Web Spiders’ Sr. Account Director for North America, Stephen Harris was interviewed while exhibiting at the Interop/Software 2008 conference in Las Vegas. Stephen explains how Web Spiders, the premier product development company, can provide Rich Internet Applications for ISVs and corporations seeking a competitive advantage online:

Internet World is UK’s largest digital business show, and the 17th Internet World event in London, held this time from 29th April to 1st May, was yet again a showstopper. This event features industry leaders like BBC Worldwide and Google amongst its speakers, and it has consistently been able to attract heavyweight keynote speakers like ITV, MySpace and Nokia. Web Spiders was once again a bright star in such a luminous constellation.

In addition to showcasing our expertise in eCommerce, Social Networking, “No Refresh” Technology and Mobile Applications, our primary focus was on customised Web 2.0/ RIA (Rich Internet Applications) development and Snockles (Social Software for Businesses). Our 1-Page Checkout and Desktop Widgets also attracted a lot of interest. Web Spiders CEO Sid (Siddharth Jhunjhunwala) presented on the subject “Enterprise 2.0 – Social is good for Business” in the Web 2.0 theatre.

Internet World, true to tradition, attracted a serious business audience interested in the key issues relating to online strategy. Over the 3 day period, we interacted with thousands of attendees and had the opportunity to educate business decision makers on the latest developments in the market and future trends. 

To know more about our offerings, visit Web Spiders online and learn how we can radically change your business with the help of the latest Web technology.

Stephen Harris, VP/ Sr. Acct Director (North America) explains how Rich Internet Applications (RIA) Flex can be used on a B2C web site, featuring Web Spiders’ “No Refresh Technology”. Stephen was interviewed while exhibiting at the Web 2.0 conference in San Francisco:

eCommerce has undergone a significant change with the advent of social networking. Social networking has helped to a large extent in effectively targeting an otherwise fragmented society; it has done so by creating virtual spaces for like-minded people to share and exchange ideas and opinions. This has also given retailers ample opportunity to market their products.

Social networks can help in creating a strong customer base in the following ways:

• Social networking is very useful in bringing out consumer feedback about products and services. It helps retailers map the consumers’ mind and thus, devise innovative means to improve the products and services.
• Social networking, which grew with the intent of collaboration between like-minded people, is ideally suited for targeting niche groups. Sharing experiences about a product or service by a user can go a long way in replicating its usage among other users through viral marketing or word of mouth.
• Social networking has contributed significantly to the growth of “twinsumers”; this thrives on the practice of recommendation among members of a social networking group. People are more likely to buy a product that has been recommended by a friend or acquaintance, rather than trust a catchy teaser.

Social networking has become an inseparable part of the changing Web 2.0 scenario. Social networking websites like MySpace, Facebook and Orkut have captured the imagination of the youth in a manner never seen before. Services like Twitter, Jaiku and Snockles are extending the social experience beyond the confines of the desktop. Web Spiders is at the forefront of developing cutting-edge applications for delivering a rich, highly interactive Web 2.0 experience. You can visit Web Spiders to learn more about Web 2.0 and how it can help your business.

Once again, Web Spiders will be sponsoring trade shows across North America discussing Rich Internet Applications (RIA) and our “No Refresh” Technology. First stop is Atlanta, GA where we are a Silver Sponsor at 360|Flex. This event, which we also sponsored last year in Seattle, focuses on the Flex/RIA development community – with some of the top names in the field providing education and product updates. For Web Spiders, this is a great opportunity to meet with developers and agencies – to discuss how we can help them to overcome resource capacity issues, and even join the Web Spiders team.

We now offer North America based on-site RIA/Flex services on a 1099 or Corp-to-Corp basis, so this event helps us identify where the opportunities exist and get to know developers too that will help fill these jobs under the Web Spiders banner. And we also learn what is up and coming in this exciting area of development.

Watch for updates from the 360|Flex show and look for Web Spiders at future events. So far we are sponsors at the Reilly Web 2.0 Conference (SF) and Software 2008 (Vegas). - Stephen Harris

At the Technology for Marketing & Advertising (TFM&A 2008) exhibition, UK’s only dedicated event delivering digital, data and CRM solutions for marketing, media and advertising professionals, Web Spiders again made its presence felt strongly in the international arena.

During the 2-day event (12th-13th February, 2008) at Earls Court 2, London, Web Spiders exhibited its expertise in eCommerce, Social Networking, Desktop Widgets, Mobile Applications and Web 2.0/ Rich Internet Application development in front of thousands of visitors.

This year at TFM&A, the number of visitors increased by more than 50% to witness the fantastic line-up of keynote speakers, two-tier Google University, CIM Marketing Experience sessions and the many reputed international suppliers demonstrating the latest and most cutting-edge solutions. The free case-study led seminars covering data, CRM and digital, and the excellent industry networking were added attractions.

Web Spiders showcased the following:

• Why Social Networking is good for Business

Web Spiders’ Snockles for Enterprises provides a scalable (no user limit), on-demand (no maintenance overhead and quick go-live) and mobile phone integrated social software for businesses to achieve the same level of collaboration and networking as with consumer social networking sites.

• Reducing customer abandonment of shopping carts with single page checkout and “no refresh”

According to figures from Marketing Sherpa, the average abandonment rate for shopping carts is 60%, of which 12% give up before hitting the checkout. Web Spiders can help reduce abandonment by making the shopping process easy, informative and responsive.

• Desktop Widgets (Gadgets) - create a 24/7 bond with your customers

By providing bespoke development of Widgets, Web Spiders can produce a customized opt-in marketing solution that helps to generate customer loyalty and repeat business.

Web Spiders has been focused on delivering responsive digital solutions for more than 10 years. To know more about how such cutting-edge digital solutions can help your business, visit our website at www.webspiders.com.

Web Spiders has now gone live with the public beta version of its mobile social messaging service – Snockles (www.snockles.com). This launch was simultaneously made in India and the United Kingdom on 6^th December. A list of select European countries and others including Australia, Singapore and South Africa will also be able to use the mobile services (using the UK gateway).

Snockles is a Social Messaging platform that can be used seamlessly both through the Web and a user’s mobile phone. It frees Social Networking from the confines of the desktop and allows users to interact even when they are on the move. Snockles also offers location based services. Members can use this facility to broadcast their location to friends, both from the Web and mobile.

Snockles provides outgoing SMS completely free of charge. It’s a one to many communication platform where a user posts a Snockle on his Snockline and it is broadcast to all the friends who are tracking the user. This social messaging format is radically different to the practice of posting a 1-1 message on Bebo or Facebook while others friends ’snoop’ into the conversation.

Speaking on the occasion of the launch, Snockles founder and CEO Siddharth Jhunjhunwala “Sid” explained, “Snockles is a revolutionary social messaging and networking site where you broadcast Snockles to your friends through your mobile phone (SMS) and the web. It’s a platform for social communication both for end users and businesses. The business version is provided on-demand and is a separate product called Enterprise Snockles.”

Snockles brings the mobile element to the social networking phenomenon; and on being asked about the competition, Sid said, “Snockles is focused on providing a messaging and communication platform, much like how email and IM are forms of messaging. With regards to competition like Facebook and Bebo, Snockles would be able to integrate with open APIs to allow seamless access to existing networks.”

URL: http://www.snockles.com

Web 2.0, through engaged participatory interaction, has brought about radical changes in the online business scenario. It is often explained as an open space for everyone to exchange, add and edit information through web-based communities and hosted services like social-networking sites, blogs, wikis, pod casts, multimedia sharing, content syndication, content tagging services and folksonomies.

Web 2.0 has created a new form of economic value known as peer production, by which the users recommend the use of a product or service. It takes into account user ratings, product reviews, online user forums, feedback and blogs, some of which have become an increasingly credible and trusted source of information for a number of online shoppers.

Participation and collaboration are the two main areas where Web 2.0 is a step above its predecessor. User feedback in the form of ratings, product reviews, and forums are driving forces behind purchase decisions. From a business perspective, customer conversion rate, return visits and promising ROI are the key benefits of Web 2.0.

Partnership with social networking sites provides ample opportunities for marketing, especially for newer products. Word of mouth or viral marketing is a very useful tool for targeting specific user groups. Web 2.0 has redefined the business process, giving it a multi-functional look and triggering engaged customer interaction.

You can visit Web Spiders to learn more about how Web 2.0 can benefit your business.

Web Spiders completed this years UK exhibition circuit at the World of Learning Conference and Exhibition (14^th – 15^th November 2007) in the NEC, Birmingham as the final leg of the “Say no to refresh” tour.

This event provided the ideal showcase on how Web Spiders’ full range of skills can provide a complete elearning solution; from researching/ writing training course material and assessments through to providing an appropriate on-line learning platform for easy administration by the tutor, and interactive responsive experience for the student (using Rich Internet Applications).

Neil Burton, Web Spiders UK & Europe Business Development Manager commented: “We had a good couple of days meeting organisations from various sectors, not just from education establishments, and the specific areas of interest from visitors was varied. Web Spiders Nalanda LMS, eBooks, Web Recruiter, eGames demonstrations were well received and interest in Web Spiders translation services was also pleasing.”

However the real buzz on the stand was around Web Spiders soon to be released social networking platform ‘Snockles’. Snockles Enterprise will be a social networking platform specifically aimed for business use; whether you are logged into Snockles on your desktop, or are offline with mobile phone access, this will keep the communication channels open.

Visitors grasped the concept very quickly and were dreaming up their own uses for Snockles. A few comments below -

“… lecturers could connect with other lecturers when researching or writing a course module for their comments or ideas.”

“… students will use this as a way to quickly find out answers to questions.”

“This could be good for project work; stakeholders are kept aware of any dramatic changes…”

Web Spiders exhibited at eCommerce expo (30^th-31^st October 2007) in Olympia, London as a continuation of the “Say No to Refresh” worldwide tour.

This event proved to be very successful with the attraction of Web Spiders Rich Internet Applications, developed in Adobe Flex, AIR and AJAX, providing highly responsive eApplications and Web sites.

Neil Burton, Web Spiders UK & Europe Business Development Manager commented:

“Visitors to our stand were captivated by the demonstrations and how Web Spiders is harnessing the power of Web 2.0 technologies for the benefit of eCommerce”.

“Grabbing the attention in particular was the strength of using Desktop Widgets as a powerful marketing tool, 1 page shopping check out cart to reduce abandonment and eBooks for interactive catalogues as well as product users manuals.”

“Decision makers are recognizing how an edge can be gained over competitors through great performance as well as advanced search and filter capabilities to help customers purchase on-line, delivering real Return on Investment through this channel.”

You can send us your comments or suggestions at the Web Spiders website.