'Net Features : webby awards

Five Mega-Inspiring Website Designs

Mike Phillips — Thu, 06 May 2010 20:00:00 GMT

Included in the 2010 Webby Award winners and nominees are several categories related to Web design and development. We toured many of these sites and picked a few of our favorites. Not all were winners, but each is a stunning example of how design can be used to educate, promote, entertain and brand.

Each of these sites covers a different topic, but they all have a few things in common. When you land on each page you know exactly what to do. You also know the intention of each site and what you can expect when exploring. Each site is true to its mission and highly-targeted to the intended audience.

While some of the technologies might not be feasible for all Web professionals, these examples do an excellent job of demonstrating how innovation and a well-planned design can transform a Web visit into a full-blown, interactive experience. The results are more clicks, longer time-on-site, higher exposure and better branding.

TED (ted.com)

Ted's tagline is "Ideas worth spreading." Their home page is designed in a way that appeals directly to their information-seeking audience. What first stands out is the irregular look of the page -- not something normally seen in design but that demands immediate exploration. Each photo includes a person's face; experts in the topic they discuss. It's an excellent job of establishing immediate credibility. Hover over the image and you get a synopsis of the story. You will also see the number of comments on the story and how many times it has been e-mailed -- fulfilling TED's "Ideas worth spreading" mission. A click-through leads to the expert's video speech on the topic.

TED's navigation is also impressive. On the left the site, stories can be organized by newest releases, most languages, most e-mailed this week, rated jaw-dropping and more. Click one of those selections and the screen reorganizes with new photos -- the largest of which are the most relevant to your selection. And, it's all done without reloading the entire page. It's elegant, easy-to-navigate and useful.

History of Flight (nike.com/jumpman23/historyofflight)

Michael Jordan not only revolutionized basketball but also the shoe industry, the athlete-as-a-celebrity, Nike itself and more. History of Flight is intriguing because it is not only a beautiful website but also a full branding mission wrapped in an engaging user experience.

The Air Jordan Brand is immortalized on this website. Each year's model can be viewed, along with fully-interactive options to learn about that year in Jordan's career, and the Jordan and Nike brand. In the example seen here, we see not only 1998's shoe, but also an option to discover the original Air Jordans along with the story behind them that year (when MJ broke out a pair for what he thought would be his last game in Madison Square Garden, and scored 42 points). Click the clock at top and you are presented with a TV commercial from the period detailing Jordan's life as a businessman and Nike juggernaut.

History of Flight is brand curation at its very best.

LIFE (life.com)

LIFE Magazine has become known for their riveting, sometimes disturbing photography. So, when you hit the home page and see "Today's Top Photos" you feel right at home and you know what to do. Start clicking through the slider and you not only get photos, but a snippet of the story behind the photo. At the top, you can navigate to news, celebrity, travel, animals and sports -- all with accompanying, appropriate photos.

LIFE is determined to engage their users and help spread their interests across the Web. To that end, a "Most Popular" sidebar shows the site's most-visited photo galleries. Click on any photo on the site and the option to share it is presented: via e-mail, RSS, Digg, Facebook, Twitter and more.

Wrangler Blue Bell Collection (eu.wrangler.com/bluebell/#/collection)

My first thoughts of Wrangler are cowboys, department stores and cheap jeans. But after seeing their Blue Bell Collection website, things have changed. To enter the site and see the collection, you must unzip the man's jacket. Then, you are guided through six stages. In each, you can drag the man all over the screen. He's in different Wrangler gear in each panel. It's immersive and entertaining, but you also get to see the clothes in action, how they move with the man with each swipe of the mouse. This experience alone is far ahead of most other clothing retailers' presentations of their wares and worthy of special attention.

Wonderwall (wonderwall.msn.com)

What do celebrity seekers want most? Gossip. And how do they identify celebrities? By their glamorous photographs. Wonderwall delivers both. Wonderwall's home page is pieced together using celebrity photographs and short headlines. Hover over a photograph and more detail is revealed about the story. Click the story and you get detailed information along with links to related information and videos.

What's most interesting is Wonderwall's use of a horizontal slider. Normally considered not user-friendly, it works here. As you slide across a story, not only can you read more (and get exposed to a well-placed ad) but you also are given the chance to comment with your Facebook account. Continue sliding and you are exposed to more photo-navigation prompts, spawning further exploration. Once a user becomes accustomed to the navigation style, it becomes quite easy to continue clicking.

The Decade's Most Influential Internet Moments

Mike Phillips — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:30:00 GMT

The Webby Awards, handed out by New York's International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, have announced their list of the top 10 Internet moments of the decade. With just a quick scan, the list is impressive and underscores the incredible impact the Internet has had on most every aspect of our lives. For our purposes, let's take a look at how these innovations have changed the business world, and what they might lead to in the future.

In addition, don't miss Website Magazine's January issue - available only to professional-level members - where we examine the coming trends for Web business in 2010.

Craigslist online classified site expands outside San Francisco (2000)
Craigslist is one of the most heavily-trafficked sites on the Internet. It's also a prime example of how a website doesn't have to be beautiful to be highly effective. While design is important, craigslist shows us that functionality rules supreme. The site has also become a major online revenue generator for many businesses. Craigslist also drastically shortened the space between buyers and sellers while, at the same time, forces good old fashioned person-to-person sales.

The launch of Google AdWords (2000)
Perhaps nothing changed the online economy more than Google AdWords. What started as a search curiosity suddenly became an economic boon to Google, and thousands of online businesses. In fact, many business owe their entire existence to AdWords. Look for Google to keep innovating and never underestimate their power to make lightning-fast changes to the online business world.

The launch of online encyclopedia Wikipedia (2001)
Wikipedia was arguably the first major online success built by volunteers. It also showed that even the best intentions can be sullied - Wikipedia quickly came under fire for being a pool of innacuracies and marketing ploys. However, Wikipedia is solid proof that, given the oppportunity, users will take the time to contribute just because they can.

The shutdown of file-sharing site Napster (2001)
Napster taught us that the Internet might be untamed, but it is not without law. Napster also showed how quickly business plans can be changed and implemented online and that no online business is ever down and out, unless the business owner decides so.

Google's initial public offering (2004)
Perhaps one of the most fascinating companies in the history of business, Google is here to stay. With a $180 billion market capitilization, the loyalty of millions, and a dedication to and track record of producing stellar products and services which support its advertising initiatives, Google is the standard by which all exceptional businesses will be measured for decades to come.

The online video revolution led by YouTube (2006)
YouTube is amazing. For the first time, John and Jane Doe could be seen and heard by millions with the click of a mouse. YouTube has revolutionized our public eye. For online businesses, YouTube is an opportunity to add life to just about any product, and gives the chance for exposure that used to costs hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Facebook opens to non-college students and Twitter launches (2006)
The social media and networking revolution officially took hold in 2006. While the creases continue to be ironed out, social media is not a trend - it's become a major part of the online economy for those who work it properly. in fact, an entirely new workforce has been built around it. Businesses are realizing the power of social sites and should be getting involved, starting with a solid strategy. Social media has given businesses the ability to reach farther, faster. It's also forced businesses to be responsible for the quality of what they produce - the people have been empowered like never before, and they are using it to demand accountability.

Apple's iPhone debuts (2007)
The iPhone was a tremendous leap forward in mobile technology that has yet to be surpassed. Users have never had more power in the palm of their hands. It's also structuring a new industry, from apps to mobile banking and beyond. "Mobile" has finally arrived - and it all started with the iPhone.

The use of the Internet in the US presidential campaign (2008)
Barack Obama won the 2008 election in large part due to his campaign's mastery of the Internet. "Yes We Can" rang true - the public's voice was never stronger. Politics changed forever in 2008 and it also proved that grass-roots movements had a most powerful ally in the Internet. One of the lessons we can learn from the 2008 race is that success online is not free - Obama spent more than $7.5 million advertising on Google. And millions more on multiple other online channels.

The use of Twitter during the Iranian election protests (2009)
The Iranian protests are just one example of how Twitter can spread a message to millions of people in a matter of seconds. Where Facebook relies on friends, Twitter relies on loosely connected associations. But while loose, these connections have the ability to influence millions. Twitter also shows us how quickly businesses need to understand new technologies - before they are used against us.