WebWorkerDaily » Archive Are Web Sites Obsolete Yet? «

WebWorkerDaily » Archive Are Web Sites Obsolete Yet? «.

I was recently interviewed as a “web expert” for a national women’s magazine. The reporter kept trying to get me to explain how a professional could build a static web site on the cheap to effectively “manage online reputation.”

“Web sites don’t really actively manage your online reputation,” I countered.

“Yes, but aren’t there free templates that people can use to set up cheap web sites? And what about hiring someone to create a one-page site?”

“I’m sure there are templates, but I would never recommend to a client today to build a web site like that,” I explained. “And I’d never recommend that anyone just put up a single page.”

My comments didn’t faze the writer, who was determined to present me as a “web expert” recommending cheap and easy web site building solutions for her article.

That exchange got me thinking: How did I - a former web developer - become so anti-web site? And why is a national publication promoting an article advising that businesspeople build web sites for themselves to manage their online reputation, especially when their chosen web expert was telling them, “Don’t do it!“?

In this blog post, I provide my thoughts on static web sites, and why I no longer recommend them as the main solutions for clients who don't yet have a web presence. A standalone static web site serves very few types of businesses and businesspeople today unless they are part of an integrated set of online accounts and presences that work in concert to build awareness and establish credibility.

Read the rest of the post...

Are you hating static sites as much as I am these days? What is your preferred solution to the "I need a web presence" conundrum for clients?

Note: I do have some static sites for basic information, even for my own company, but it is not the end-all, be-all hub of activity for building my brand or interacting with customers and potential customers. Just wanting to be clear.