Time to free yourself from digital feudalism?
Permit me to share something astonishing with you. You still need a really well-designed web site. Yes, that's right, you really do.
I've been extolling the virtues of a certain amount of what some are calling (rather dramatically) digital sharecropping myself. If you're a small business and you want to take control of your online presence then using Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter seems like a really liberating and empowering thing to do. It's a free and easy way to get your message out there and there are a lot potential customers inhabiting these spaces.
And that's great of course. However, ultimately those that own the social digital landscape are in control of the 'means of production', not you, and if something happens in that relationship between you and these landowners you might end up like a farmer without a plot.
So let's not forget that having a good website of your own still has a major part to play in your marketing tactics.
5 reasons why a good web site is still important:
- Your content the way you want to present it
- Ability to build something bespoke and unique for your audience
- It's not at the whim of the latest trends or fads (see MySpace)
- It's not at the mercy of changes to features or terms of service policies
- You have control over it; it's your asset
So the message is clear: use the social media platforms as part of your marketing mix, but it's wise to make sure you don't rely solely on them.
Owning your own well designed and professionally-built web site is crucial if you want to get liberated!