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An Insider's Perspective

WWW May Mean 'What Went Wrong?'

By LARRY M. EDWARDS

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Jan. 1, 1997) — Do you still think WWW stands for World Wide Web? Think again.

      What many companies and organizations are discovering is that WWW now means "What Went Wrong?" — as in "What went wrong with our Web site?"

No Field of Dreams
      I've said it. Others have said it. And I continue to say it. Despite the self-serving fluff dished out by the hypemeisters, the WWW is not a "field of dreams." Even Hollywood is having trouble finding a field of dreams these days, at least in terms of the WWW. Just look at the complete make-over of the Disney Web site last year.

      The hard lesson learned in 1996 is, build it and they don't necessarily come. And even when they do come, they often don't stay through the first act, let alone the entire show. In the feverish rush to stake claims in Cyberspace, many companies and organizatons did not plan well or realistically. They are now rethinking the method as well as the message.

      It's not a particularly pleasant reality, but it's one many companies and organizations are facing. They need to re-evaluate the direction their Web sites have taken and make a mid-course correction. In some cases, it means starting over.

What Went Wrong
      How did they go wrong? Let's count the ways.

1. No Internet-specific business plan. Many dove head-first into the Internet without much forethought or planning and, subsequently, got little or no value from the effort. Having an specific business plan that spells out how the Internet/Web will integrated into a company's marketing program is critical.

2. Too many bells and whistles, with too little substance. In an effort to launch "killer" and "way cool" Web sites, the gargoyles are given control of the cathedral. Graphics are too large and in too great a number, and there are too many TV-like multimedia presentations. This gave rise to the derisive moniker "World Wide Wait".

         It's the old debate of form vs. function. The Web is graphical, and as browsers became more sophisticated, it sparked an orgy of graphic and multimedia displays. Web veterans are now in the hangover phase, having learned their lessons. Newbies, in awe of the emerging technology, tend to repeat these mistakes, however.

3. Reality is ignored. The reality of the Web is that the majority of people still have low-end equipment. Most people are using 14.4 kbps modems and have 640x480 monitors. Yet, many Web site designers can't seem to get their heads out of their narrow, distorted view of the world, which consists of high-speed access and high-resolution monitors.

4. Quality of content takes a back seat to razzle dazzle. Too often the information provided has little or no value, or is of inferior quality. Having eye-grabbing, screen-filling graphics and slick multimedia presentations can be engaging — for a moment or two — but do they provide any real value? Was it worth the wait to see them? Disney, among others, discovered that the answer is "no".

         Muddled writing, poor spelling, incorrect grammar and insufficient editing becomes an embarrassment to management, who entrusted their Web site development — perceived as the purview of the "tech-heads" and graphics guys — to those who often lack marketing expertise and effective communication skills.

5. Navigation is difficult and not intuitive. Wending one's way through a Web site is not like reading a book or watching TV. Visitors need a road map, with plenty of road signs. Icons look nice, but if it's not clear to the casual observer what they represent, they're useless. If you want an art gallery on the Web, so be it. But navigation devices, even if they are simply hyperlinked text, need to be clearly understood and conveniently placed, sometimes at the expense of graphic design.

6. The marketing message is lost. For businesses and organizations, the purpose of a Web site is to add another weapon to the marketing arsenal. But too often this weapon is shooting blanks.

         Web development is not integrated effectively, if at all, with the overall marketing program. It dilutes the value of both. Web development needs to be directed by the marketing department, which can then delegate the actual implementation to the programmers and graphics people. Or consider contracting the services of experienced professionals, just as public relations, marketing and advertising services are typically obtained from agencies specializing in these areas.

7. The field of dreams delusion. At the risk of being redundant, I'll say it again: Building a Web site doesn't mean anyone will come to look at it. It's like opening a shop in an unlit back alley. How will people know it exists? For a Web site to be effective, it requires a well-conceived plan for promoting its existence, a plan that incorporates new as well as traditional methods of promotion and advertising.

8. Insufficient technical skill on the part of the developer. There is a group of entrepreneurs who believe that because they learned a smattering of HTML (HyperText Markup Language, the lingua franca of the Web), and they have computer graphics software, they are Web site developers. But just because someone can wield a hammer and saw doesn't mean he or she is a skilled cabinetmaker. The majority of Web sites require some degree of specialized programming, if not database development.

9. The content is stale. Effective Web sites needing continual care and attention. But many Web sites are neglected shortly after the launch because insufficient resources are allocated for maintenance, updates and responding to feedback.

10. Insufficient interactivity. Web site visitors like to tell you what they think and will help you with your market research if you offer a carrot or two. But some sites make it difficult to even send e-mail.

New Year's Resolution
      If you make just one resolution for the New Year, make this one: I resolve to make my Web site as effective as it can be. On the surface, this seems simple enough. It's not. Because it requires a conscious, concerted effort and doing some homework. For too many organizations, having a Web site is a way of being fashionable, of being trendy. It's not taken seriously — despite all the serious money poured into it.

      Now, however, the party is over and people are rethinking the value of the effort. They're wondering, "What went wrong,?" And are seeking answers and remedies.

The Doctor Is In
      That's fine by me. A high percentage of the work I did in the latter half of '96 was "Web doctoring" or "Web rescues," often working with Link sandiego.com.

      Typically, these were instances where Web sites were under development, but it had become apparent to the check writers that there were major problems in some or all of the areas listed above. After a review and analysis of the existing material, my associates and I redesigned the Web sites to meet the organizations' marketing communications objectives. We assisted our clients with the establishment of effective promotional programs and for keeping the Web sites up to date.

Final Word
      Technology has out-paced mainstream society's ability to keep up. This silent majority is suffering from culture shock, and it's going to be a while longer before the malady is overcome. The Internet and Web may have reached critical mass in the government's eyes, but for Al and Alice Consumer, it's still a hazy Wonderland, something of a mirage created with silicon smoke and mirrors rather than anything of real substance.

      The Internet and Web are becoming a mass-media communications device, but the levels of sophistication and acceptance to which we have grown accustomed in other facets of our lives — particularly telephone and television — are still a ways off. Patience must prevail until the payoff finally arrives. In the meantime, the Internet and Web are primarily a business-to-business communications device. Though, for many, this is more important than reaching a consumer-oriented mass market.

      There's no harm in — and there are many good reasons for — migrating one's business to the Internet and World Wide Web. But go into it with your eyes wide open, as well as realistic expectations for what can be accomplished and the most effective means for doing so. Otherwise, you, too, will be uttering in wonderment, "What went wrong?"

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