I’ve always been somehow fascinated about those JavaScript code snippets that you insert into your website in order to activate an external service to work. Most notorious example these days is Google Analytics but they are many others such as:

• KISSmetrics (Analytics)
• Crazyegg (Heatmaps)
• Mouseflow (Live Clicking)
• Olark (Chat Widget)
• tlk.io (Web Chat Room)
• Translate This (Translation)

It used to be the case that inserting these JavaScript snippets into a website would case delayed page loading and the recommendation was to place them just before the body close HTML tag.

The new HTML5 “async” attribute allows that the such snippets, once triggered, run in parallel with page loading. Which is kind of awesome. It creates the same effect as adding a <script> element, but it tells the browser that the script can be loaded asynchronously. Firefox 3.6 was the first browser to officially support this new feature.

Parallel to working on WidgiLabs I’m now also involved with UserFollowUp, a service that allows sending rule-based e-mails and SMS to users. We’re starting by focusing on WordPress users, namely with a WooCommerce follow up emails extension. Studies suggest that follow up emails can reduce up to 30% of cart abandonment so we think this is a pretty awesome service to offer. Do check it out and let me know if you find it useful or if you have any questions.