Two Minis and a Chrysler Voyager (to be used as a student ‘bus’) had been purchased by Nick so as to serve the Loughborough area.

Kaweb set out a few different designs to choose from and worked with Nick and his team so as to produce an eye catching design using vehicle templates as the basis for the design stage. You will see (from the image shown)… we worked up a few designs – before settling on one that got used.

With the main emphasis being on the corporate red (so as to tie in with other exterior marketing such as the signboards) – the idea was to ensure the brand remained central to the design – whilst allowing the website url was the main call to action.

The cars were wrapped by Blue Print (in Nottingham)  – who wrap all types of vehicles (as well as buildings).

Twitter is a social media tool, much like Facebook. With our new social media integration, you’ll be able to use your Twitter account to extend your reach on the web.

What is Twitter for? What can you do?
Millions of people use Twitter daily, some for their personal life, some for maintaining contacts, and others for advertising a business. You’ve likely heard people talking about Tweeting. A Tweet is a message. You can post as many Tweets as you like from your account, but each Tweet is limited to 140 characters maximum. This means Tweets are always small chunks of information. Tweets can be used to link to interesting content, repost news or quote someone, or simply reply to a post by another user. This is a simple guide to show you how to use all this functionality, and more.

1. Following and Followers

Your followers are users who find your twitter page interesting and relevant, likewise, your following list is a list of users who you have marked as being interesting and relevant to you. Generally, if you follow users who have something in common, they are likely to follow you back. For example, if you’re using Twitter to promote an estate agent, we would recommend following accounts of other property retailers, advertising companies, universities and colleges (especially if you do student lets). As you follow more users your number of followers should steadily increase too, so to get the best out of Twitter you want as many people to see your Tweets. Lets get following!

To follow someone, search for a relevant term, eg. ‘Property’ using the search bar at the top of Twitter.
Each user account will be displayed in a list, click the name of the user you wish to follow.
In the right hand panel, the profile of that user will appear with a green +Follow button. Simply click the button.
Every time a user you’ve followed posts a Tweet, it appears in your Timeline on your Twitter home page, and likewise, every time you post a Tweet, the users who have followed you will be able to read it in their own timeline.

2. Posting a Tweet

Now you’ve got some Followers, it’s time to write some Tweets for them to read.
To do this, click on the Home button at the top of the page, on the home page, you’ll have a box in the left panel beneath the words “What’s happening?”.
Type your Tweet into the box, and click the “Tweet” button to post your message.


Notes:

• You can’t edit Tweets. You can only delete a Tweet and rewrite it.
• The number of characters left available is shown next to the “Tweet” button, you will be unable to post your Tweet if you go over this limit.
• You can post a photo, using the camera button to the left of the “Tweet” button, likewise, you can also add a location to a Tweet using the crosshair button in the same place.
• You can add a link to the Tweet. If you type or paste a large link into the message, Twitter will notify you to let you know that the link will appear shortened when posted, and will update the number of characters remaining accordingly.

3. Advanced Tweeting

Twitter has a number of tools available to spread your message a bit further than just on your own twitter page.

Hashtags
Suppose you wished to talk about the Royal Institute of Charters and Surveyors, and you noticed a lot of other people were talking about them too, you could finish your Tweet with #RICS. This is called a hashtag, and it allows similar topic Tweets to be collected under one link. When you put a hashtag in a Tweet, it becomes available as a link, all other users can click this link and see all posts under that topic.
Retweets
A retweet is just as it sounds, it’s the ability to share a Tweet written by another user with all of your own followers. If you see that the BBC have Tweeted about property prices rising in your area, rather than write it out yourself or copy it, click the retweet button below the Tweet content to simply share it forward with your followers.
Mentions and Replies
You can mention or reply to someone by typing @ followed by their username. If you start the Tweet with @Username, it’s a reply. Replies will appear on your timeline, the and in the timeline of the user who you sent it to, but not in the timeline of all your followers. This is ideal for holding a conversation that others users can read if they choose to.

If you use @Username in the Tweet, but not at the start, it’s a mention. By mentioning another user, you can bring their attention to it at the same time as Tweeting so all your followers can see it.

Trends
On the Twitter home page, there is a list of “Trends” in the right hand panel, these are the most popular topics being discussed. To post a Tweet into a Trending topic, simply copy the trending phrase or hashtag and use it in your Tweet. It’s worth using trends where possible, as your Tweet could be seen by a lot more people.

4. Messages

At the top of the Twitter page, there is a Messages button.
On this page, you can read private messages from users to you, and send some private messages of your own.

That’s all there is to it, go get Tweeting!

Example of how the automate property tweets look

Designed to work alongside other tweets from the same twitter account, the new service delivers tweets detailing information on the property (including it’s status and if it’s been reduced) as well as a hyperlink to the property page on the agent’s website.

Tweets are staggered (according to quantity) throughout the day and free up the agent to focus on non property based news – knowing that all their stock is being put out there. An example of this service can be seen on the Stoneacre Properties Twitter account.

We are already looking at the next stage – which will be to integrate Twitter usernames into our property alerts system so that users who sign up for alerts can receive them via a DM (Direct Message) under their Twitter account.

The reason for the site is to help market the different services we offer in this field – we thought it wasn’t enough to simply have it as a service listed on this site.

The new site features information on different hosting packages including the applications we offer as well as our more bespoke services.

The launch of the site adds another to the Kaweb network (which  also includes the Kaweb Support and Mapping websites).

Kaweb started life in the advertising business many years ago… it was then that we developed skills in corporate branding – both in terms of creation and implementation.

Now, working with estate agents to create web design solutions, we are sometimes asked to look at complete estate agency branding for a company… usually for those starting out or rebranding.

A few years ago, I imagine that estate agents used to define their new branding upon a few factors:

• What their new logo would look like on the sale board;
• Colours liked (ensuring those used did not clash with other agents in the local area);
• What their branding would look like on their stationery and in the press.

Not sure these are listed in priority (the above is my take on it) – but you get the gist of it.

With the explosion of the internet – things have changed somewhat haven’t they?

The typical startup estate agent that comes to us will have a pretty good idea of what they’re after – certainly the first two points above play a huge part in it. What has changed though is the concern of how their branding will play out on the internet – not just on their site – but also how it’s represented on the all important Rightmove as well as they’re own site and beyond (Facebook, Twitter etc.). The following describes the order in which we at Kaweb would tackle a rebrand for an estate agent (the examples used are for that of a good client of ours, Nicholas Humphreys – who are a multi disciplined agent, based in Loughborough – who we undertook a total rebrand for – with a need to maintain their red/yellow colourway).

The Logo
Colours, typeface, company ethos – all important , but how they’re combined means the difference between a memorable logo – or one that doesn’t quite hit the mark. Being a hugely subjective creative process, the client has the ultimate say.

Before and after examples of signboard work.

The All Important Signboard
It’s the chief component in getting an agent’s name out in the area they plan to operate – it advertises their name and puts them on the map. Of course, more recently the website address is up their with the telephone number as regards what should be shown on the signboard itself.

Estate Agent Stationery
At the centre of stationery requirements is the sales particulars sheet. This is honed so as to show off the property and often a template is supplied to the agent by us so that it can be incorporated into their third part software provider (the likes of Vebra, CFP Winman etc.).

Branch Fascias
Adapting to suit what is usually a horizontal format, this element is key in establishing an agent within their local area.

Branch fascia rebranding - before...

...and after.

Press Advertising

Agents are still taking up plenty of newsprint still (although this media has seen prices drop over recent years) – and being more of a vendor getter, it’s slipped somewhat on the order of priorities, but nevertheless is still an important part of an agent’s marketing arsenal. We develop skins to reflect the agent’s branding and supply the artwork and assets to the publication. This ensures that all fonts, colours, logos etc. match that of the main corporate branding.

Estate Agent Website and Social Media
We also show clients what the logo/branding would look like as part of their website header – and for those agents who are going to be part of social media sites – it’s also important to see how it looks within that environment also.

If you’re a startup or simply an agent that requires some rebranding work – why not get in touch?

We often have clients who come to us asking for a smooth, stylish and beautifully sculpted website to promote their brand. When we ask for a couple of example websites to give us inspiration, we’re often provided with link to a beautiful site developed entirely in Adobe Flash. As developers, it can be difficult to explain the pros and cons of a site developed in Adobe Flash against one developed using HTML and CSS.

I think that the first and most important factor to enter into the decision is the purpose of the site. Adobe Flash is definitely more suited to business sectors where style and design is an important part of the brand. A beautiful layout and a eye-catching design can push sales, improve brand awareness and enhance the user experience for jewellery websites, fashion websites and music and film websites. For more corporate entities, functionality comes before form in importance. An estate agent website earns more trade by being easy to use, appearing high on search results, and being accessible from all mobile devices. Simply, the choice becomes a question of form or function.

On Aprilia Parts Buyer, you can see Flash utilised to enhance the user experience

Despite the growing selection of animation effects available to HTML 5 sites with canvas elements, it’s still not possible to achieve the same quality of effects and animation that is easy to achieve in Adobe Flash, such as the Bike Flow on the Aprilia Parts Buyer website. Online games and web based media streaming services still heavily rely on the functionality built into Adobe Flash. However, it’s important to notice that Adobe Flash websites have some considerable drawbacks. An Adobe flash site requires the user to have the Flash Player, and if they don’t have it or cannot install it, your site is inaccessible to them. iPhones, Windows phones and many Blackberry phones do not come with Flash installed, so a large percentage of the mobile userbase is immediately alienated from your website. If you have a mobile site or app as well as a Flash site, you can ensure that your user base can view your brand and product on any medium, while still maintaining a beautiful stylish website.

iPhone users know this means "You can't see Flash media"

I think it’s down to personal preference, you can always have a mixed website with sections, galleries and banners utilising Flash, so long as the rest of the site is usable and functional for users without Flash. I personally love the polish and finishing touches you can add to a website using Flash, and when applied to a jewellery or automotive site, it can make all the difference to your sales.

Increasingly we are finding that businesses are asking us about bringing their sites to mobile devices, this is before we’ve even had a chance to pitch the idea! As business owners become more aware of the benefits of engaging mobile customers the one question we keep getting asked is: “Do I need a mobile site or an App?“. The answer we believe is both!

If you go solely for an iPhone App, you are going to be hit with two problems: 1) only 44% of the mobile market uses iOS (via comScore) 2) even with the number that high, how do customers know your app exists?

If you go for an Android app as well as an iPhone app then you gain an extra 28% of the market (up to a total of 72%), but what of the other 28%? Do you build an app for Blackberry (19%) and for Nokia, Samsung and LG who’s various platforms are all part of the remaining 9%? Clearly that would be a fantastically expensive exercise.

The best approach we feel is to aim your App at the platforms your target market is likely to have (iPhone and Android, 72%) and have a mobile version of your site as a catch all for the rest. As a added benefit you’ll catch all those users who don’t know your App exists and you can funnel them to your App.

Users will not presume you have an App, they will Google you before they search the App store. This is key to understand, your App is a fantastic tool for users who know it exists and want to download it, but many won’t know and some may not want to download it. If these users come to your website you need to be sure that your site is going to display and function well on their device.

This can be tricky even for the best platforms. If your site uses a lot of bandwidth (lots of images for example) then this will slow down the access speed of your site on a mobile device, which may well lose you customers. If your sites uses complex javascript, video or even Flash! then you are going to deliver a poor user experience to any mobile user regardless of platform, and a dire experience for those without a good smartphone.

Why risk alienating customers? Producing a stripped down mobile version of your site, showing off your sites main features and content with a user interface designed for mobile device will give your users a positive impression of your site and it makes a perfect place to advertise your App!

Jobsite

Jobsite.co.uk first went live in 1995  and launched their mobile service in 2010 and is now available in native app form not just for iPhone but Android and Windows Phone 7 platforms too. We’ll be taking a look at version 1.5 of their iPhone app.

Jobsite Home Screen

First up, it’s quick to start, much faster than the Monster App and the app is persistant after backgrounding (which the Monster app isn’t!). Such a simple thing, but very useful during intense job search sessions. (imagine your flicking back a forth between this App and Google maps, or a public transport planner App to ensure you can actually reach the job your drooling over).

The search options are simply and cleanly presented on the home screen, right to the point, no fluff. The rest of the apps features are easily accessible from the time honoured bottom navigation bar. Basic job searching can be done without access to a Jobsite account, the Shortlisting feature will however need an account.

If you have a Jobsite account you can enter your details within the setting tab or if you need to sign up you can use the “Create an Account” option, this function needs a little work, it’s not a native form, its loads the Jobsite website and for me it doesn’t quite fit (as you can see for the screen above, “Country of Residence”). It’s a bit clunky and there doesn’t seem to be anyway to edit/upload a CV from within the App, so you’ll likely need access to a desktop/laptop to complete your job search.

The Jobsite search has some useful features, including easily selectable sorting and filtering options and the very cute feature of allowing you to expand the results from a short format which just has the location and salary, to a long format which includes a snippet of the full job description (changed via the strange little button in the bottom right of the search results). If your looking to develop your own app you really shouldn’t under estimate the power of these little features. The one usability quirk I found was the + button next to the job listings adds the job to your short list, rather than shows you more details. I found myself clicking that area instinctively to get more information on a job. Usability testing is a key part of app development and i’m not sure how that issue would have slipped through intensive testing! Other basic features like saving your searches are also helpfully present, with your saved searches listed under the “Favourites” tab (I’m not sure thats the best name for that tab, too close to Shortlisting for my liking).

Once you’ve spotted your perfect job from the job search you can click through and get more details, which are a bit ugly it has to be said. The formatting isn’t great but all the information you’ll need is right there. Applying for a job is a bit of a fuss. Once you click the ‘Apply’ button the Jobsite website will appear, showing the same job listing you where just browsing at which point you’ll have to scroll down to the bottom of the page and click “Apply” again, and then sign in! (of course once I did sign in I was told I didn’t have a CV listed and so couldn’t apply). If your going to build a native app, don’t send your users in a browser to your site once the process get’s a bit tricky. Usability wise having to click Apply , scroll down, click Apply again and then login (again) sucks. Don’t do that, do everything to avoid that!

If you are forced to leave your mobile device behind and go to a computer to finish the application process the shortlisting feature will help to bookmark the jobs you want to apply for and you’ll be able to call that list up once you are on the main Jobsite website.

Conclusion

Overall this is a very simple and to the point app with few flaws. It’s worth echoing the same disappointment I had with the Monster app that being that the app is sorely lacking in information. I think the user experience could be greatly enhanced by adding content (advice, videos etc.) from their site into the App, which they seem to have in the Windows Phone 7 version of the App which hopefully we will review at a later date.

A common theme I’m seeing with these Apps is a complete lack of commitment to keeping the job application process in App. Far too often the more complex tasks will be farmed out to loading a browser window pointed to the website of the App.

The Jobsite App is a good app to get if you’re currently looking for a job, you won’t be disappointed with it’s simplicity and easy of use. Join us next time for another look into the app market. In the meantime if you’d like our input on your iPhone Application or an idea for one please contact us and we’d be happy to help.

But why keep our opinions to ourselves? If you’re currently developing or commissioning an iPhone App we hope this new mini-series of reviews will help you gain an understanding of the current state of iPhone applications and how to make your App stand out from the crowd (for all the right reasons!)

Our first set of reviews will take a look at Recruitment and Job Search applications for the iPhone platform and the first App we will review is from Monster.

Monster

Monster is one of the biggest names in online recruitment launched in 1999 it later (2007) moved into the mobile arena with it’s mobile job search site and later it’s iPhone and Android App. We’ll be taking a look at version 1.2.0 of the iPhone application.

Monster Loading Screen

First thing to say about the Monster App is that it’s slow to load, it speeds up after the initial load but the really bad news is that the App isn’t persistent after backgrounding, so multi-tasking is a no no whilst using this App.

We think that lack of persistence when multitasking is a major hassle for users, if you’re hoping users will spend a lot of time within your App getting this sorted should be priority #1.

Monster Home Screen

The home screen is clean and simple and allows users the opportunity to search without a Monster account, which is a definite bonus for getting the casual user using your App. If the user doesn’t sign in they will be restricted to a limited subset of features, but once they do sign in they have the ability to manage their whole account from the home screen (shown above). Logging into my account I was able to view my saved job searches, application history and also view (but not edit) my resumes and cover letters.

The search is beautifully simple, allowing the user to search on job titles, keywords and location. Helpfully they provide examples and details of what type of information should be entered into the form, this is very helpful from a user experience perspective. The search results provide a very clear overview of the key information, location, job title and posted date. All that’s missing is the salary, which would make a nice addition.

Filtering search results can be done once the user has conducted a search (i.e. you search wide, then filter down with salary ranges and distance from specified location).  This keeps the main search view very simple unlike some of the more cluttered Apps we will see in future posts.

The job details are pretty basic, but to the point. The job description itself is held in a separate view from the basic job details for reasons passed understanding. I would have had this all in one view for simplicities sake.

The one beautiful feature is the map view, very simply it gives you a two pins on a map, your current location and the location of the job. Such a simple touch but it makes the world of difference to job hunters. The only things I would add is the ability to get driving directions (or at the very least distance in miles/hours) as well as the ability to switch the pin between your current location and the location you searched for. I think the developers over looked the fact that users might be physically searching from a different location than where their search radius is.

Once I was signed in the “Sign In” button at the top of the job details view was replaced by an “Apply” button, but frequently I was told I couldn’t apply via the App and I would have to save the job, go online to monster.com and apply there. Why? This is very frustrating! There’s little point in owning the App if I can’t apply through it. I hope this is just a problem with my account or the type of jobs I was pretending to apply for. Your mileage may vary (I hope it does!)

Monster Application Fail

Conclusion

Overall I think this is one of the best Apps for job seekers out there at the moment, it has a few issues but these feel like they can be fixed in future updates and won’t require such a sea change in terms of the App’s development. I’m slightly worried by the recent addition of a QR code scanner, it’s gimmicky and they seem to just be going with a trend rather than finding a genuine use for it. They also really need to be careful that users can actually use the App to apply for jobs, I wasn’t able to.

If you believe the hype (see: Steve Jobs) we are heading towards a world where a new generation of users will not have a desktop or laptop, they will have a tablet and smart phone. The Monster App goes along way to allowing a user to manage their job seeking just purely in-app, but they still have a way to go and I would like to see them add resume and cover letter editing and then truly you’ll never need to visit their website ever again, you can manage everything from within the App!

The one major disappointment of this App is the lack of information, the Monster site has a wealth of information and tools to help you find your perfect career but the app has none of this which is something I hope they fix at a later date I think it could really make this App shine. Also Monster has video tutorials on their own site explaining how to get the most out of the App, why aren’t these tutorials playable (or even linked) within the App? Missed opportunity, this App on the face of it looks a complex, it doesn’t need to be dumbed down but it does need an explantation.

The Monster App really sets the bar quite high, next time I’ll be looking at another major player in the Job Search App market to see if they can better it. In the meantime if you’d like our input on your iPhone Application or an idea for one please contact us and we’d be happy to help.

Update

The second part of this series where we review the Jobsite app is now live.

We’ve rewritten it from the ground up so as to enable smoother integration into our existing estate agency websites (as well as other third party ones)  – but mainly so we could add some really cool user features which include:

• Smoother in-screen property details information;
• Improved clustering;
• Property info on hover function;
• Improve icon toggling/management;
• In built address finder function;
• Criteria search menus integrated into map interface (instead of in separate page section);
• Tidier interface allowing tools to be closed right down;

Feel free to play with it on a recent site we launched for Stoneacre Properties.

The new look interface for mappr