Overcoming the Status Quo in our everyday lives is hard. We naturally stick to what's familiar and, even if there might well be a better option out there, we have a innate reluctance to take the risk.
The world of internet browsers is no exception.
All of our saved passwords, bookmarks, keyboard shortcuts are in there, creating a suite of barriers that prevent us from trying out something new...something better maybe?
In order to overcome all of this, there has to be something groundbreaking that a new browser can offer.
Something that makes such a meaningful impact to the daily browsing experience that it's worth taking on these costs...
Introducing Arc
Arc is a new browser built off of the open source Chromium codebase, managed by Google.
Overcoming Default aversion
When launched for the first time, browsers are quick to have you choose them as your new Default. However, at this point, there is the least loyalty or cognitive investment that warrants such a switch.
Arc does something smart with this prompt, making the request small and time-bound.
This timeframe of a week is a Foot-in-the-Door request, feeling reassuringly temporary yet with enough time to see what all the fuss is about.
Along with piquing your Curiosity, it's a less risky choice than to be aggressively asked to set and (probably) forget, as shown below for Chrome.
But beyond navigating initial switching costs, Arc aims to reimagine one's web experience with bold new ideas around Self-Expression.
Their browser is full of them, but the most interesting from a behavioural perspective is called Boosts.
Boosts
Imagine a browsing experience where all your favourite sites are tailored to your needs.
Where, with a single click, you can "zap" any distracting sections that you never use and they're gone from view for good.
Never use that Twitter sidebar? Zap it. Gone.
Not a fan of those Shorts videos on Youtube? Zap. Gone.
Tired of that sponsored section on Facebook? Zap. Gone.
These zaps allow users a browsing experience that is truly their own.
Beyond "Zapping"
Whilst the key value of Boosts lies in the Zap feature to reduce Analysis Paralysis by allowing us to remove on-screen noise and avoid Reactance by hiding all-too-prominent upgrade panes, Boosts also offer other forms of site-specific Self-Expression.
Font styles and sizes can be tweaked along with the ability to change the primary and secondary colours of each site, dramatically affecting the site look and feel.
And sure, in the wrong hands, such tools can make for truly eye-watering, Myspace-esque creations that will make brands cry.
However, used well, they allow people to truly feel at home with their everyday sites that more accurately speak to their functional needs and expressive preferences.
Boosts can be seen as a sort of Chrome Extension creator for the layperson, where they can be quickly made and shared with others through the Boost Library, further enhancing the sense of Self-Expression felt.
The speed and ease of this end-to-end customisation process only enhances its effectiveness and potential for growth.
Closing thoughts
Boosts are just one of the many ways that Arc uses Self-Expression to create a sense of ownership in its product to bring down barriers to switching.
Sure, they have other hurdles to overcome, but allowing users to "make the internet their own" is a powerful tool to help people let go of past attachments to try something new that maybe, just maybe, would be better than the Status Quo...
...as long as you don't use Comic Sans in blue on an orange background.
Comfort
Product Development
Zap's the way to view it!
How new web browser Arc lets you "create your own internet" with its Boosts feature
Overcoming the Status Quo in our everyday lives is hard. We naturally stick to what's familiar and, even if there might well be a better option out there, we have a innate reluctance to take the risk.
The world of internet browsers is no exception.
All of our saved passwords, bookmarks, keyboard shortcuts are in there, creating a suite of barriers that prevent us from trying out something new...something better maybe?
In order to overcome all of this, there has to be something groundbreaking that a new browser can offer.
Something that makes such a meaningful impact to the daily browsing experience that it's worth taking on these costs...
Introducing Arc
Arc is a new browser built off of the open source Chromium codebase, managed by Google.
Overcoming Default aversion
When launched for the first time, browsers are quick to have you choose them as your new Default. However, at this point, there is the least loyalty or cognitive investment that warrants such a switch.
Arc does something smart with this prompt, making the request small and time-bound.
This timeframe of a week is a Foot-in-the-Door request, feeling reassuringly temporary yet with enough time to see what all the fuss is about.
Along with piquing your Curiosity, it's a less risky choice than to be aggressively asked to set and (probably) forget, as shown below for Chrome.
But beyond navigating initial switching costs, Arc aims to reimagine one's web experience with bold new ideas around Self-Expression.
Their browser is full of them, but the most interesting from a behavioural perspective is called Boosts.
Boosts
Imagine a browsing experience where all your favourite sites are tailored to your needs.
Where, with a single click, you can "zap" any distracting sections that you never use and they're gone from view for good.
Never use that Twitter sidebar? Zap it. Gone.
Not a fan of those Shorts videos on Youtube? Zap. Gone.
Tired of that sponsored section on Facebook? Zap. Gone.
These zaps allow users a browsing experience that is truly their own.
Beyond "Zapping"
Whilst the key value of Boosts lies in the Zap feature to reduce Analysis Paralysis by allowing us to remove on-screen noise and avoid Reactance by hiding all-too-prominent upgrade panes, Boosts also offer other forms of site-specific Self-Expression.
Font styles and sizes can be tweaked along with the ability to change the primary and secondary colours of each site, dramatically affecting the site look and feel.
And sure, in the wrong hands, such tools can make for truly eye-watering, Myspace-esque creations that will make brands cry.
However, used well, they allow people to truly feel at home with their everyday sites that more accurately speak to their functional needs and expressive preferences.
Boosts can be seen as a sort of Chrome Extension creator for the layperson, where they can be quickly made and shared with others through the Boost Library, further enhancing the sense of Self-Expression felt.
The speed and ease of this end-to-end customisation process only enhances its effectiveness and potential for growth.
Closing thoughts
Boosts are just one of the many ways that Arc uses Self-Expression to create a sense of ownership in its product to bring down barriers to switching.
Sure, they have other hurdles to overcome, but allowing users to "make the internet their own" is a powerful tool to help people let go of past attachments to try something new that maybe, just maybe, would be better than the Status Quo...
...as long as you don't use Comic Sans in blue on an orange background.
What’s a Rich Text element?
The rich text element allows y
ou to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
Static and dynamic content editing
A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!
How to customize formatting for each rich text
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
Comfort
Product Development
Zap's the way to view it!
How new web browser Arc lets you "create your own internet" with its Boosts feature
Overcoming the Status Quo in our everyday lives is hard. We naturally stick to what's familiar and, even if there might well be a better option out there, we have a innate reluctance to take the risk.
The world of internet browsers is no exception.
All of our saved passwords, bookmarks, keyboard shortcuts are in there, creating a suite of barriers that prevent us from trying out something new...something better maybe?
In order to overcome all of this, there has to be something groundbreaking that a new browser can offer.
Something that makes such a meaningful impact to the daily browsing experience that it's worth taking on these costs...
Introducing Arc
Arc is a new browser built off of the open source Chromium codebase, managed by Google.
Overcoming Default aversion
When launched for the first time, browsers are quick to have you choose them as your new Default. However, at this point, there is the least loyalty or cognitive investment that warrants such a switch.
Arc does something smart with this prompt, making the request small and time-bound.
This timeframe of a week is a Foot-in-the-Door request, feeling reassuringly temporary yet with enough time to see what all the fuss is about.
Along with piquing your Curiosity, it's a less risky choice than to be aggressively asked to set and (probably) forget, as shown below for Chrome.
But beyond navigating initial switching costs, Arc aims to reimagine one's web experience with bold new ideas around Self-Expression.
Their browser is full of them, but the most interesting from a behavioural perspective is called Boosts.
Boosts
Imagine a browsing experience where all your favourite sites are tailored to your needs.
Where, with a single click, you can "zap" any distracting sections that you never use and they're gone from view for good.
Never use that Twitter sidebar? Zap it. Gone.
Not a fan of those Shorts videos on Youtube? Zap. Gone.
Tired of that sponsored section on Facebook? Zap. Gone.
These zaps allow users a browsing experience that is truly their own.
Beyond "Zapping"
Whilst the key value of Boosts lies in the Zap feature to reduce Analysis Paralysis by allowing us to remove on-screen noise and avoid Reactance by hiding all-too-prominent upgrade panes, Boosts also offer other forms of site-specific Self-Expression.
Font styles and sizes can be tweaked along with the ability to change the primary and secondary colours of each site, dramatically affecting the site look and feel.
And sure, in the wrong hands, such tools can make for truly eye-watering, Myspace-esque creations that will make brands cry.
However, used well, they allow people to truly feel at home with their everyday sites that more accurately speak to their functional needs and expressive preferences.
Boosts can be seen as a sort of Chrome Extension creator for the layperson, where they can be quickly made and shared with others through the Boost Library, further enhancing the sense of Self-Expression felt.
The speed and ease of this end-to-end customisation process only enhances its effectiveness and potential for growth.
Closing thoughts
Boosts are just one of the many ways that Arc uses Self-Expression to create a sense of ownership in its product to bring down barriers to switching.
Sure, they have other hurdles to overcome, but allowing users to "make the internet their own" is a powerful tool to help people let go of past attachments to try something new that maybe, just maybe, would be better than the Status Quo...
...as long as you don't use Comic Sans in blue on an orange background.
What’s a Rich Text element?
The rich text element allows y
ou to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
Static and dynamic content editing
A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!
How to customize formatting for each rich text
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
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