Blueye Blog » User Experience

Like Button? Old News

Jennifer — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:41:10 +0000

Do you remember when Facebook first gave us the “like” button? It was the biggest, new feature to hit Facebook in a while and completely changed the way we used the social network.

It’s going to happen again, and this time, it’s even bigger.

Facebook is now letting its users do more than just “like” books, television shows, brands, etc. Now, with Facebook’s Open Graph Changes, we’ll be able to say things like, “Susan wants to read ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’” and “John watched ‘Arrested Development’”.

There’s so much more value with these changes. Doesn’t it make you wonder what the “like” button even means now?

The changes with the Open Graph have already been so successful when it comes to music on Spotify. Facebook took music– inherently social–and let people discover new songs, listen and share with friends online.

VentureBeat makes the argument that the “want” and “own” actions will be two of the most important indicators people can use. Advertising efforts will be more exact than they are now by targeting Facebook users’ wish lists instead of bombarding them with ads that are irrelevant. In the long run, it’ll be less annoying for Facebook users and less wasteful for advertisers.

It’s been real, “like” button. It’s time for newer and better things.

The Few. The Proud. The New Facebook Preferred.

Heather — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 18:07:45 +0000

We are so happy to announce that we have been selected by Facebook as one of Facebook’s Preferred Developers in their second round draft! Our Social Media and division of Blueye, Always Be Social, is only one of 34 selected for this privilege. We are the only Chicago based development firm in Chicago to have this honor! What does this mean for you? Well, if you want to have a facebook fan page, application or any other optimized products or technologies made for Facebook, you may want to consider consultation and implementation from an expert or preferred vendor. You wouldn’t let just anyone help make your presence known on Facebook, would you?

The Facebook Preferred Consultant Directory was first introduced back in December of 2009 to help those looking for consultants make contact with the top companies in the space. We are joining these ranks along with the likes of Buddy Media, Sprout, and Wildfire.

Other companies selected include SocialAmp, Resource Interactive and T3 (The Think Tank). We are looking forward to this opportunity and having the chance to work with some new people and helping them with their Social Media strategies and Applications! Facebook not your thing? We forgive you. We happen to also specialize in Awesomeness, Augmented Reality, iphone and Android applications, oh and making a stellar pot of coffee.

View Press Release here

Get Your Super Bowl Tickets Here!

Heather — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:15:46 +0000

Okay, so maybe not actually HERE per se, but YES! Blueye Creative just completed a mobile app for Ticketmaster to be used for Super Bowl XLIV so fans can check for available tickets for the Super Bowl in Miami, FL this year. Not, you can’t actually purchase the tickets from the app. However, you have three easy options on how to snag your tix!

How does it work? You have 4 Easy options:

Go to to NFLticketexchange.mobi and search for the tickets you want and click to buy.

Then either:

1. Call the NFL Ticket Exchange 800 number

2. Enter your email address to have a sales representative email you with information

3. Enter your phone number to have a Sales Representative call you

4. Use Google Maps to get directions to The Clevelander Hotel in South Beach and pick up your tickets there. *This option is available for mobile devices with Google’s map already enabled. Otherwise, you will see a map of the location for your reference in you phone browser.

Three Simple Words: Ease, Of, Use

Brice — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:53:06 +0000

On a daily basis clients ask, “How can I get more people to use my website?”. On an hourly basis I find myself asking, “Okay, now where do I find the info I need?”. The Internet has become the go-to source to get our questions answered quickly, but there is still a real breakdown between the media and the user. Search engine optimization has become so important to companies on the web that they are cluttering their sites with jargon-laden copy in an effort to jump up the rankings, often overlooking the one thing that will keep people coming back: customer service. Now I’m not referring to the ability to return a faulty screwdriver without a receipt, but rather referring to the experience a user has upon arriving at the site. The keystone: ease of use.

Okay, so this topic has the potential to become a lengthy post, and/or debate, so I’m going to keep this brief and use one example for now: skype.com .

Skype is one of the simpler, most user-friendly websites I have seen in quite a while. Personally, I don’t need to know how they got started or the technology behind their service. My main goals in coming to the site are: 1. download the service and 2. find information on using the service. Right away, I see a button to download and a navigation tab that will take me to another page about using the service. In addition, there’s even a little blurb about what Skype is, a true revelation (sarcasm). Please notice, there are not endless paragraphs about voice-over IP service, or VOIP applications that contain repeated catch phrases just in the hope that a random international college student or a small global business will search Google for ‘United States voice over internet phone service’.

Don’t get me wrong, search optimization can be vital to the success of your business but what use is search optimization if the user never gets past the first page of your site? At blueye, we put a lot of thought into the designs that we present to clients. We want our clients to not only be happy with the look and feel of the site, but we want them to be happy with the results once the site goes live. As a designer, the biggest compliment a client can give me is telling me that they are making sales and that clients and customers are telling them how easy their site is to use.

Remember, simple can be a really good thing. History speaks for itself: the tuxedo, chocolate ice cream, the bicycle – all simple products, with plenty of users worldwide.