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« Measuring The Value | Main | Can something be good publicity and bad public relations? » Remember Those Things Called Web Sites?Posted by Jason Swartz on July 21, 2009 at July 21, 2009 8:33 AMIt's interesting to see traditional company Web sites dramatically changing, and in some cases, just plain disappearing. I believe this trend is the result of two things; the popularity of social media and the fact that many company Web sites are just self-serving, online pats-on-the-back, which people have lost interest in. That said, I think it's very possible you won't need a corporate Web site in the future. Before you write me off as crazy, here are a few examples that I feel justify my thinking... While pumping gas the other day, I saw this ad from Snickers: 
Note the call to action at the bottom. It doesn't say, "Visit Snickers.com for more info," nor does it provide some million dollar, branded-microsite URL. Instead, it directs people to a Snickers Fan page on Facebook - a place where their consumers are already spending a lot of their free time. The brand does still have a traditional Web site, but I wonder for how long. Just look back at what Skittles created earlier this year, which proves that a brand's Web site can exist (and co-exist) out in the wild. Or, check out this "Web site" from BooneOakley, a North Carolina-based marketing agency, which was made entirely from YouTube videos. It's by far the most creative digital concept I've seen this year, maybe ever. I'm not saying that every company should replace their current site with a Facebook Fan Page or a series of YouTube videos. But they should be thinking about where their audience is and how they can differentiate their brand in the digital space. That may sound a bit "Branding 101," but we often get so caught up in building expensive microsites and fancy applications that we lose site of what's relevant to the people who matter. All the while, we limit our own word-of-mouth potential by focusing too heavily on what WE think is cool, and not being the community oriented brands we say we are. Snickers, Skittles and BooneOakley found a way to create an online presence that's simple, different and relevant, while becoming approachable brands within a larger community of people who can help spread their message. What does this mean to your Web presence now versus 5 years from now? Thinking beyond a URL and some copy about your company's awards will put you ahead of your competitors, and probably earn you some web-cred* from your tweeps** along the way. *Like street-cred, only online
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