14 DAY TRIAL // Google is expanding its push towards a pure HTML web with the new Web Designer tool, which is now available in a public beta. This aims to be the one stop shop for HTML5-based animations, ads, and similar content.
The tool is aimed at non-tech folks who want to create a banner ad or animation based on web-standard technologies such as HTML5, but is even more useful for those who can peek under the hood. The big aim is to replace all the annoying Flash ads, something we're all looking forward to.
Granted, Google is just replacing them with likely equally annoying HTML5 ads which have the added bonus of being harder to detect with ad blockers.
"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," Google explained the problem.
The company has already unveiled DoubleClick Studio Layouts, a tool for creating simple HTML5 ads, and, last week, the Ready Creatives, an even simpler tool for AdWords.
Web Designer is much bigger than that, it's a professional-grade tool which Google is offering for free. It's a native app for PC and Mac, which looks and feels very much like Adobe's Flash tools. It's no coincidence either; Google is clearly targeting designers that are used to working with Flash. Adobe itself has been working on similar tools for HTML5 development.
The new tool is in beta, so expect some kinks, but it is free so there's no reason not to take it for a spin. It can export ads in DoubleClick or AdMob-friendly formats, but also as generic snippets of code that can be integrated into any type of campaign.
