hile you may be able to become more homogenous. Have a
read some highlights of look around. A great many
web strategies to websites now use the three-column
implement overnight without much layout. Black text on a white
planning, it's important to background dominates.
realize that websites change the
way an organization communicates Where is all the multimedia? I
with its staff, customers, saw more websites offering video
investors, and the general in 1999 than I do today. Why?
public. A change in communication Because it didn't work. Do you
is a major shift for the really think an investment
organization. To effectively analyst is going to watch a tiny,
implement such a change will take choppy video of a CEO discussing
time. You need a five-year plan quarterly results? They'll scan
for your website. the transcript, read the press
release, or ring someone up
Let's dispel a big myth: that the because it's much quicker.
Internet is changing so fast, it
is impossible to plan for. That We live in a world where a
is absolute rubbish. Just how manager can order more stock on
exactly has the Internet changed his wireless device as he sits in
over the last eight years? Sure, the bathroom. But the same
it's much bigger. But how has it manager is so busy acting
changed structurally? Is the tactically that he has no time to
website of 1997 radically plan for the long term. And then
different from the website of the lights go out. A tree falls
2006? We're still using HTML. on a power line in Switzerland.
We're still using hyperlinks. The lights go out in Italy.
We're still using text and simple Should the citizens of the
images. If anything, the web has digital age buy candles with
their broadband? Why is such a to get people to think web
basic utility as electricity instead of print. It takes time
going out all over the world? and training.
Lack of long-term planning and
investment is the reason. 3. There is very little
recognition for people who create
All that fancy content management quality web content. It's not
software, all those portals written into their job profiles.
delivering jazzy personalization. They don't get part of their
Forget that they're going to give bonus because of it. If you want
you a great website. You've got quality content, you must
core issues that only long-term motivate and reward people to
planning can address: create it.
1. Too many of your senior 4. Before you can give rewards,
managers still don't understand you need to measure the cost and
the web. They use it only value of your content. It will
occasionally and thus lack take a lot of time and effort to
practical experience. This often implement comprehensive return on
results in their caring more investment models for content.
about what color a button is than
what the content is 5. You can have the best intranet
communicating. They need winning in the world, but that doesn't
over, and that takes time. mean that staff will flock to it.
You may have a wonderful online
2. Your staff is not being bill-paying process. That doesn't
trained to create quality web mean your customers will
content. Writing for the web is automatically use it. Habits take
different from writing for print. time to change.
It is hard, but not impossible,
About the Author:
Jerry Hart, CEO of Hart Creative Marketing, Inc., a 20-year veteran in marketing online and off, wrote "Blueprint to E-Marketing" (Blueprint Series, June 2005), available at http://Amazon.com. Once a radio show host in Calif., he also is a dynamic speaker and prolific writer, and has been widely published. More info: http://www.hartcreativemarketing.com.
Read more articles by:
Jerry Hart
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