September 4, 2012 Speed, trips and whitespace – 3 keys in my pocket New Tech Share this post: With my deep passion for the Grateful Dead, you would be excused for getting confused by my title (even if you are listening to the music play ♬). But, in this case, I am thinking of three key critical factors for success in digital design. Watch your Speed (…driving that train… ♩♬) Not just because Google likes speed (i.e. the speed at which your site loads is viewed favorably by the Google algorithm), but having a site that loads fast makes sense for the time-strapped invidividual (doesn’t that mean everyone?). Moreover, speed across a mobile platform is going to be a factor as long as 4G or better is not fully generalized. Trips (what a long strange one… ♫♩♫) What’s the journey on which you would like to invite your client? Creating a successful virtual journey requires being deeply customer-oriented or empathatic. What sort of trip is it? A nightmare or a e-dream come true? Does it include clarity, logic and an element of [positive] surprise? As web browsing goes increasingly mobile, we need to be adapting the navigation and content to the surfer’s context — i.e where and howthey are most likely consuming. Whitespace (♫ drumz into space … *#(&$) The message is in the silence Feel that white space! We know how well the minimalist design mindset has helped the folks at Cupertino. And the Googlers at Mountain View have their digital design version, where the Google front page is also one of the strongest statements out there in the power of the white space. Marketers and designers alike would do well to heed the need for silence: minding the gaps, providing space to breathe and eliminating the cr*p that fatigues the eye. Moreover, with less information and images, a website load-up time will improve. The key concept here is (a) to make deliberate choices on what not to show and (b) to consider[obsessively] the customer experience. Just as I was writing this post, I noticed in a recent TIME magazine, this DPS ad from Rolex below. Whitespace for the sake of whitespace? Not necssarily better, as they may have avoided the temptation to say too much, but in the process, they asked me to take out my glasses to read the super small print and to turn my head to see what was the name of the watch (Oyster Perpectual “Yacht Master“). Product-centric only? Admittedly, in full disclosure, I am not a great fan of the Rolex brand, personally. [Note to editor: don’t try an all white ad in a magazine whose paper is too thin.] This kind of ad speaks to the cult of the product. I am still left pondering what is the benefit for the end customer? I believe that being sparse is fine insofar as the customer experience is heightened. You don’t need performance-enhancing or mind-altering substances to get better at digital marketing, that is unless you need help to accommodate the customer’s point of view? So, what do you think of Speed, Trips and Whitespace as three keys for better digital marketing? P.S. In the aftermath of the recent news about the Lance-a-lot-of-doping, I just had to smile about the appropriateness of the name ARM – STRONG, no? NEWSletter Subscribe to Minter’s Bi-Weekly NEWSletter and receive a free copy of the exclusive and updated 8 Golden Rules of an eReputation Your Gift For Signing Up 8 Golden Rules of an eReputation SUBSCRIBE! You have Successfully Subscribed! 3 keys to digital design, digital design, Grateful Dead, Mobile, mobile marketing, New Tech, speed, trips, whitespace Minter Dial Minter Dial is an international professional speaker, author & consultant on Leadership, Branding and Digital Strategy. After a successful international career at L’Oréal, Minter Dial returned to his entrepreneurial roots and has spent the last ten years helping senior management teams and Boards to adapt to the new exigencies of the digitally enhanced marketplace. He has worked with world-class organisations to help activate their brand strategies, and figure out how best to integrate new technologies, digital tools, devices and platforms. Above all, Minter works to catalyse a change in mindset and dial up transformation. Minter received his BA in Trilingual Literature from Yale University (1987) and gained his MBA at INSEAD, Fontainebleau (1993). His books include Heartificial Empathy, Putting Heart into Business and Artificial Intelligence, bowed in December 2018 and won the Book Excellence Award 2019 as well as being shortlisted for the Business Book Awards 2019. It's available in Audiobook, Kindle and Paperback. He is also co-author of Futureproof (Pearson, Sep 2017) and sole author of The Last Ring Home (Myndset Press, Nov 2016), a book and documentary film, both of which have won awards and critical acclaim. Minter's newest book on leadership, You Lead, How being yourself makes you a better leader, published by Kogan Page, was released January 2021. It's easy to inquire about booking Minter Dial here. View all posts by Minter Dial Previous post Next post