Responsive vs Adaptive Design

 

Now more than ever, the next greatest innovation for the internet is always just around the corner. The buzzword I’m starting to hear most often is “responsive”.

Most people know of responsive web design as something that will look good on any platform. While this is true, there’s a completely different style of web design, called adaptive web design, that is equally as important in the mobile internet game. As these styles of mobile-conscious web design become the norm, it is important that we know which style will suit our needs and desires.

So here’s the gist for Responsive websites:
They are about creating the optimal viewer experience for any possible platform. They are based on a fluid grid that has been coded to “respond” to any size or layout change, and will morph to jump through whichever hoop you need them to jump through. What I like about responsive websites is that they feel right. As mobile consumers, we physically interact with websites without even thinking about it. We pinch. We expand. We rotate. We swipe. Heck, I even caught my 2 year old niece swiping with the finesse of an Apple fanboy! To me, responsive websites are the hard code answer to this phenomenon. They will rearrange themselves how you want them to be, and they’ll do it seamlessly. Check out these links to see some great examples. And make sure you look on all of your devices (that’s really the whole point).

http://delaneau.com
http://www.catalogue.bonobojeans.com
http://joyintermedia.com

So what about this whole “Adaptive” thing?
Adaptive websites are also all about making sure your website is the best it can be on all devices. But they go about this in an entirely different way. Instead of creating one layout that will look good on anything, adaptive web designers design one layout for your iPhone, one for your tablet, one for your mom’s Android, and one for grandma’s Nook. When someone plugs in a URL, the code detects what device they are using and pulls the proper layout for that device. This way, designers can optimize for their exact audience. On an iPhone? A designer might prefer to prioritize the “Find a Location” feature in their design, since their audience is on the go. So when you have more hoops to jump through, one website doesn’t have to morph to jump through multiple hoops, like in responsive. Instead, you have a website that will fit each hoop.

So which should I choose?
Both responsive and adaptive websites have their benefits. In my opinion, responsive websites are going to be your best long-term investment, as you shouldn’t need to do too much maintenance and they will change with emerging technology. However, they are harder (and more expensive) to create because you will need a design that is flexible enough to change into so many things. And they take longer to load since you are pulling up a much larger piece of code. Adaptive websites will need to be updated as new screen sizes become popular in the market, but do not need to be as initially flexible as responsive designs. Since they are one design per device, their load times can be lightning fast compared to responsive designs. Finally, because all of these layouts are technically different URLs, adaptive websites aren’t the easiest for search engines to find.

Pros and cons of both aside, it’s probably time to take a long, hard look at that old fixed width website and think about upgrading. 

P.S. If you’d rather just look at some great GIFs explaining all of this, check out this article that one of our great designers shared with me.

What's new with the USPS?

Who finds new offerings from the United States Postal Service exciting? I do! And maybe you do too if you are reading this blog.

This past week I attended an Open House at one of our preferred vendors and went to a seminar given by Marcia Sapien, a 35 year veteran of the USPS. Not everyone finds mail as exciting as I do but maybe some of these new offerings will at least spark your interest or give you some ideas to enhance your next direct mail package.

USPS QR Code Promotion for Postage Savings
The USPS is running a special  promotion to entice mailers to test mobile barcodes on their direct mail. The ultimate goal is to build awareness of mobile technology and demonstrate to mailers how mobile barcodes can increase the value of mail. The program runs from July 1, 2012 through August 31, 2012 and is available for First Class, Standard and Non-Profit Mailers who incorporate a two-dimensional barcode either on the face or inside every piece in the mailing that is designed to direct the user to a promotional website. Mailers will receive an upfront 2% discount on postage for mailings that meet the program requirements. There is a possibility that this promotion will also run in November and December of this year. I will let you know if this promotion gets approved.

Every Door Direct Mail
With Every Door Direct Mail® service from the U.S. Postal Service®, you can reach the market that matters most to your business: nearby neighborhoods. Postage is as low as 14.5¢ per piece – and you don't even need to know names or street addresses. You simply identify the neighborhoods you want to target, and your printed piece is delivered with the day's mail to every address.

Picture Permit Imprint Indicia
Mailers are now able to use the indicia area of their mail pieces — prime real estate — to advertise their brands — thereby attracting more attention and potentially improving the reading rate of their mail pieces. USPS has established requirements for embedding logos, trademarks, pictures or other images into the indicia. Mailers will have to submit sample mail pieces for USPS review and approval before implementation.

All in a day...

Well, I attended a Webinar yesterday and it was somewhat interesting. The webinar, hosted by INEXPOLIVE, featured a guest speaker (Carman Tarren) who talked about Innovative Techniques for Multi Taskers. The subject seemed perfect for me. After all I consider myself an exceptional Multi Tasker, have been my whole life. Although some people have suggested I have Adult Attention Deficit Disorder. I even took a 300 question test for it and I did not qualify (I think because I actually finished the test).

When I started the webinar I expected it to be live, but a still picture of the speaker came up on the screen. She was quite attractive and I wondered if this was planned. I thought INEXPOLIVE meant LIVE? After getting used to seeing Carman’s face (and realizing I’d just be staring at this for an hour), I noticed that people were chatting and answering questions on another screen. This was very distracting, but then again it was a seminar on MULTI TASKING. Maybe just like not being diagnosed with ADD I was not as proficient at Multi Tasking as I originally thought?

About 10 minutes into the presentation, while looking at Carman and reading the comments on the small screen, I decided to take some notes myself. Some of the more revealing stats that the lovely Carmen shared were:

• 294 Billion emails are sent a day
• 2 million blog posts are posted a day
• 35 million apps are opened a day
• 250 million photos are downloaded a day
• 200 million minutes a day are spent on Angry Birds
• The one that really blew me a way was…
• The average length of time that a person stays on a website is 8 seconds…

Sounds to me like all these Multi Taskers are wasting a lot of time not doing much.

All in a day…

If at first you don’t succeed…

My 10-month old son is learning how to do many things these days. He’s crawling like crazy, and now learning how to pull himself up to standing by holding on to a chair leg, the couch, a table, my leg. He’s listening hard to noises we make, and learning how to say them himself (they’re not complicated noises obviously… consonant noises like da-da and ga-ga and the ever-popular raspberry noise!). One day a couple weeks ago I watched him attempt to stand using the dining room table and chair. He worked on this for about 20 minutes before he got tired or distracted.  For every time he successfully stood up, he attempted and fell at least twice. The next day, he was at it again. Now, he’s a pro and can pull himself up using only one hand.

As I have been watching him, I’m amazed by his perseverance. Where does a tiny child get the urge and desire to try and try again? Of course, he gets frustrated. Of course, he falls and hits his head, or knee, or fingers. But after he cries for a minute, he usually gets right up and tries it again.

As adults, we tend to not be as resilient as children. While we’ve all heard the adage, “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again”, how many of us have really done this lately? We tend to get complacent, expecting that things will go our way without much effort. If I run a meeting that doesn’t go well, present a plan that falls flat, or pitch our services to a new business prospect who chooses someone else, I’m disheartened and disappointed, and sometimes feel like I will never succeed.

Mostly, though, I’m thinking about the failure from every angle. What should I have done instead to achieve success?  Should I have prepared differently? Been more creative in my approach to the problem? Talked to others to get more information before beginning? How can I change my work so it’s better the next time?

And then, I pick myself up, dust myself off, and get ready to do it all over again the next time, learning from my son in the process.

Decisions, decisions...

Every year about this time I start to review website after website about various conferences to attend.  The problem is that the conferences that are most relevant to our clients at Eire, and my particular areas of concentration all occur at just about the same time in September and October.  Deciding which conference to attend can be difficult.  After all, when you read their promotional websites and excerpts from the speakers, all the events sound worthwhile.  Of course, there is the occasional “panel” that doesn’t quite seem to fit when you put all the members together.  But overall, the exhibitors, speakers and topics are intriguing.  And, when I attend a conference and network with current clients, vendors and prospective clients – it’s energizing.

Then, there is the cost of the conference to consider and just how do you attach value or your return on investment to what you spend.  The cost for the event can be as low as $500 and upwards of $2,000, plus the lost time out of the office working for current clients and travel expenses.  When I started in marketing, there were only two or three conventions to attend in direct marketing, and each year you went where your clients were going.  We would go to the DMA for up to 4-5 days and enjoy client service, meeting new vendors and prospects, socializing and learning through workshops and the exhibit hall.  Now, there are specialized conferences for just about every aspect of marketing, and they are often times more enticing than the larger format “general” sessions.   If I don’t attend, I could be missing out…by the next time I write, I will report in on my decision and if I received value for my time and financial investment.  I’m going to take another look now.

Payments Market

Direct Marketing Association

Retail Ramp

NACS