Brussels web design blog

Analytics showcase – lab-au.com

[ Warning: this is a shamelessly bragging post about website optimisation. But it's also a good insight into how to actually analyse your traffic statistics, based on bounce rate, average time on site, and returning visitors ]

After about one year after launching LAb[au]’s website redesign, here is an excerpt from Google Analytics:

0,91% bounce rate

The bounce rate describes the proportion of users whose next action after landing on your website is… to leave it – hence the “bounce” metaphor. That means the lower is the better.

I’ve never seen such a low bounce rate: it means most people that land on the homepage interact with it.  (Ok, I’m hearing the skeptics among us who will probably state that it’s because you actually need to click to  get to some content. Before you complain about “mystery meat” navigation, just understand this: web designers and developers are not LAb[au]’s target audience; we are reaching out to actors on the art, architecture scene, curators, public and private institutions, etc… which are used to – and expect  – creativity, out-of-the box thinking,  daring, clear cut identity profiles. Anyway.)

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SPF record how-to, or why people do not get the newsletter

At LAb[au], we run our own housemade mailinglist software, which we use to regularly update our 4K users about next performances and events with a grpahically appetizing newsletter. The tool is in constant improvement since five years and I recently added a way to track opened-email statistics through a simple technique : an img tag which src is a php script updating an sql table with available user information. Of course, the data gathered is not 100% accurate by any means (as no online statistic tool is), but it does provide a good idea on the percentage of people actually “opening” the email. That does not say that they actually “read” the damn thing though, but it still constitutes valid information on how well “your email campaign penetrate your market”, to speak in e-marketeer’s language.

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Online Casino

Let’s face it, most people play free poker online because they are either trying to improve their skills to play poker for money. Whatever you motivation for playing free poker is, while you are there you might as well take full advantage of it.

The best way to spend your time while you play poker for free is to analyze your opponents play and practice your own playing style. In order to maximize your time playing free poker online you will need to stay away from the high stakes tables. Free online poker enthusiasts tend to engage in wild and illogical play at the high roller tables. If you spend a few minutes and watch people play poker on the low limit tables you will be able to develop what is perhaps the best online poker skill; reading your opponent.

The great advantage of playing poker in an online casino is the fact that a player can focus purely on their opponent’s betting style. Within a few hands of playing free poker online, an attentive poker player can easily adjust to their opponent’s betting habits and determine the best time to bluff or slow play. Acknowledging that an individual’s betting habits are being scrutinized by their opponent, it is recommended that a player switch his or her style and betting habits while they play free poker online. Switching up betting and bluffing habits allows the online poker player to develop a strong defense. The harder a player’s betting habits are to determine, the fewer defeats a player will suffer while playing online poker.

The lesson here is not to dismiss the opportunity to play free poker online, a good player can become a great player and a beginner can learn the skills necessary to play online poker. Whenever a player feels like they need a break from the real money card room but still want some action they should really engage in a few hands of free poker online.

One of the best and most trustworthy Casino’s online is 888.com, and you can choose from many games not just poker but also blackjack, roulette, bingo and even sport!

Me.dium : browsing street

One of the vital challenges of internet and the most complex issue of electronic medium is to formalize or create the notion of presence, of “being there”. Check out this firefox extension:  Me.dium (description by Katherine Yee)

http://me.dium.com/

Me.dium is a plug-in for the Firefox Browser that enables “social browsing”. It occupies a space on left side of your browser window, has a bulls-eye graphic in the top half, and a buddy list/chat window in the lower half. When you navigate around different sites an algorithm at Me.dium it looks through the characteristics of those sites and puts related sites on the bulls-eye. If another Me.dium user happens to be on one of those sites in the bulls-eye, a small buddy icon (yellow for a friend, blue for a generic user) floats near the icon for the their site. You can visit other sites on the bulls-eye or you can chat with anyone in the bulls-eye, friend or not, in the chat box. Or you can just click on a friend in my buddy list to chat. It is a way of expressing how different people and the amount of activity affect a person. For example, when you go outside looking for something to eat, you react to the people’s behavior around you and migrate to the restaurant that has more positive vibes. That’s what Me.dium does. By seeing what other people around you are doing, it gives you a range of options (or supplies a range of information) that mirrors the range you have in everyday life making everyday decisions.”

found via: Digital Media, Digital Meaning

The ultimate RSS reader, free and usable: KlipFolio.com

I think i’ve found the ultimate rss feader. Lightweight, tiny, yet highly configurable, visually pleasing, and giving direct access to information. Great usability especially, as it does a good job in helping you digest the great floods of information in a very short time.
And it’s completely free too. KlipFolio.com

Here is how it looks on my desktop (i made it as a tiny floatbar):