Internet Trends
Do you notice the little things that come and go over your years of surfing? These trend observations are an attempt to guess the likelihood of surfers to click, hover, or exit an Internet resource containing the item. Despite the professional looking chart, these trends are not based on any scientific analysis. They simply represent Clickfire’s opinion of what’s hot, lukewarm, and cold. If you disagree or have thoughts, please let us know.
How to Interpret
Click – Use these items in web design, Internet marketing, and domain and directory naming.
Hover – Don’t name your children these, but they still have good popularity.
Exit – Think again before developing web content or promoting anything under this category.
| Item |
C |
H o v e r |
E x i t |
Last Move |
Smart Aleck Comment |
| Affiliate programs |  |
 |
Little guys continue to use these to pay the bills or have a shot at big cash. | ||
| Bill Gates bashing |  |
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| Blogs | |
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Much has been blogged about weblogs. It’s too early to know if blogging just a fad or another emerging media that will one day rival other forms of media. | ||
| Content syndication | |
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A line of JavaScript or an RSS feed can bring fresh content to your visitors daily. | ||
| Contextual Ads | |
n/a | Google is envied for pioneering an innovative form of advertising called “AdSense.” | ||
| Counters |  |
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In the old days you didn’t have a website unless a web counter appeared on your main page. Now webmasters check their server stats behind the scenes. | ||
| CSS | |
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Websites developed with cascading style sheets should download faster. | ||
| The word, “Cyber” | |
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Pass the shovel. It’s over. | ||
| Dashed lines | |
|
Strange how something that’s been around for so long suddenly becomes chic. | ||
| The letter, “E” in front .com’s. | |
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What’s in an “E” name? Not as much as used to be. | ||
| eBay | |
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eBay is still strong | ||
| Firewalls | |
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| Flash | |
n/a | Observation: the primary sites that use flash are web designer sites | ||
| Free eBooks | |
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The most puzzling thing about free eBooks is why they exist. They just contain information, right? I thought that was what the web was for. | ||
| The phrase, “Free Download” | |
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Oh, I get to download something for free! Really? Sign me up! Shareware marketers use the phrase to get potential customers to download their shareware, which is not free. | ||
| Flash | |
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Feeling rejected by search engines, but looking good. | ||
| The HTML Writers Guild | |
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The most value comes from being able to place the official logo on your website. | ||
| Google Dance | |
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Google’s search technology has improved Internet life. Dance with the one who brung ya. | ||
| Java applets | |
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| Keywords meta tag | |
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To the chagrin of some Internet marketers, only one or two major search engines are said to still use them. We’re going to miss you. | ||
| Linux | |
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| Netscape | |
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AOL’d | ||
| PHP/MySQL | |
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With a few scripts, a database, and a dollar a month web host, you’ll rule the WWW. | ||
| Pop-up ads | |
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Referred to in the politically correct vernacular as “interstitials,” these could be called the “make-your visitors-hate-you-tool.” | ||
| Pop-up killer software | |
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Pop-up killer utilities are flourishing. Browser pop-up management is already upon us (Mozilla). | ||
| Reciprocal linking | |
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Thanks to the Google search engine, this component of measuring page importance also makes for building good business relationships. | ||
| Table borders wider than one pixel | |
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| Spam filters | |
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The name itself is endearing. | ||
| Standalone client app vs. browser | |
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“It won’t work.” “Have you got the latest version?” “I don’t know.” “Where do I check?” “Go to Help, About.” “Okay, I have v 1.3. Is that the latest version?” “I don’t know.” |
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| Text and text links | |
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Give the search engines what they want. | ||
| Wireless enabled sites | |
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3G is coming. | ||
| The letter “X” | |
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For all the attention this letter gets, it better do something quick, because it’s beginning to age. Regards to Generation X, Windows XP, and all Xtreme overuse. | ||
| XML | |
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Browsers are on their way to fully supporting the X technologies. | ||
| VRML | |
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Once hot in reality circles, now virtually unheard of. | ||
| The term, “Webmaster resources” | |
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But, what else would you call it? | ||
| “Welcome to” title on main page | |
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Sayonara |
