Web Strategy Micksup

Making Web Applications People Love - bookmark bar analysis, originally uploaded by bigmick.

This is my links bar in Firefox. It shows all the websites I want at my fingertips, just one click away. To make it here is to earn a place in my day to day life. I’ve married them.

But not all apps make it….

“I love you, but I’m just not ready to make a commitment right now…”

This is where web application courting gets to some times.

Yes - I like you.
Yes - you are making life easier (better, happier, etc).
Yes - you’re asking a fair price (free, cheap, cheaper, fair price).
No - I’m not committing - in fact I may never use you again.

And boy does it hurt. You’ve done all the hard work. You’ve put it together, you’ve made it work, you’ve got them to find it, they’ve used it, loved it and still, after all that effort….

REJECTION

But what if they say yes? How do they ‘get hitched’ to you? Is it just in their mind? Is that strong enough? Or do you need them to firm it up a little.

Browser Apps

This get’s a tricky. Different people, different styles, different browsers and all changing over time… As you can see for me, I’m a Links Bar guy. Sometimes I see an app I love at first site. Upcoming was like this. “Wham, straight in, no kissing.” I knew it was great and it’s been there ever since.

Some get trialled, but don’t make the cut. Pownce, eBay, Amazon, Craigslist (just not that great in Sydney), Plazes. I put them up there partly because I thought they had such potential, but they never made it into my real daily life. So they get moved to a folder called ‘Search’. My secondary source.

Some people have links on their desktop, Mac users can Quicksilver them, Windows users can, um, do what ever they do in Vista, others use customised homepages like iGoogle or their blog to store them for regular access.

Other ways to make a connection is via opt-in communications like newsletters or weekly summaries. The Meetup summary is great, and Facebook notification emails are a big big big part of their success in retaining new users.

WHAT DO YOU DO?? Let me know.

Desktop Apps

Can be harder to get started, but once you’re on the desktop, you’ve taken a big lead out of the browser and into their personal space. If you can get them to get you started every time they start their computer, then you have nailed it. They are saying that every use of their computer needs your app. Well done. Some apps push this by doing it automatically, but if you go too hard too early, then you can get slapped in the face and uninstalled. Give people the option and do a great job, then you earn that space in the Dock or System Tray.

Desktop Widgets

Browser apps can bridge the gap from the world wild web to your desktop through sweet little widgets like Twitterific or Mac Dashboard Widgets (although they aren’t big for me). This is normally after a period of commitment in the browser first. You rarely directly install the widget, unless it’s crucial to the operation of the app. It’s an extension.

Mobile Apps

Mobile apps vary between browser app extensions (gmail, google maps, twitter) and pure web apps (synch, Tiny Pictures, etc). Along with social network apps, mobile apps are a very fast growing are with lots of room for growth. Oliver - can you help me out here. You’re the mobile guy.

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Anyway, it’s interesting to see how much Google - the big search engine company - sneaking into my links bar which 8 apps / sites. I’m no Google fan boy, they are just the best apps.

My Links Bar Leaderboard

Google - 8
Yahoo - 3 (forgot upcoming is theirs)
Atlassian - 2
Typepad - 2 blogs.

(Oh, I missed OpenId… which I don’t use much, but it makes it easier to use when I do.)

Anyway, just like with courting, be a great person (app) and create opportunities for your partner (user) to make the big commitment. Show them how to bookmark you, let them Digg you, encourage people to make widgets, have a newsletter option - think about what suits your apps and listen to your customers.

One great example of excellent learning curve, in my mind anyway, is World of Warcraft. Create a character, enter the world, take three steps forward and then three hours later you’re level 10 and addicted.

Tell me in the comments below how you court, commit and reject different kinds of apps.

P.S. Yes, I’m getting married in 3 weeks so the analogy is Freudian or something deep seated… (Next month, Christmas metaphors!)

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