Google has launched a new Web Designer service that allows users to build interactive, professional quality HTML5 websites and ads.
“Create engaging, interactive HTML5-based designs and motion graphics that can run on any device,” Google promised on the home page for the new Web Designer tool.
The move appears to be a deft manoeuvre by the internet giant to ensure that future advertisers are prepared for a world that will be more HTML5-oriented than Flash.
Google says it expects HTML5 ad spend to rocket past Flash-based ads.
Sean Kranzberg, engineering manager for Google Web Designer: “There are already more end-users in HTML5-compatible environments than there are in Flash-compatible environments, and HTML5 ad spend is expected to overtake Flash spend within the next two years.
“But until recently, advertisers didn’t have the tools they needed to easily develop content fit for today’s cross-screen experiences.”
Build once, run anywhere on any device
Research by Google advertisers expect the amount of mobile and tablet work they do to increase by 41pc over the next 12 months, and more than 67pc of respondents believe it’s important to design specifically for mobile campaigns.
The Web Designer tool promises to allow developers to build sites and ads once that can run anywhere.
The Web Designer software features two animation modes – Quick and Advanced – to build animations scene by scene, a full 3D authoring environment, easy ad workflow, a variety of illustration tools and two views: design and code view.
“One key challenge is that there are too many choices to make when developing for mobile – too many platforms, browsers, and devices to build for, and no tools that simplify the development process,” Kranzberg said in the Doubleclick Advertisers Blog.
The free Web Designer tools allow developers to create animated HTML5 sites and ads using an intuitive set of tools, see and edit the code behind designs and see changes occur instantaneously and build ad creatives for DoubleClick and AdMob seamlessly.
“HTML5 is a universal language for building beautiful, engaging content that can run across desktops, smartphones, and tablets,” said Kranzberg.
“We think that Google Web Designer will be the key to making HTML5 accessible to people throughout the industry, getting us closer to the goal of ‘build once, run anywhere’,” Kranzberg said.
