Customers come to us all the time with a need for a new website, a need for shopping cart functionality, blogging and social media.  Customers want high end design and functionality rolled up with a nice little bow on top.  Rarely do they ever approach us with specific technology in mind however.  Usually they have seen a site or two that they like and want to piggy-back off how it works or looks etc.  So as sales people it’s our job to not only inform them, but also spark their imagination a bit.

We have to show the customer what might be possible that they may not have considered.  Give them a choice of how far they would like to push the envelope on their budget.  Rich Internet Applications (RIA’s) are the top end of the interactive spectrum.  Customers being able to truly interact with your site will bring them back.  Not only will it bring them back but it will get them to recommend a site to others.  And that’s the golden egg. RIA-infused websites can mix dynamically sourced data, video, audio and other rich media creating better user experiences and return on investment for organizations deploying RIA solutions.

So what does having a RIA site give you? For one, a much more intuitive experience for your users if done correctly.  Not only can they interact with the site on a much broader level, but you can delver to them rich media content.  Let the user watch an embedded video in the section they are viewing and make it a seamless piece.  It’s all about engaging the user.  Sleek streamlined interfaces with custom controls and interactive elements to tie them all together.  Why wouldn’t you build a site this way?

Cost, it’s all about the dollars usually.  We’re not here to say it’s cheap, or that this type of site is even for everyone, but if you take a look at the samples below and think about the overall success your site could have it’s worth considering.  The nice part is it only takes a phone call and some discussion to find out just how much this kind of development project will cost and if it fits within your budget.

Some good RIA Examples:

http://nikeid.nike.com
http://www.scion.com/#home
http://www.scion.com/rsxd/
http://www.fastandfuriousmovie.net/index.html
http://www.smallworlds.com
http://listen.grooveshark.com/

-Paul