Browsers

Nowadays, the truth is that we cannot imagine our virtual lives without using a web browser. The supposedly “low-profile” web browser is one of the most important modern tools we use today. As it continues to be a vital part of our day-to-day, it's a good idea to take some time now to learn about the web browser, and find the one that works best for you and your business needs.

Here’s what we'll cover:

• What is browser software?
• Common features of browser software
• What type of buyer are you?
• Benefits of browser software
• Key considerations when downloading browsers

What is browser software?

In order to keep pace with the technological revolution occurring, every business is being pushed to use digital marketing in some way, shape, or form, and this can be as simple as constructing your business website or selling your products online. This is when the web browser comes into the picture.

The web browser (also known as an internet browser) is a software program that allows you to access the world wide web (WWW.) With this tool, you can browse any website and can smoothly navigate to other sites. You can search for the answer to a question, or shop at your favorite store online. These browsers support external plugins so you can interact with active content including audio, video, and Adobe Flash content.

A snapshot of the Google Chrome browser (Source)

Common features of browser software

Each browser has a unique mix of features, but there are some common features in all browser solutions.

What type of buyer are you?

Browsers may look and act a bit differently used at home versus at work, but for the most part, all web browsers functionally work in the same way. Differences arise if you adjust certain settings based on your requirements, whether for business or personal reasons.

Within the business realm, there a few different users that might have more specific needs from their browsers:

• Marketers: These users are constantly using browsers to accomplish their ever-evolving digital work. Much of what they work on involves the internet, such as managing social media accounts, client communication, and staying on top of the latest news and trends. Additionally, launching marketing campaigns that are relevant to the client usually require the internet. These users usually opt for browsers which let them quickly load web pages, no matter how image-heavy the content.
• Researchers: These users generally turn to their web browsers to conduct research for their assignments, to set topics, or view resources that are stored in their server. Researchers need to be able to do thorough research, such as digging through journals, encyclopedias, archived newspapers, and other papers, to complete their tasks. The web browser has made all this possible with just a click of a button. Researching for a specific topic using a web browser unlocks an unlimited amount of information to provide a smooth researching experience.

Benefits of browser software

Here are the key benefits of a web browser for your business:

• Compatibility across platforms: Web browsers are compatible across a variety of platforms or operating systems installed on your hardware. There are many web browsers available in the market for you to choose from that are able to be used on any platform that you are using at the time.
• Easily manageable: The web-based systems are able to be easily installed on the end user workstation. At their most deployable, the user just needs internet access and a website address to download the browser. Maintenance is easy to handle and updating the system much more simple as this is usually accomplished on the end user’s device.
• Speed: Browsers are made to work on modern PCs and laptops that leverage their speed to perform better. Because of advanced technology, these browsers are able to quickly load web pages and possess better memory and storage management capability.

Key considerations when downloading browsers

• Consider your device: Usually computing and mobile devices come with built-in browsers when a particular browser is optimized for certain devices. However, there are a few device-specific browsers which cannot be utilized on any other device, i.e., using the Apple-owned Safari browser on a Windows machine or an Android device. Be sure to consider which device you’re using before deciding on a browser.
• Review version of your device’s operating system: Though a lot of browsers stop functioning on outdated operating systems, you'll need to know your device's operating system version to identify whether or not your device is eligible for a new browser.

Note: The applications mentioned in this article are examples to show a feature in context and are not intended as endorsements or recommendations. They have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable at the time of publication.