posted by Nicolette Beard @ 3:45 PM
The Internet has created in us the need for speed. Some days I’m moving so fast, clicking from link to link, that I hope none of my coworkers ask how I arrived at my conclusions. If I had to source every link I clicked and website I visited, there wouldn’t be time left in the day to actually CREATE.
Seth Godin describes this behavior in a recent post: Driveby Culture and the Endless Search for Wow.
The illusion of speed creates unrealistic expectations for both consumers and businesses. The reality is that designing a website that works or solving a complex problem takes time.
The Twitteratti want us to believe that you can create change in snippets. As Jeffrey Hayzlett, CMO Kodak, said, “How can I be a thought leader in 140 characters?, when asked why he wasn’t leading the social media charge for B2B companies.
Godin writes, “More and more often, we’re seeing products and services coming to market designed to appeal to the momentary attention of the clickers. The Huffington Post has downgraded itself, pushing thoughtful stories down the page in exchange for linkbait and sensational celebrity riffs. This strategy gets page views, but does it generate thought or change?”
As any creative artist will tell you, designing for the masses is a soul-less pursuit.
The Internet is so vast that we (marketers) need not succumb to the zero-sum game of pursing the latest in what’s popular. The “idea merchants” who are succeeding online ignore the click and leave crowd. Instead, they’re focusing on their true fan base. It only takes a tiny slice of the Internet audience to make your voice heard or your product known.
Just ask Hugh McLeod, entrepreneuer, who launched a boutique wine solely using the Internet. In his spare time he draws cartoons on the back of business cards. He sent an email in January announcing that he was pulling back on cartooning (gasp!) to invest more time in the audience that matters: customers who return and also take action.
As Godin states, “When there’s no commitment of money or time in the interaction, can change or commerce really happen? Just because you can measure eyeballs and page views doesn’t mean you should.”
Spreading ideas, changing mindsets and creating something worthwhile for an audience that cares, takes time and effort. But when design merges with a cause, then the clicks can matter.
