Create the WOW Factor with Drupal - Part 5 of 5
Over the course of this series we have looked at how to add some pizazz, AKA added value, to your projects through the three prongs of technical knowhow, aesthetics and service delivery. Today we'll look at:
Creating Wow - Transforming the ordinary into something special
This is part 5 of a 5 part series. Read the rest of the series here.
To finish off talking about The Wow Factor, here are some ideas where you can go the extra mile to really create wow.
Information Listings
Clients often want to present tabular data, and the first thing they think of is a downloadable spreadsheet or PDF file. Imagine their delight if you took the spreadsheet, imported it using Feeds, and displayed it using Views, providing a searchable, sortable dynamic, categorized listing. Or you could go one step further and sprinkle on some tabular pixie dust with Table Trash.
Product Descriptions - Show, don't tell.
A text description of a product is rather dry and pedestrian. Compare the user experience of reading boring product descriptions against a rich media representation of, e.g. multiple product images, a video tour of the product, or even a virtual demo room showing the product in action, which could allow a user to select their choice based upon desired effect, rather than product title. After all, people want an 8mm hole, not an 8mm drill bit.
Rich Media - Background Video
Video is very striking. Nothing attracts the eye like movement, and a good video will bring real impact to a page. Make your video large, or even full screen, to really wow visitors. Now, if you can make that into a background video, and place your call to action as an overlay on top of it, now you've got a really striking landing page.
Rich Media - Full Screen
Try removing all the page chrome and other site furniture on special pages - such as landing pages - to create hugely impactful full screen media experiences. Slideshows, video, special landing pages - a full screen landing page will jump out at the user to really bring home your message.
Drupal has it all
In Drupal we already have all the tools we need to create wonder.
Views, fields, entities and fields allow us to create incredibly complex data structures and interfaces that look simple. View modes and image styles allow us to represent that data in flexible and multiple ways. Once Drupal 8 comes out we will have all these wonderful tools in core, coupled with powerful Javascript solutions, RESTful services, multilingual and more.
Are you ready to be wowed?
If you want to discuss Annertech helping you build an award-winning website, please feel free to contact us by phone on 01 524 0312, by email at hello@annertech.com, or using our contact form.
Anthony Lindsay Director of Managed Services
With decades of experience, Anthony leads the Annertech Managed Services Team, delivering top quality design, development, and, ultimately peace-of-mind services to all of Annertech's wonderful clients.