First, a Bit of Background for Us Regular People

What exactly is HTTP? HTTP is the standard  for establishing connections and data transfers between your computer's Internet browser and the server hosting a website/webapp. Version 1.1 has been in place since 1999 and no changes to the protocol have been made since then. Depending on the complexity of the website, a heavy load  of data, regardless of your internet connection speed, is still limited by the HTTP/1.1 standard. Of course, over the past 15 years many things have changed to allow for improvements to this standard.

That's why the recent announcement of HTTP/2 as being ready is such a huge deal. At Boost2Business we know that this is more than great news for developers who will be able to create multiplexing apps/sites. It's also great for the end users and here are some of the reasons why:

Being Able to Utilize Your High-Speed Broadband Internet Connection

Information will be exchanged in much higher and faster rates because the new standard will allow multiplexing, so that multiple requests can be delivered simultaneously.

HTTP/2 will allow webpages and browsers to take advantage of the increased bandwidth by requesting more than one piece of data at a time from one site. Also requesting data from several websites at once. This will result in loading single or multiple websites at the time, therefore speeding up your browsing experience.

Nothing changes

Browsing stays the same

The new HTTP standard is based on Google’s binary SPDY protocol, which is implemented in Chrome, Firefox and Opera already. However the requests in the address bar stay the same http://, as if you were using any other browser.

All existing applications can be delivered without modification.

HTTP 2.0 modifies how the data is packed and transported between the client and server but the application semantics of HTTP are the same. No changes are being made to the current functionality or core concepts such as HTTP methods, status codes, URIs, and header fields. However every single byte in the HTTP/1 request in the metadata could be a control character, meaning every single character must be parsed in order to read the information; whereas with HTTP 2.0 is length encoded and the format of the header in known so it would know to where to jump to get the right information (the actual traveling data); resulting in 60% higher requests per second.

TLS/SSL stays layered with HTTP 2.0

Wondering what happens with HTTPS?
HTTPS is actually 2 protocols combined - HTTP 1.0 layered on top of TLS/SSL. HTTP 2.0 is only a framing layer for HTTP 1.0 and with that making a more efficient representation that will work transparently with your current HTTP APIs.

Browser Request Prioritization

The concept of multiplexing specifies the priority of each stream and let the server determine the optimal response delivery. Each connection is most efficiently used and queuing latency is no longer an issue.

Websites Going Further? Is the Next Step Predictive Sites?

Talking to Nathaniel Schick about how he thinks this could possible impact the state of online web development he had a few comments.

"The introduction of HTTP/2 raises some interesting potential within the web development world. On the side of web apps, I expect that we will see a few large improvements that happen quite quickly for those willing to embrace the new technology post-haste - especially those that implement multiplexing properly.

1. Considerable improvement in connection/transfer speeds between server/browser
2. Improvement in overall performance and usability - especially true for Mobile web apps where connections to the server are often a point of pain for users.
3. Improvement in server resource usage. I'm not entirely sure on how valid this point is but if multiplexing can allow for predictive sending of data before the request actual happens, spiky server loads could be balanced out allowing for a lower threshold of performance.
4. Predictive Apps/Websites. 

What do I mean my Predictive? Well, PHP introduced the idea of dynamic websites and the departure from a static html site. It opened a lot of doors for web development - especially from a businesses perspective. That shift happen a long time ago and over the years the ideas of a dynamic site has led to the amazing web apps we have now days. But with the limitations of HTTP/1.1 only allowing information to be sent back that is related to the request, there have been limitations.

By removing the limitations of only being able to send back info that was requested, developers will be able to force data to be sent back to the browser before it is requested. On a basic level this means that styling files like your CSS files can be pre-delivered before they are needed and this will result in faster page load times, etc.

The idea of a Predictive site would be that content, and really any bit of data can be served based on whatever variables the programmer can determine as predictors of predictive data. Predictions would be based on actions or on external factors, and would allow utilization of PHP and dynamic site/content delivery in ways that were previously not possible. Proper prediction of data required would allow for data & media heavy sites to preload data allowing for a more seamless browsing experience. Gone will be the days of waiting for a site to load the right images after a request is made.

I think that the next couple of months will really see the possibilities that HTTP/2 introduces come to light. Stay tuned for a better internet and online experience is all I can stress!"

Got something to say about this topic? Drop us a line and let us know what you think HTTP/2 will do for the future of web development.

2014 was a big year for web development. With the constant rise of mobile users, we needed to make sure that our client’s information was presented the best way possible on every piece of technology out there. Keeping an eye on the trends in website layout, their responsiveness, the written content and the design, we can safely say we did a good job.
We visited a bunch of websites to make sure we didn't miss anything and here you can find our summary & analysis of the best web practices of 2014 and what to expect for 2015.

Hero Image/Header

For a few years now, one of the most popular trends for a website had been the use of a Slider. 2014 began to see a shift in this thinking to what is being called by some the "Hero Image" or "Hero Header". We expect this trend to gain further traction in 2015 as it has strong potential for better visitor appeal, while allowing for strong marketing messaging to be presented front and center.

The hero image/slider/video is the first thing that appears on your website and it is designed to present general information of your business/cause and basic guidance. It should have strong focus and visual interest. The design can be realistic or drawn, containing text and navigation elements. Within a glimpse of a minute the visitor should be able to find out:

1. Are they at the right website?
2. How can your service(s) help them?
3. How to find what they came for?

Ghost Buttons

Another feature that is being tied to the Hero Header are Ghost Buttons. Ghost Buttons are hollow styled links, surrounded by an outline with a main purpose of redirecting the visitor to the most important pages of your website. When used appropriately they direct the eye where you want it to go and can help reinforce the action you want your visitor to take without the clash that a standard web button can produce.

Flat Design

Flat Design refers to a style of interface design focused on minimalistic use of simple elements, typography and flat colors. This type of design proved to be very visually appealing, giving your website modern and sophisticated look. Icons are following this trend extensively right now and for good reason. The use of clean icons is saving the need for excessive text, allowing for more information to be absorbed by your visitors in a shorter time period.

Extended Form Elements & Dynamic Forms

jQuery is not a new term to any web developer. However with the rise of the interactive websites, a lot of open source and custom made plugins became a must for your website.
Whether it’s a plugin that pops up an important information or conditional contact forms tailored to help your visitor get what they came for, conversion rates proved that these are the next best thing for your website.
Combined with the new code technologies like CSS3 and HTML5, website - visitor interaction has never been more convenient. Interactive galleries, lazy-loading images, engaging elements like signups for newsletters and social media integration, displaying ads, contact forms, 24hrs chat support are just some of the features that keep your visitor coming back to your site.

Longer Page Designs - Scrolling over Page Loads

As mobile device usage is going skyrocket at present times, web design trends are striving towards more effective and enjoyable mobile experience. Introducing a new information quickly and seamlessly will allow for more dynamic interaction to take place between the user and the website.

.....

Responsive/Mobile-First Design

And last but not least - responsive design. Aimed at crafting sites to provide an optimal viewing experience – easy reading and navigation with a minimum of resizing, panning, and scrolling – across a wide range of devices (from desktop computer monitors to mobile phones). That was certainly the case in 2014 and it’s not going anywhere in 2015. Responsive design has ceased to be a trend and can now be considered the new norm.

Design trends come and go. But 2014 saw improvements across more than just design trends. More and more of the big changes we see certainly impact our designs, but their main objective is to provide a better interaction experience for your visitors. Why? Because perceptions matter. Because time matters. And because happy visitors that are able to quickly find the information they need to make an informed decision are more likely to turn into your lead and not a lead for your competition.

As the web continues to mature, and as more companies move away from a design first, convert second mentality, more amazing shifts will occur in the industry.  We will learn how to cater to our business website visitors easier and in turn will build their loyalty in our company and brand.

Still reading? Good, that means we are on the same page. Chances are, you have already implemented some of these trends on your own site. We'd love to hear your  comments below on whether you've seen positive results from your changes.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Interested in creating more business opportunities from your own website? Contact B2B Marketing today and lets chat about how we can boost your business in 2015.

"Always be experimenting. Marketing without data, is like driving with your eyes closed."

"Think of hashtags as “structured search” that allows you to join broader conversations"

"For LinkedIn sponsored updates, start with engaging organic updates, monitor CTR to measure relevancy, test different bids/audiences."

"Remember: some of the most simple tips are often the most forgotten. Don't forget the basics, like being authentic. The basics WORK."

"Use the 80/20 rule. Tweet 80% non-promotional content that's informative & helpful, and then tweet 20% promotional content."

"39% of Twitter users follow to show support. 36% follow to get information to use."

... were one the many tips, tricks and secrets that were presented at today's HubSpot Webinar on The Secrets Behind Social Media Today. The webinar was hosted by Dan Zarrella from HubSpot with Jed Clevenger from Facebook, Russ Laraway from Twitter and Scott Endelman from LikedIn as guest speakers.    (more…)