At Moocow, we pride ourselves on having the most up to date knowledge on the hottest web trends. With technology and techniques developing daily, we take a look at what 2018 has in store for the world of web design
Dare to be different this year, with website designs offering bespoke graphics that dazzle with colour. Geometric typefaces, bright background layouts and block colours are currently a major trend, alongside typography that’s big and bold. Over–sized or hand drawn fonts make your brand name stand out from the crowd, and this year will see websites rejuvenating font favourites like Futura PT & Proxima Nova giving your site that retro feel.
Whether it’s luminous pinks and greens to cooler pastel shades, 2018 is all about re-branding your business through the use of colour. Make a statement, tell a story or even just have a backdrop that will wow your web page visitors. However you decide to give your site a makeover, be sure to get colour creative.
At Moocow we make sure we’re always ahead of the game when it comes to the latest tech and web trends. We’re always on the look out for great stories, updates and info relating to the world of tech. Recently in the news, we stumbled across a great little project named Loon.
Originating as a research project from X (previously Google X) in 2011, Loon LLC helps provide internet access to rural and remote parts of countries across the globe. The project works by placing high-altitude balloons in to the stratosphere at altitudes of roughly 18km to provide an aerial wireless network that citizens can access in some of the most cut-off areas in the world. As of July 2018, Loon has since changed hands and is now owned as a separate company by Alphabet Inc. The project was named “Loon” originally after Google stated the concept of the project was near to impossible, referring to it as “loony” but it’s had a remarkable impact on many communities so far.
Each Loon balloon is constructed from polyethylene and when launched, can produce internet coverage to areas across 2,000 square miles. The balloons are capable of staying active for many months before needing assistance or alterations and they’re a perfect option for areas with hazardous terrain that disallows the construction of tower networks. In a recent interview with WIRED Loon CEO Alastair Westgarth discussed the quality of the internet access communities would receive, stating “You would have no concept that it was a different signal, you’re just getting a standard LTE 4G signal, from the balloon.”
With sites already in Puerto Rico, Brazil, Sri Lanka and New Zealand, Loon’s next stop is Kenya. The company are set to work alongside Telkom as part of a commercial project to provide internet access to areas of central Kenya as of 2019. This new venture hopes to help connect citizens of the country living far out from the city center where internet coverage is vastly limited. The potential for this project is huge, and we’ll hopefully be seeing a lot more Loon programs cropping up all over the globe in the near future, with hundreds of communities being able to gain access to the web.
At Moocow, we pride ourselves on having the most up to date knowledge on the hottest web and marketing trends. With technology and techniques developing daily, Moocow are continuously working hard to help find new ways to market your business.
Making sure your brand or business has an identity that stands out is one of the most important parts of starting up or re-designing a business. Having a logo that can be well recognised and links to your products is a perfect way to start. Many worry about the cost of having a professional logo designed in house – which has it’s benefits if you’re wanting it designed to a professional standard.
If however, you’re looking to experiment with creating your own logo, we’ve tracked down a few of the best phone apps to get you going. Most of these will have options for free download and design, and ones with a price attached are still far lower than the costs of hiring a designer.
LogoMaker – Grants you access to a variety of backgrounds, stickers and shapes with professional photo editing features including colour, hue, curve, image resizing and 3D rotation. Allows you to create designs not just for logos, but for posters, newsletters and brochures or even social media ads.
LogoScopic studio – Great for a really professional finish, LogoScopic studio comes with over 850 logo templates which are easy to edit. Options to edit photos and artwork are also available, with excellent font and typographic features to choose from.
Makr – Comes with a slight price tag, but worth the download as prices are still very low. With this app you’ll have access to graphics, templates and icons designed exclusively by the Makr Brooklyn design team. Although not free, you’re looking at professionally designed logos for under £6.
Sketch – A draw and paint app which is extremely easy to use and great for those with an interest in drawing or illustration. Sketch allows you to draw up your own pictures and designs, like a sketchbook, and then download your logo design idea in hi-def, with plenty of paint and colour editing options to choose from.
Designapp – This app offers lots of access to royalty-free images, illustrations and text with tools for editing too. There’s options that allow you to design and create banners, letterheads, posters as well as logos, with 1000’s of design elements and effects to help edit your design.
ICONA logo designer – At a download price of £4, ICONA remains a cheap option for creating logos that are contemporary and fashionable. With pre-designed icons and texts to edit this app is especially good for speed and designing logos with lettering.
At Moocow, we love all things WordPress. It’s free, open source, available in 69+ languages with over 50,000 plugins. I mean, what’s not to love? Over the years the popularity of WordPress has grown immensely. W3Techs reports that WordPress now powers over 30% of sites on the web. And it’s no wonder when they have such great extras on offer.
On May 27th, WordPress with be celebrating its 15th anniversary of WP’s original release, and they’re holding a worldwide party, which you’re all invited to. To get involved, check out the WordPress 15th Anniversary website and find out whether there’s a party you and your mates can tag along to nearby, and RSVP to the event.
If there isn’t, then why not get cracking at setting one up yourself? Brighton has a huge creative network when it comes to design, and whether you’re a developer, copywriter or graphic designer, we all have one thing in common – we’d all rather swap a day at the office for an afternoon spent in one of Brighton’s many beer gardens. So why not get involved and get posting about your very own WordPress Birthday Party.
You can even get yourself some special 15th anniversary WordPress swag. In tribute to the anniversary, WordPress have added a money off code CELEBRATEWP15 to get 15% off all accessories till the end of 2018. So whether you end up hosting your own WordPress party, bake a WordPress cake or even just get your hands on lots of cool new merch, make sure you get posting using the #WP15 hashtag online to help celebrate WordPress worldwide.
At Moocow, we pride ourselves on having the most up to date knowledge on the hottest tech trends and web news. With technology and techniques developing daily, Moocow are continuously working hard to help find new ways to develop your business.
It wasn’t long ago that we were raving about the Tweetstorm feature in one of our recent web news blogs. Despite Twitter leading the way as the most successful social media platform for businesses, we debated it’s one major downfall – the length of posts you are allowed to Tweet. For some users, this has helped simplify things when creating a post – allowing them to Tweet info that is direct and uncomplicated. However for many – the 140 character limit can be particularly frustrating, especially when you feel you’ve got a lot more to say. Jogging your memory at all? Well, Twitter has just released today that you can now send tweets that are 280 characters long, doubling the limit from before.
This feature will be available to almost everyone on Twitter, however tweets in Korean, Chinese or Japanese would not be included as the developers felt the structure of these languages already enabled them to put much more information in one tweet. The Twitter team has already experienced a huge surge in users rushing to take advantage of the new feature this morning with everyone getting excited. Their analytics team have stated that those with tweets posted with a larger number of characters were receiving much higher interest, likes and engagements.
At MooCow, we pride ourselves on having the most up to date knowledge on the hottest web trends. With technology and techniques developing daily, take a look at what 2018 has in store for the world of web design.
GIFS – annoying or great fun? Most of us are divided on this opinion. However, when used correctly GIFS and other animated photographic techniques can be the perfect way to give your website that wow factor. Cinemagraphs work by combining Hi-Res images with a video that loops a selected part of the image, making it animated. This makes an already eye-popping image even more magical, allowing viewers to see photographs come to life before their very eyes. These short snippets of animation are becoming increasingly popular, with many social media sites adding tools to create your own online, an example being Instagram’s Boomerang which allows you to upload and create a short repeated video clip. Marketing trends for 2018 are set to become more and more visual, with businesses wanting to create backdrops to their sites that entice and excite their audiences. Working hand in hand with the use of parallaxes and animated backgrounds, using cinemagraphs with your website could be just the thing to get your new website of the ground.
Twitter continuously leads the way as a successful social media platform for businesses, but let’s face it – the one major difference between Twitter and other social media sites such as Facebook, is the length of posts you are allowed to Tweet. For some users, this has helped simplify things when creating a post – allowing them to Tweet info that is direct and uncomplicated. However for many – the 140 character limit can be particularly frustrating, especially when you feel you’ve got a lot more to say.
Recently it has come to light that hidden within Twitter’s Android app is a “Tweetstorm” feature, allowing users to post what can be seen as a thread of tweets continuing on from a discussion or theme. To do this you simply need to post a tweet, and then continue to post replies to keep the thread going.
The screenshots depicting the “Tweetstorm” were posted by a Twitter user under the false name of Devesh Logendran. After being tweeted by The Next Web’s Social Media Director Matt Navarra, the images have since gone viral and are now trending across major tech news sites. The pictures show the posts split up as individual tweets posted as a thread, with the end showing a longer “tweet count”.
So, should Twitter make plans to scrap their current character limit? Does this current restriction put off those new to Twitter? Or do shorter posts help businesses get more direct messages across to their audiences?
Despite being largely talked about across the world of web, Twitter has refused to make a statement on the finding of the feature. So keep your eyes peeled and hopefully in the near future the adjustment will be made usuable on all of Twitter’s mobile platforms. In the meantime, users will have to look to Storm It on Android and iOS to create Tweetstorms of their own.
Being a women that works in tech is a constant challenge. I’ve faced plenty of obstacles that have been thrown in my direction, just to work in an industry that is predominantly male-orientated. But why should this be so? With statistics showing women are outperforming men in nearly all sectors in the tech field, why should we be constantly put off from studying in an area we undoubtedly excel in? Deloitte recently released figures stating that as many as 70 per cent of women in the UK with a Science,Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) qualification aren’t currently working in their chosen industry. This is a reality that just should not be so, and so much of the hard work young women have put into their employment or education is being wasted.
Unlike many, I’ve been determined enough to not let these predictions get in my way, and have spent the last few years taking on the tech industry myself. At 22, I started my degree. Beginning later than most, I’d spent some time debating the type of career I was interested in. Having studied in English, Chemistry, Biology and Art and Design, I opted for a BA Hons Degree in Creative Media Practice & Journalism. Despite a lot of thought going into my degree choice, throughout the entire process I was constantly being told I would not make it in this industry, that my degree was pointless and I would be lost in a sea of unemployed graduates once finished with my finals. Yet at age 26, I’ve been lucky enough to pull through with an upper second class degree, a longstanding portfolio and jobs in my chosen industry before officially graduating.
With men accounting for such a large percentage of jobs in the tech industry, it can be tricky competing for the same role, despite some of the most famous leaders in technology being female. The list of women who have braved the odds to succeed within technology is lengthy. From Ada Lovelace – a mathematician regarded by some as the first ever computer programmer, to Mary Lou Jepsen – NASA fellow, founder of Pixel Oi and Director of Engineering at Facebook Occulus VR, to Virginia Rometty – the CEO of IBM who started work as an engineer aged just 24, and was recently voted the most powerful woman in business by Fortune Magazine.
Yet despite such success, women seem to be constantly pushed into being put off from obtaining jobs within the technology industry. Statistically the proportion of girls opting to continue subjects such as Mathematics, Science or Engineering into A Level or Degree Level is far less than boys, with only 7% of girls choosing to study A Levels in these subject areas within the last few years. Shedding light on such issues will hopefully allow changes to be made for the future, and as a woman currently working in tech, I’ve pieced together a few tips for those potentially considering going into a career in the technology industry, in the hope that you can overcome some of the challenges many will face.
Don’t be put off choosing scientific subjects at college
If you’re like me, you probably spent most of your childhood with your nose buried deep inside a book, concocting science experiments, blowing up bicarbonate volcanoes at the bottom of the garden, or getting excited over your parents getting you a new geometry set. To some, we may appear the most boring people on earth, but in reality many will grow up to work in some of the most powerful positions on the planet. No matter what job you’re dreaming of, whether it’s as a scientist, engineer, designer or developer – don’t let anyone stop you from studying exactly what you want to do. Sex or gender should not limit your choice of career path. If you studied in a different subject previously and are wanting to enter into a new choice of career, it’s never too late. And when certain education routes get a bit pricey, there are many different ways to gain qualifications, including ones that don’t come with a price tag. As well as bursaries, scholarships and Arts Council Funding, many companies will actually offer to train people for free. On top of this there are boot camps and hundreds of online training programs and resources that can help you transition into a tech role if you don’t have the qualifications needed for a specific job. And if you’re looking to learn code, there are thousands of sites that can help you, Codecademy, HackerRank & edX are to name a few.
Stand your ground when it comes to your career path
Time and time again I have met with interviewers who comment on my age, refer to me as being too young to possibly have any ‘real’ industry knowledge or seem to be completely bewildered by the idea of a young women applying for a role within the tech industry. It can be hard to overcome an interview situation where you’re being made to feel about 2ft tall, just for not fitting into a stereotype, particularly if you quite clearly have skills that are being overlooked. To overcome this, confidence is key. Now it’s all very well saying this, but if you’re as anxious a person as I am, this can be quite the challenge. First rule is to have a good perception of your own skills, the abilities you have and what you can achieve. If you don’t feel confident in your own abilities, it can be hard for others to feel the same. Prove you are the right person for the role, use active language that shows off your talents instead of being passive, state direct plans you have and show just how much you can benefit their company. Be bold and never feel intimidated, no matter how terrifying the interviewer may appear.
Have a plan and find mentorship
I worked constantly all through my degree building up my portfolio. A good deal of free time I had was spent either applying for internships or gaining work experience. Sure, having to work for free sometimes can feel like a real pain, but if a company is offering you valuable experience, don’t turn it down – in the long run it can really pay off and looks great on your CV. Always take time to refine your skills, practice really does make perfect. Finding mentorship within a working role can also be really beneficial, so be sure to place yourself in an environment where you can be surrounded by professionals in your chosen field who are as passionate about your goals as you are. Most importantly, never give up on what it is you want to achieve. It can be hard seeing friends or colleagues achieving their goals faster than you or at different rates, but the job you’ve been waiting for could be just around the corner. Hard work always pays off, and whether it takes you 1 year, 5 years or even 10 years to reach the job you’ve always wanted, it’s always worth the wait.
Amy Louise – Web Editor, Tech Writer and Analytics Queen
At Moocow, we pride ourselves on having the most up to date knowledge on the hottest web and marketing trends. With technology and techniques developing daily, Moocow are continuously working hard to help find new ways to market your business.
When it comes to tech, bigger isn’t always better, and with new developments constantly progressing for smaller devices, mobile is once again leading the way for businesses – making it even more important to make sure your company website is up to date with mobile first. With most of us spending 90% of our time glued to our phone, it’s no wonder more and more transactions are happening from mobile devices. Whether it’s giving Amazon a browse, or shopping for clothes online in time for Spring, more and more people are turning to smartphones to make the transactions they need.
Our previous blogs have mentioned that in the last couple of years, there’s been a giant leap in what we call ‘internet browsing behaviour’, with thousands of people swapping from desktop to mobile technology. Well the same is happening for e-commerce businesses, with m-commerce trends leading the way for changes to how sales transactions are being made. Statistics predict around 50% of business transactions will be mobile in the next 2-3 years. And with options like single-click payments with PayPal One Touch, Apple Pay and Amazon Pay, it’s no wonder people are picking out the easiest options available.
Apps are now being designed with features including Augmented Reality options to view the products you are wanting to buy in your own home or on yourself before purchasing, with some apps even offering ‘smart bot’ personal shoppers helping you to gain a more personalised shopping experience – all added novelties that are exclusive to mobile. Messenger apps have been voted as a more popular choice when it comes to customer queries, with pop up chats and apps being picked over email or phone call to respond to customers quicker. With modifications like these set to become more and more accessible, it’s worth getting ahead of the game and taking a look at what benefits m-commerce can bring to your company.
Moocow is an interactive website design agency, based in Brighton & Hove. Since opening its doors in 2006, we have been working hard growing and developing our client base & expertise, offering a dynamic blend of creative thinking, experience and technical know-how. We are proud to be able to represent so many of the fantastic businesses local to Brighton, take a look below to get a taste of who we work with and what we do.
Boardriders Guide
Local to the city, Boardriders Guide is a family run business established in 1990 and is one of the UK’s largest and most established surf, snow and skate websites. Living by the coast has its perks, and Brighton is well known for its legendary water-sports events. With the help of our expertise we devised a site that’s oozing with style, showing off some of the hottest trends Boardriders has to offer. A perfect blend of ice cool graphics and bold typefaces, Boardriders are the ultimate in sun, sea and surf.
The Chilli Pickle
A nationally-acclaimed regional Indian restaurant in the heart of Brighton, fanatical about Indian culture, local produce and traditional cuisine. Our Moocow designers wanted to create a site that was bursting with colour and creativity, showcasing the passion and flair the team at Chilli Pickle strive to achieve. We finished up with a design that’s both decorative and daring and really represents the The Chilli Pickle brand and style.
Pizzaface
Brighton is home to a fantastic array of restaurants and bars that leave us really spoiled for choice, so naturally we jumped at the chance to represent one of the city’s most loved pizza companies. Pizzaface is an independent and award winning pizza and delivery service in Brighton, Hove and Worthing offering first-class food fresh on your doorstep. We created a site that was reliable, clean & pristine, easy to use with a simple and retro feel, supporting the outstanding customer service Pizzaface provides.
Cafe Coho
Cafe Coho is an award winning espresso bar & cafe with three locations in Brighton. Founded by James and Joanna Wilson in 2010, the cafe has fast become a sought after hang-out with its laid back and friendly atmosphere (and not forgetting some of the best coffee Brighton has to offer) When crafting the Cafe Coho website we went for a refined, well-polished, site that was sultry and smooth with a modern twist.
Food For Friends
Food for Friends are Brighton’s award-winning vegetarian restaurant in the historic South Lanes. Their ethos is tasty, affordable and home-made food using the freshest produce. The company are all about supporting local suppliers, something Moocow are dedicated to doing also and we wanted to help create a site as sumptuous and mouthwatering as their food. We went for sublime and sophisticated, hoping to show off their artistic flair.
We love working and supporting local companies in Brighton, Hove and surrounding areas. If you have a project you’re looking to get started on, get in touch and we’ll see how we can help your business grow.
