the bottom of your landing page.  Easy access to these documents not only makes your page appear more reputable to users, but also increases your quality score.

Now go forth, and increase your quality score!

If you have in-demand downloads and are in need of additional cash, contact W3i.  By using the W3i Download Network you can increase distribution, revenue, or traffic using our proven software marketing solutions.  In no time there will be a positive impact to your bottom line. To learn more, click here.

Peter Novotny, Manager of Marketing, W3i, LLC
Peter Novotny uses his years of experience in Media Buying and Search Engine Marketing to lead the B2C user acquisition efforts for W3i’s web properties.

We are proud to announce the launch of the redesign of one of our core properties – Wallpapers.com. As one of the oldest wallpaper sites on the internet, we didn’t take this task lightly. We implemented many improvements to enhance user experience; ones that we hope will enable our visitors to navigate and access our wallpaper content more easily.

The following outlines some of the areas that were affected by the redesign:

Design

One of the core visual elements that was upgraded was the logo. We’ve streamlined it to be bolder and more legible, and included subtle nuances that draw a nice connection to the different types of wallpaper content offered on Wallpapers.com. Keep reading and you will see the connection.

Before we talk about that though, those who are loyal Wallpapers.com visitors will have noticed a relatively drastic change in the redesign. Based on results from landing page tests, we noticed that users responded particularly well to dark themes, so we set about to implement these findings into the redesign – out with the eye-straining pastel green from the 80’s, in with the sleek, modern shades of charcoal gray with highlights of silky blue. The more neutral color allows the content to stand out and provides a sense of focus. Oh, and unless you are using an LCD screen, you might save a little on energy consumption on the side.

Speaking of focus, we’ve also reworked the layout of the site. Instead of poking around in random locations on the page to find content, everything has been baked into one central navigation bar at the top of the page. Easy to find and easy to navigate. We like easy. Once you find yourself in a subcategory, we’ve provided secondary navigation in the top right underneath the main navigation bar to explore content further.

One of the themes running throughout the site are the three unique content types available on Wallpapers.com – wallpaper, animated wallpaper, and our own custom developed wallpaper slideshow software, Wallery. We did offer all three previously, but some had higher priority, while others got almost no attention in the design. With the redesign, the primary focus is on wallpaper categories where all three content types are given (almost) equal exposure.

As an added bonus, we decided to make it easy for the user to identify what type of content they are browsing by color coding it. Near the wallpaper in question, you will notice three different icons representing each of them. For those with an eye to detail, take a closer look at the power light of the screen showing a preview of the wallpaper. Nifty! This then, is where we have this nice connection to the new logo, as mentioned above.

Don’t know what wallpaper, animated wallpaper, or Wallery is? Have no fear, convenient brief descriptions are here. With exception of the main page, these are always located towards the bottom of the right column, to provide additional insight as to what it is you are actually getting (hint: click on the title to browse just that type of content).

Generally speaking, we cleaned up the design, improved visual balance, equal spacing, and alignment, all adding up to more consistency and fluidity throughout the site.

Additional Features

Not only did we bring the design into the next century, we also added some tasty features in terms of functionality. They are aimed at giving the user the ability to engage with the site and increase stickiness. There really are three main features to highlight.

Like search within Google Reader, search functionality on Wallpapers.com was long overdue. Finally users are able to take matters into their own hands and navigate the content using their own input, literally. The new “Search” is easily located in the top right corner throughout the site. Also, since we’re talking about that vicinity of the site, it’s worth mentioning that we always display the user’s current screen resolution so they can easily match up wallpaper dimensions to their current resolution. For added convenience, we also included this feature near the download button on static wallpapers.

Additionally, to further engage the user with the site and content, we implemented a ratings system that allows the user to express their love or hatred (maybe dislike is a better word) for a particular piece of wallpaper content. Coupled with that (and that would be our third highlight) is the ability for users to leave behind comments.

We realize these are not revolutionary features, but basics any content site should take advantage of. Our users agree as they are heavily utilizing these features already.

Technically Speaking

Prior to the redesign, Wallpapers.com hadn’t been structurally updated for a number of years. The result was a mess of nested tables as incremental updates were made. The redesign allowed us the opportunity to clean the site up.

Since we value the benefits of web standards, we have gone extra lengths to ensure the site complies with W3C guidelines. As such, it now validates for XHTML 1.0 Transitional and CSS 2.1, meaning that we care about using semantic markup that adheres to best practices. The result is a strict separation of content and presentation, clean and easy to read code.

Furthermore, we now comply with Guideline 2 of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 1.0), which translates to increased accessibility when navigating Wallpapers.com.

We tested the site in various browsers and platforms to ensure that users have a consistent experience across the board.

Where to go from here?

All these improvements are great and users are responding well, but of course it doesn’t stop here. Wallpapers.com isn’t perfect (yet), but we’re off to a great start. We plan to implement continuous improvements to the site, both user-facing and internal.

Offering compelling content to our users is at the top of the list. Consequently, we plan to continually add quality content and, in fact, have already started doing so.

After the dust of the redesign settles, along with user feedback, we will seek and execute on any opportunities to make Wallpapers.com as great as it can be.

David May, Manager of Creative Services; W3i, LLC
David has been working in the design industry for over 6 years and carries a fancy B.F.A. with focus in Graphic Design. He’s a native of Germany and loves peanut m&m’s. He’s not only passionate about his family, but also everything related to the web and design in general.