New embed designs: go on then
Filed under: Development, Features
See how this genuinely collborative Web 2.0 (or are we on 3.0 now?) consumer-as-CEO business model works?
You say you want smaller, better, different LocateTV embeds. We say: Rob, go design us some smaller, better, different embeds. Rob says: here they are. We say: valued LocateTV users, here they are! What do you think? Are they what you want?
So, we have three different models: the first we shall call Vanilla: a simple, easy, unremarkable widget for those of you who want something functional and clean:
The second we shall name Branded: a pretty branded graphic with that distinctive LocateTV design - with the possibility of different sizes and formats:
And lo, the third, the very special Custom: a fully customisable widget with adjustable colour and sizing to fit the layout of your own website, blog or forum:
Go on, then. Which would you use and why? Would you like any other options or do these cover the bases? Do you like these but modified in a few specifics ways?
It’s lovely, this two-way thing. A utopian business dream. Oh, and thanks, Rob.
Lottie
September 7th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Personally, I’d say to stick to IAB standards for your widget dimensions — they’re physical sizes that web designers will be used to working with and/or the best predesigned blog templates.
I have to say that the branded look does nothing for me. There’s too much visual frippery going on, and in some of those smaller examples above your logo takes up more space than the programme information it’s designed to display. The use of the logo within the header seems to me to give a better mix of displaying useful information, and making it crystal clear who the bright sparks are providing that info.
I guess the obvious comparison is with the Google AdSense ad you’ve got in that blog illustration — it’s complementary to the main content, (hopefully) provides enough relevance to provoke a clickthrough, and the branding of the information provider is clear without being obtrusive.
Now — if in addition to all those graphical widgets, I could have some form of API that returned an HTML snippet allowing me to customise the look and feel with my own locally hosted CSS, I’d be *really* happy
September 7th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
“Now — if in addition to all those graphical widgets, I could have some form of API that returned an HTML snippet allowing me to customise the look and feel with my own locally hosted CSS, I’d be *really* happy :)”
Exactly what i was thinking mate!
I do actually quite like the smaller branded versions too, although i dont really like the customisable ones - they’re too… industrial :os
September 7th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
Yep, I’d agree with Scott. Whilst I’m sure you’re proud of your logo, it’s sadly too intrusive in all these designs.
Take the programme-specific text from the “vanilla” model, and add the “find more at” tagline from the branded models, and you’re getting nearer.
People will see your branding when they follow the link; that should be sufficient.
Now here’s a question. Suppose a given other website (forum, say) wanted to try and keep some level of its own corporate identity - do you see a way in which the owner of that site could ensure that members posting locate TV embeds ALWAYS use the ONE (say) design he deems suitable - other than by writing a rule and manually enforcing it?
September 7th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
[...] is currently asking for feedback on these new widget designs. Please visit New embed designs: go on then and let them know what you [...]
September 10th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
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