The Show dog
The show dog is great for the owner's ego, of course, but only other owners of such status symbols are really interested. Much of its attraction is its scarcity; it stops being a status symbol if other people buy one too, at which point their value drops. They're expensive to buy, expensive to maintain and seldom do anything very useful.
Usually the primary motivation for having one is to win a prize of some sort, or make the owner look good.
Ordinary people view them as just a passing curiosity or as a wasteful indulgence. Show dogs, like so many status symbols, go out of fashion quickly and when they do they're suddenly passé and uninteresting.
The Showdog website
Websites of this nature normally use the latest technology because it happens to be just that - the latest. They do not take into account the fact that many of their target market might not be able to use whatever the site offers unless they, too, update to the latest technology.
A sure sign that you are on one of these sites is when there's a prominent link on the home page that says “Click here to download the latest version of xyz.”
Often such sites are under the direction of a website developer or computer person who is interested in only one thing - to have the chance to play with the latest technology at your expense. Such sites usually set out to impress other developers or technologists. They may even be designed specifically to win some technical or creative award or other. Your customers and your business needs, unfortunately, come last.
A status symbol website quickly becomes dated and worthless as soon as its technology, whatever it is, gets overtaken by something newer.
More often than not, your website gives bragging rights to the developer or designer but your business comes last. Search engine optimisation won't help either - it will only bring more visitors to what is likely to be a dated website, one that they can't view properly or one that comes across as irrelevant to their needs.
Just like the mongrel website they do more harm than good for their owners.
Are you about to buy a designer website?
Signs that you could be buying a show dog:
- Suggestions and recommendations are justified on the basis of them “being the latest” or “cutting edge”.
- Its creative look takes precedence over the website's role in your business.
- You're being asked to pay for new software or development tools.
- Conversations centre on bells and whistles instead of business outcomes.
- Core off-line business strategies are not asked about.
- The provider talks as if having a successful website is about programming, computers, graphic design and IT.
- The website sounds far too expensive for what you want.
- You're not asked about business goals and strategies.
- You're not asked about your customers and their needs.
- You feel that your business needs are being sidelined.
- It feels complicated instead of simple and straight forward.
How to ensure a thoroughbred website
SnapSite will work with you through each of the important steps to website success. We can help you develop operational and strategic business battle plans that will give your business the potent advantage of having more than just a website.
Snapsite provide strategies, systems and services to take your business beyond the limitations of just having a website