5 Reasons You Can’t Blame Iowa NM Web Developers
You’d think Iowa is way different than New Mexico. And, it is in many ways. But, people are people, wherever ya go - same basic hopes, fears, preferences and prejudices (With a few regional twists just to keep it interesting. Chile addiction, anyone?) Mike Sansone sees many of the same biz challenges and opportunities in Iowa as I do here in New Mexico. Which brings me to Mike’s post, in which he notes:
5 Reasons You Can’t Blame Iowa Web Developers for Not Building Blog Sites
5. They are making so much money with Flash and Frames, why change?
4. They say their customers don’t want RSS because they lose “hits”
3. They use the Juice blogs as the example — and what business would do that? [MS Note: Here in New Mexico, they’d reference one of the political blogs or even Duke City Fix (If they’re totally clueless about the power of personal connections and conversation.) DCF is terrific and not just for personal use. I found a great local web developer, Clearwired, through a guest post (about families) on that blog.]
2. They’re busy building their own proprietary blogging software (Why?)
1. They are waiting for Missouri web developers to show ‘em.One of the largest web developers in this area (at least they have the largest advertising budget) is telling their customers that RSS takes up too much bandwidth and that blogs are a fad. Boy, are they going to be in trouble when their customers find out the truth. [MS Note: Yes, and I seem to recall horseless carriages were dismissed as a fad…and who on earth would want a telephone?]
Change Iowa to New Mexico, and that goes for me too. However, being clueless about blogs, while daunting, is simply a symptom of a far larger problem. Many web developers still haven’t grokked that (rather they like it or not) the Web is all about personal connection and interactive conversation…and that means lotsa new content, personalized writing, and constant change.
As Mike goes on to say about the folks in Iowa, New Mexico’s clueless developers are great people - funny, smart, and warm-hearted. They’re just stuck in about 1995, which is the equivalent of the Juraissic Age on the web. I can usually spot these developers’ work at a glance. Yep…done in Frames (or lots of Flash)…broken links…crazy navigation…web content written like an old brochure…missing pages…scrolling banner at the top…pages noted as “under construction”…visitor counter…shopping carts that require a really, really dedicated shopper to complete an order (click, click, click, click and, oh dear, another click…) …and the list goes on…But, their equally clueless clients love and recommend ‘em highly. I simply smile, note that I know the work, and move along to another topic. (And hope all the clueless will eventually decide they need to know and do more.)
Like what you’re reading? Subscribe to Mary’s Blog by Email
Related Posts:
Small Biz: Make Time for Web Marketing
Cut the Clutter
Blog or Web Site or Both?
I don’t have time to play on the computer.
Blog Business 101
Gooogle Isn’t Always Gooood.
Lost/Missed Customers? Maybe You’re Scaring Them!
The Problem with Marketing Creativity
Lurking Readers! Like what you’re reading? Don’t “get” the whole RSS thing? Simply subscribe to Mary’s Blog by Email (I don’t send you any email or give the address to anybody else. It’s an automated feed of my new posts to your email box to read at your leisure.)
If you’d like to leave a comment, please do so. It may take a bit to show up since I hate making people type in little letters (I can’t read most of them myself) - so I moderate all comments. Feel free to disagree - debate is healthy. However, I’ve blacklisted the worst obscenities, including the “f” word, as part of the troll wall.
Tags: ecommerce, web development, web marketing, marketing troubleshooting, entrepreneur sanity check
View the Blog Roll
May 9th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
OMG - utterly priceless and well timed…
I did a review of a site this weekend that was all that and more…and the owner couldn’t figure out why he wasn’t getting any business. My assessment showed that he wasn’t even in google. It’ll be interesting to see if he is willing to pay to have it redone. He bought the site last fall. Frames, most of the text is in images (google doesn’t read images), etc.
You can also tell these “design firms” because their own sites give you precious little indication what they do. Are they a hair salon, an insurance agency or a design firm…(and yes, I did see one *just like that* today - what’s worse is I may actually have to work with them on a project…
Thanks for bringing laughter into my otherwise dreary day.
May 10th, 2007 at 5:57 am
Too often people jumping headfirst into the internet focus on style over substance.
But what does that get you? The name “Paris Hilton” comes to mind.
May 10th, 2007 at 6:38 am
Oh, now, Mark. Don’t get me started on “designers.” Some of the “creative agencies”’sites are so bad, I actually get embarrassed for them. Yes, but what do you do? And, how can I find your contact inforrmation? And, why is that thing blinking at me up in the corner? And, No, thank you, I don’t want to sit through your video (complete with booming audio for which I wasn’ prepared) before ever getting to your services section (if I can ever figure out where that is…)
The challenge is somebody can be a great graphic artist, and terrific with print media - but the Internet is a a completely different realm. So, yes, sometimes we have to work with such - who mean well, have great ideas - but just don’t get the Web stuff (at least not yet.)
Oh, and those clueless clients? They’re the ones who say things, like, “Well, I don’t get any business from the Web but I know you have to have a web page.” or, “I just spent $10,000 on the site! It CAN’T be broken! And, and, I really like it!” (Yes, but do your potential customers? hmmmm….) or “I don’t want to spend much on a new site because I don’t get many orders from the existing one.” Oy!
May 10th, 2007 at 10:42 am
[…] I was inspired by Mary’s post here, in which she’s quoting Mike Sansone. I almost soiled myself - for those of you who don’t have a lot of experience with web design let me explain: there are a lot of folks out there who claim to be web designers and do not have a clue. It’s bad enough they besmirch the rest of us, but some of the horrors perpetrated on their clients are truly criminal. […]
May 16th, 2007 at 11:01 am
Mary: Great thoughts. I saw a presentation by one of the “premier” Web site designers in Iowa and they totally pooh-poohed blogging as a fad. What do they know?
May 16th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
So imagine if you will, giving a blogging workshop in which you recommend that small businesses consider using blog platforms (ie lightweight content management systems) to build their web sites versus things like Frontpage and Dreamweaver. Watch the web developer in attendance virtually soil himself….
If people spent half the time on content as they do on the design, graphics, bells & whistles, web sites would not be as bad. But… not as much money for the designers in that, so people end up with bloated static web sites, flash and all, that they are unable to edit without the help of… you guessed in, the web designer.
Not all web designers do this of course, but enough…
June 7th, 2007 at 8:01 am
[…] Related Posts: Five Reasons You Can’t Blame IowaNew Mexico Web Developers Small Biz: Make Time for Web Marketing […]
July 27th, 2007 at 9:29 am
[…] Posts: I Don’t Want “Everybody” To Read My Blog. Five Reasons You Can’t Blame Iowa NM Web Developers Mo’ Better, Mo’ Blogging (yes, for business) How Do You Write An Outstanding Blog […]