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Web 2.0 Might Get You Found but Not Remembered
Posted on June 5, 2009 at 3:37 pm
I sat in the audience at a web 2.0/social media presentation recently with the goal of trying to figure out the best way forward for our clients and our own business—yes, GB blogs, tweets, links in, buys adwords, follows analytics, etc … but we always look to be better.
The not so new, but important news? Your web presence is no longer your web site! (Our friend Paul Gladen of Muzeview has been evangelizing this point for many moons and tracks firm exposure with his Web Presence Index.)And so we all dutifully experiment, learn and improve ways to get found on the web. But in the rush to the new web 2.0 outreach tools, I think it’s important to observe that most professional service firms missed a significant chance to engage and differentiate with their 1.0 web sites. Let’s face it. Most of the top law, accounting and consulting firm sites are classic bores. And that trend is likely to continue, even with the new tools. That is, social media may help you attract more people to your party (web site), but in no way does it ensure that you’ll make a good, lasting, and distinct impression when they come.
Most professional and b2B service firm sites are “information slaughterhouses” (Seth Godin’s phrase) that skip right past differentiation and go directly to what they are selling: things like firm news about new lateral hires; announcements of upcoming events and seminars; and recently published white papers/issue briefings. Yawn.
Check out three professional service firms who take the opposite route with their sites:
1. http://www.axiomlaw.com/
2. http://www.sternekessler.com
3. http://www.leoburnett.com.Please note that one of the three is our client, the IP law boutique, Sterne Kessler, but the other two are sites we also wish we had done. Why? They deliver an identity based on a unique promise of value different from others. That is, they deliver the brand, not the news. And that’s something professional service firms need to do more of as their 2.0 initiatives attract more visitors to their sites.
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Joe Walsh
Joe Walsh, a life long professional services marketer, is a principal and creative director with Greenfield Belser. He offers clients a wealth of sophisticated brand positioning, market research, creative development and media planning skills.