The more things change, the more they stay the same. It's 2011, and I can't believe I'm STILL talking about business owner expectations from their website efforts.
You can give a man binoculars, but you can't make him see.
Those of you who know me, how many times have you heard me say that websites require ownership by marketing with technical input for quality?
Add SEO objectives to the mix and you might have an impossible situation on your hands:
1. The SEO consultant who is sprinkling content across the Internet to create links pointing to your website (to increase your traffic and positioning)
can't get it done because
2. The small business owner still doesn't understand that only some content should be on the company's website so he insists that all new content appear on the website
demands
3. That I.T. liaison speak to the SEO consultant about the problem. The I.T. liaison speaks I.T. but the problem is a MARKETING problem. The I.T. liaison has no authority in marketing. He has a directive.
Websites contain marketing content like your printed brochure might. If you use a billboard to advertise your location, are you going to put the billboard graphics on your brochure?? That's what you're saying when you insist that all content be added to the website.
Now, look at your analytics console and tell me how many times a website visitor (potential new customer) clicked that customer newsletter link that the business owner INSISTED was important.
Answer: 0

