If you’re in online marketing and strategy, this will piss you off
Originally posted on September 6th, 2010
I’m just going to say it. I have yet to see a successful example of online company marketing.
Marketing campaigns may work for posters and commercials, but are distractions on the web. Some may challenge my notion when it comes to Apple, —but you know what the difference is between Apple and other companies are? Simplicity. Its all about the product. The imagery is of the product, the message is geared to their audience and everything is said in one sentence. When I’m looking to buy something from company ‘X’, I don’t want to presented with a paragraph of generic adjectives such as,
“Discover breakthrough interactive design tools that enable you to create, deliver, and optimize beautiful, high-impact digital experiences across media and devices. —etc..”
I want to see features, and I don’t want to have to search through a site to find them. Compare the above example to the following:
“An expanded ProRes family. Powerful new ways to collaborate. Even tighter integration between applications. The leading post-production suite just got better.”
Both quotes are taken from landing pages describing a suite of products. The difference? The first example can be used to describe most creative, digital media applications. The second starts with a feature specific to the product being sold (ProRes), and speaks to the viewer in more specific terms. Words and phrases such as ‘collaborate’, ‘tighter integration between applications’, ‘the leading post-production suite’ shows that the company, knows their audience, isn’t condescending, and very specific. What makes Company ‘X’ fail even more is that it adds more text to the example shown above, before showing the product. On top of which it pushes the actual products being sold and their calls to action below the fold.
Let’s face it, most people on the internet have a form of ADD when it comes to clicking through sites. Unless they’re on a site geared towards content (news, blogs), they scan and navigate to where they can find exactly what they’re looking for. Throwing marketing pages in the midst are roadblocks to information, and slow the process down. Especially when they’re not relevant. Sure, they can be awesome and inspiring, but it rarely helps to sell a product if its built on metaphors. It’s noise —especially to repeat visitors. Its disingenuous and transparent —a painted wall that bottlenecks the process of getting to information.
My advice? Hold your breath for as long as you can and, upon exhaling, describe your product as best you can.
UPDATE: Marketing has an important strategic role in shaping a company and seeing it succeed. However, they should not be given complete authority over design. Trust the people you work with.
