Navigating the Sea of Web Apps

There are so many different web apps available today, and an excessive number of them are geared toward business. These software solutions claim to help streamline your tasks, such as updating social media, tracking and analytics, and creating forms and surveys. Yet the sheer breadth of options creates a tyranny of choice; sifting through is too time consuming for many organizations. When there are over 150 apps available to make using Twitter more efficient, why should you even bother?

This dilemma might have been what Mashable had in mind when they published a list of tools recommended by community managers. If you are curious about how you can benefit from online tools, their advice is definitely worth a look. Mashable’s contributors highlighted some of my personal favorites, I added a few more that I find extremely valuable:

Bitly – Link Shortening and Tracking

I use Bitly every time I share a link on Facebook, Twitter, or a blog – it shows how many people clicked on the link over time and which site they accessed the link from.

TweetDeck – Twitter Management

This app gives Twitter a big boost with extra functionality. Easily monitor what people are tweeting about your brand and your field, and reach more followers by scheduling tweets to be published at any time of the day.

Kuler – Color Theory

Adobe’s Kuler (pronounced “cooler”) allows you to see how different colors play off one another, very helpful when deciding on a color palette. I especially like the option to sample colors from an uploaded image to generate a theme.

Podio – Project Management

Podio has created highly customizable tools for everything that goes on behind the scenes, including project management, collaboration, company intranet, and employee social network.

Basecamp – Project Management

Basecamp is an easy way to keep everyone on the same page: share files, allow multiple parties to revise a document, and maintain a record of ongoing discussions.

// Katie Boyd, intern

Keeping up with mobile

In the last few years, the mobile market has grown with a fury. Mobile is a disruptive technology, creating completely new ways for consumers to spend, and rapidly upending technologies we have been using for years (digital cameras, home computers, and books, to name a few). It is very young, and has only been in the hands of consumers for a few years. And it is truly gigantic – according to Phone Arena, smartphones outsold personal computers in 2011. So, as mobile technology continues to grow and develop, and simultaneously smash everything in its path, I can’t help but picture it as a giant toddler.

That combination of nascence and force can be more than a little frightening, especially for those of us in the web design field. Dave Hewitt’s recent article on TechCrunch does a great job of describing the challenges this new realm poses for media professionals. Here is an excerpt (Check out the whole article):

“This year, the market demands a more entrepreneurial mindset. Mobile is not just the hot topic of the moment — it’s the future. Embracing this reality requires a shift in thinking and many brands still do not have a mobile or encompassing digital strategy in place. Moreover, many agencies are still growing a set of basic mobile capabilities. Creating both smartphone and tablet-optimized experiences, along with the increasing need to pick platforms and develop apps, is becoming the norm.”

I believe that we have only begun to scratch to surface of how mobile capabilities can be employed. We are so used to waiting for technology to catch up to our impossible ideas.  Mobile has created a world where our ideas have trouble keeping up with technology.  To me, it appears that the biggest challenge facing agencies in the mobile era is simply learning how to dream bigger.

// Katie Boyd, intern

We Love Star Wars

Found some pretty awesome Darth Vader fan art today, we just had to share:

More at Behance

Social Skills: Add niche marketing to your social media strategy

Think back to your last major online purchase. You probably spent some time on the web, researching all of the options you had to choose from. You read reviews of the product, compared pricing between different e-tailers, and if you’re anything like me, shared a product with your friends and family via e-mail or your favorite social platform for consideration prior to making the final decision.

This is social shopping. Niche online communities that make it easier than ever to share, rate, collect, personalize, review, interact with, and purchase products online. It has become a cost-effective way for e-tailers to further strengthen the relationship between their brand and customer.

A few companies that do it well include:

Gilt Groupe

One of the original flash-sale sites, Gilt Groupe offers its members high-end goods at discounted prices. The deals site focused initially on designer fashion, but has achieved horizontal integration into luxury travel, food, and events through its subsidiaries Jetsetter, Gilt Taste, and Gilt City.

Fab.com

Fab stands out among the seemingly ever-growing number of flash-sale sites by offering a wide variety of products, and arranging recent purchases and favorites into an addictive news-feed format. After requesting membership, users are immediately put on a waiting list, adding a feeling of exclusivity to the site. Users can easily comment on items and link their tweets to the live feed, adding to the social shopping experience.

Joyus

We already know that people love to watch videos online. So, why not combine videos with shopping? Joyus has pioneered a new integration of watching and shopping, allowing users to see a product in action during their shopping experience. The tutorials are helpful and informative, and provide immediate access to the products they feature. Watch out for this space in 2012!!

Flash-sale sites and tutorial videos possess some barriers to entry; not everyone can offer their product at a discount, video production gets expensive, etc. Niche social networks are another way to build your brand, engage a broader audience, and maybe even generate sales.

Here are a few cost-effective options that may benefit you and your business:

Pinterest

Pinterest is an online bulletin/mood board, urging users to “organize and share things you love.” People have found a variety of uses for Pinterest, including wedding planning, recipe organization, and DIY-experimentation. This is not a forum for bragging about your product or trying to promote your message, instead it is an opportunity to capture a customer’s imagination and share inspiration. Clothing e-tailer Modcloth has been particularly successful in building a Pinterest following, as described on Mashable.

Svpply

Similar to Pinterest, Svpply allows users to share a wide assortment of internet finds. However instead of sharing videos or images, Svpply focuses exclusively on products.  The site can function as a public online wish-list, or simply a space to display one’s status as a “tastemaker”.

Polyvore

Clothing lovers can spend hours (ok, days) combing through Polyvore’s beautifully curated “sets”. Part social network, part online style aggregator, Polyvore allows users to create a set comprised of clothing, accessories, and home items and then serves up links to purchase the featured products online. Each set creator has a profile, and shoppers can follow their favorites for inspiration.  Polyvore has nailed it: the perfect combination of a friendly online community and ease-of-purchase.

Naturally, products that are visually appealing have an edge in the niche social network game. Most of these sites function as a sort of digital moodboard, allowing people to express themselves by sharing images that reflect their preferences.

Social shopping has added another layer to the already complex social media landscape. The benefits to consumers are pretty obvious, but how can businesses effectively harness social commerce? I came up with a short list of steps that any business can take to get in on the social shopping action:

Find your niche

Even if they are not directly connected to commerce, just about every product category has its own version of an online wish-list. This is a place where highly engaged consumers are advocating their favorite brands and sharing them to a broad audience. Pinterest and Svpply are general-interest sites where users share information about products. There also are many similar sites that focus on a specific market. For example, a clothing designer could maintain a profile on Polyvore, a restaurateur might share the latest food finds on Foodspotting.

Get Visual

The social shopper communicates using product photos and videos.  If your products are not pictured, or your photography is not appealing, you are effectively shutting out customers who might share your product with their network.  Roll out the welcome mat by displaying photos that are compelling to your audience and tell the item’s story. Make every photo share-worthy!

Join the (Third) Party

Explore partnerships with flash sale sites such as Fab.com, Gilt Groupe, and The Foundary.  Many retailers have found taking a hit on profit margin in order to gain a broader reach can be beneficial in the long run.

//Katie Boyd, intern

Point West has arrived.

Point West has arrived. Check out the before and after shots below.

BEFORE

AFTER

Site Launch: Salon of the Dames

Salon of the Dames, purveyors of rare vintage apparel, recently hired us to design and develop their new corporate website.  Their goal was to create a luxury web presence that would effectively represent their unique garment collection, while handling complex functionality and creating space for users to contribute.  In order to stand out from the crowd, we knew the website needed to draw viewers in visually, as well as offer a new way to shop and share online. We wanted to draw inspiration from a rich and ornate aesthetic while maintaining simplicity and ease-of-use.  The color palette is striking and memorable, yet allows the imagery of the unique products to take center stage.

In order to facilitate a vibrant online community, we developed a custom content management system, allowing sellers to update their collections with ease.  Integrating the online shop with Paypal creates a streamlined and secure e-commerce experience.  As a result collectors can curate their own virtual showrooms, enticing customers to return often and see what’s “new” (or in this case old).

The Salon of the Dames website feels like your favorite vintage store – classy, timeless, and brimming with one-of-a-kind treasures.

Post by Katie Boyd – Harlo Intern

Movember Madness

It makes sense that we would be passionate about men’s health.  After all, there are quite a few men over here at Harlo Interactive.  So, for the month formally known as November, these men are putting down their razors and growing moustaches to raise awareness for issues surrounding men’s health.

Here are some facts from the Movember movement that we found especially compelling. (Warning: you may be inspired to grow your own mo after reading)

• 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.
• Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in American males between the ages of 15 and 34.
• An estimated 13 million adult men over the age of 20 in the US have diabetes- and a third do not know it.
• Four times as many men commit suicide compared with women
• 24% of men are less likely to go to the doctor compared to women

Keep an eye on our progress, or support our effort by checking out the Harlo Handlebars Team Page.

New Developer!

Harlo has added Nikita Kozlov to the team. He brings with him stellar back-end development skills, as well as a passion for disc golf, science fiction books, and Magic: The Gathering. We just gained a few nerd cred points too.

Payday for TFG

We are thrilled to hear about the continued success of our long-term client and friends at TFG Card Solutions. Featured in the Portland Business Journal, these guys are making waves in the paycard industry.  Paycards allow ‘unbanked’ employees to collect paychecks electronically — a win for employees, employers and the environment.  Keep up the good work guys!

New Kid on the Block!

A big welcome to the the newest Harlo addition, Joe Condon. As QA Specialist, Joe will be our very own “web warden”….And did we mention he can grow a very masculine beard overnight?