Why a Website is Still Your Most Important Piece of Marketing Collateral

With so much talk of virtual and augmented reality, experiential content and digital solutions, it’s easy for marketers to think a fantastic brand can only be built through expensive, high-tech strategies.

Whilst the digital revolution has opened up incredible opportunities for marketers, allowing them to bring campaigns to life like never before, brands are at risk of neglecting some of their core piece of marketing collateral, in the rush to jump on the tech bandwagon.

Whilst most companies will have had a website for years or even decades, they are often neglected. The website is the shop window to your organisation and normally the first port of call for anyone checking you out. But how often have you visited a website only to see out of date information, a dormant blog or (worst of all) typos? It happens all the time, even with household name brands.

Depending on the company, websites serve a range of purposes. But the most fundamental of these is acting as a communication tool. The platform should clearly articulate what you do, what you stand for and what the culture of your company is. Many organisations hide their light under a bushel when it comes to their digital platforms. They are represented online by boring or dated websites, whilst a host of engaged, enthusiastic people sit in the office. The juxtaposition is often stark.

So why do so many companies neglect this most basic of digital platforms? It often comes down to time, money and remembering to post regular updates. Investing in a re-design and website upgrade might not sound like a great investment, especially when there’s more exciting things to be rolling out or experimenting with. So whilst some marketers are tripping over themselves to invest in jazzy VR concepts, they are weakening their overall brand by neglecting the building blocks that make up a great marketing strategy.

Take a look at your website, compare it to your competitors. Is it really the best it can be? Does its functionality stand up to 2016 standards? Does it do enough to showcase your brand? If the answer to any of these is no, it might be time to take it back to ‘basics’ and make sure your marketing plans don’t neglect the fundamentals.