Why the online brochure website is not dead

At the risk of suffering the wrath of website developers and online marketing consultants the world over, I’m going to go out on a limb and say “There is nothing wrong with a simple static online brochure website!”

Any online marketer worth their salt will tell you that the Internet is completely different from print. Their view is along the lines of:

“As it’s an interactive medium, you need to engage your audience in a conversation and take them on a journey. Write articles, run surveys, be controversial, add new content regularly to entice visitors to return, optimise your content for search engines and generate backlinks by participating in the blogosphere.”

They’re right, but the problem is that it all sounds difficult. Why? Because it is.

Unless you enjoy writing, are willing to immerse yourself in the online world and have a decent grasp of web technology, creating a thriving business website or blog takes a lot of committed time and effort.

It’s great if you can do it, but it’s not for everyone. Realistically it’s not for the majority of people. That's where the online brochure website steps in.

Blogs, vlogs, email autoresponders, SEO, surveys, forums, clubs, email newsletters, live support, site personalisation, forums, RSS, podcasts and webinars are all fantastic, but first things first.

Before moving on to Web 2.0, it’s important to master communication 101. Whether it’s a brochure, email, proposal, letter, meeting or website, the fact remains that the most important things people want to know are what you do, who for and how will it benefit them.

Before doing anything else to attract a bigger online audience, you first need to make sure that when people do arrive they get quick answers to the following questions in plain English:

What do you do?
Who for?
How is it of benefit?
Why are you different?
How can I contact you?

A clear and concise static online brochure website is the minimum platform you need before you can leverage the full interactive and networking potential of the internet.

It’s very simple, yet surprisingly uncommon.

Peter Crocker is a director of Flying Solo responsible for the areas of marketing and advertising. He is a business copywriter specialising in websites, videos and marketing communications.

12 comments | Add your own 1 2 | Next» View all»

Thank you Peter. You just cheered my day. Finding clear and concise information is what many people look for. And there is still a great area of our country that does not have broadband access which limits the sites that they can view. Fast loading static sites are best for them to view. Karen from Springwood NSW
Spot on, Peter. When I want to browse a fancy website, its because I'm interested, but not buying - when I'm buying, I just want simple access to the facts - in short, tell me why I should buy from you! Grant Hyman from Sydney | Read my articles
Hi Peter. I totally agree with you, Karen and Grant. Whilst we're all so used to jumping on our computers for information these days, we don't have time to spend hours trawling through the net to find out what we need. That's the whole point of jumping on our computers in the first place. It's a tool to save time. If I can't find the information I need within 30 seconds (I obviously have a short attention span!) I'm off somewhere else to find it. Bring on the static brochureware site any day (I'm not the least bit biased since I have one!) Karen Morris from Sydney | Read my articles
Well done! It's finally been said. A static site works for some people, where fancy Flash sites works for others. Personally, as a communications agency, I am bored with 'widgets' and 'broken promises' of spectacular results from gizmos that many marketers offer. Stick to the basics, is my motto. Get clarity on your direction and message, and tell people in 3 clicks OR 'Gone in 30 seconds or less' applies - online or traditional media. I want info, I want it clear, concise, and fast. Maybe I am wrong, but I know the pace at which I work, think, and play and suspect others do to. Laynie Kelly from Business & Office Solutions Centre
While I agree that 'brochureware' is OK and indeed all many businesses need, I think this article would benefit from some jargon delineation.
Static generally means that the site is written in standard Html, while dynamic means that a site is generated from (generally) database-stored information. Dynamic does not mean slow. Every page on Google is dynamic, yet is blazing fast on even the slowest dialup - this is due to smart design and good programming. The problem with a true 'static' website is that it becomes 'stale' very quickly, and any site that the owner cannot update without bringing back the developer is a poor investment.
Flash sites can be static in that they don't change, but slow because they overload the end-computer with download requirements and processor speed.
Interactive generally means that (like flying solo) the visitor has some level of interaction with the site, such as these comments.
Being in the business of supplying websites to business, I can attest to the fact that many in the industry will sell you a very complicated website when you perhaps don't need one. As the saying goes: 'never ask a barber if you need a haircut'.
What most of the comments so far indicate what you should be getting from your website (whatever your business):
1. Simple, clear paths to information and easy to use
2. Simple, lightweight design without gizmos
3. Blazing fast performance
Note that none of this relies on your website being static or otherwise - just a good fit for purpose. Bruce Chapman from www.ifinity.com.au
Thanks for clarifying Bruce, that's a good point. Static was the wrong word there - a good content management tool is clearly of great benefit. I love your 'never ask a barber if you need a haircut' saying - many people push all the bells and whistles when the right good old fashioned words and pictures can be used to achieve many business objectives. Peter Crocker from Flying Solo | Read my articles

12 comments | Add your own 1 2 | Next» View all»

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