Is social media changing the way we design websites?
by Hayden Raw
After Shaun Lee’s talk about the death of static websites during last week’s Design Assembly workshop I began to think about what part social media has played in this progression of web design.
We’re seeing more and more businesses incorporating social media into their communications strategy and this is effecting how they’re presenting themselves to their customers. Through their web presences we’re seeing an increase in news-type feeds, more visible brand personality and more interaction on a personal level with customers.
The availability of tools like Facebook and Twitter’s Application Programming Interface (API) is allowing designers and developers to easily integrate customised plugin-fed data systems. These interfaces provide an easy solution for porting dynamic content from popular social media sites. The bonus for businesses is that it helps them look actively in touch with their customers.
A couple of websites that are integrating conversation in a highly effective way are:
All Good Bananas are in the business of fair trade bananas. The website’s primary function is to inform through community involvement and living brand culture. The site also helps them build fair trade banana ambassadors.
Runaway Play is in the business of making games inspired by natural wonder. Their web presence is solely about their life as a game development company including what thought, culture and inspiration goes into their game developments.
Both of the above example websites are not blatant sales machines. They both represent businesses, but the sites are complementary to the business objectives. It’s an interesting shift that is becoming increasingly popular. Businesses no longer need a sale or call to action to be driven through their website, it is enough to be a brand association and development tool.
How do you approach the integration of social media when you’re designing a new website? Do you use plugins to feed from the social media sites? Do you base the design around the personality of the brand? Or do you prefer the sales machine model?
I’d love to hear your musings
Leave a Reply
Sep 29th
2010
March 7th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Let me start off by confessing that I don’t have a blog, I am not ‘on’ Facebook, Twitter or any other kind of social networking site (Hayden, I can imagine your face-palm and corresponding eye-roll). It still seems a little strange to me that businesses use social media as a method of representation or communicating with the public. For me, if I were to use a social networking site like Facebook, it would be for just that – social stuff. I wouldn’t want to interact with my phone/internet/banana provider socially. Am I wrong in finding this practice of companies and business including themselves in social networking sites perhaps a little devious?
On the other hand, anyone who has tried to call Telecom for any kind of help for anything (especially after hours) will know how frustrating it can be. So why wouldn’t you Facebook message them? Especially when their representative would get back to you so quickly…
March 8th, 2010 at 10:47 am
It’s interesting you refer to the practice of businesses using social networking as ‘devious.’ Underneath it all social media is just word of mouth conversation. We use word of mouth marketing in our friend circles all the time without thinking much about it. The action of a friend recommending a place to get dinner is word of mouth marketing.
Is it the process of a business subconsciously implanting their brand association in your head that you find devious?
March 8th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Nice post Hayden. Businesses and even marketing companies are confused too. We treat it like the phone. Its another way t communicate. Phone, Fax, Email, Tweet, Face, … nothing is different. Its just the usual human pattern of more please and faster please. At endemicworld.com we have all the options because you expect us to.
Would like o try and answer some of your questions above, but they are too broad, I would answer “it depends” to all of them.
March 8th, 2010 at 3:02 pm
Hi Elliot.
Thanks for the props. I love the fact that you have considered where the audience wants to interact with Endemic World. A lot of businesses don’t know the answer to this; they want to be on Facebook because they’ve heard that’s the place to be.
You’re completely correct in acknowledging that social media just another communication portal. The process is not new, only the platform is.
March 10th, 2010 at 1:46 pm
Hmmm, I think I have been convinced to take a seat on the fence…
March 15th, 2010 at 7:58 pm
There is much to be said about social media today.
As a facebook fan, doubts and reluctance (after 6 months to a year eventually faded).
After properly learning and utilising the application tools ie : to post photos, chat, transfer and update information to the wall, and clicking to newsfeed (to friends & family) was the click for me.
It has to be said that this user-friendly social & business networking is like an educational warm-up before creating and designing ones own blog or website.
Gaining confidence and with a platform provider that with a click here and there has one be in touch instantly with family and friends from afar.
Privacy and perhaps the silent dangers are what comes with the territory.
Then there is the frustration of resourcing the right safety filters or portals aswell. But that comes with a community, pulling together to work out problems.
Ellatron had a very good point with the likes of telecom … definately frustrating, waiting for their services.
Yes, I would have to agree that facebook chatline would triple, quadruple the time of contact with the community at large.
I cannot agree initially that I agreed that facebook was the place to be. It’s been a wonderful community base to connect with family and friends, that’s for sure.
Also a good business portal.