In today's world, new technologies are being developed at a very rapid pace and are being adapted by the public very quickly. A year ago, did you use an iPod or any other MP3 player? Do you use one now? Have you heard about blogs, podcasts, and networking sites such as MySpace.com? Have you used them? Many consumers have already changed the way in which they get and use information from the web, which means you may want to take a closer look at your company's web site.
Although your company may not need to implement blogs and podcasts, you should at least be aware of the new technologies that are available today, and what kind of impact they are having on your customers and potential customers.
For instance, some of the newer technologies might not have existed when you first launched your web site. But today's users are often already comfortable with them, and ignoring technologies like RSS feeds or interactivity on your web site can give customers a negative impression. New companies and web sites entering your market today are taking advantage of what's popular with consumers, and are developing web sites with new tools and products that may not have been available when you built your web site.
If your competitors have new technology features on their web sites, you should consider what impact this has on your business. Web sites that provide RSS feeds, blogs, podcasts, or other interactivity are often perceived as having more value than sites that do not. If your competition has a more up-to-date, feature-rich web site, will you still be able to attract new customers? Or even keep the interest of your current customers?
Try to evaluate these new technologies to see if your web site could benefit from implementing any of them. Not a blog user? Go find a blog you're interested in and check it out! (A good place to start is www.blog-search.com.) Consider adding news headlines from a RSS feed in your industry. Think about adding interactive features such as a dynamic calendar of events, maps, articles, how-to-guides, or even a site-search feature to your web site. Show your customers that your company is progressive by keeping your web site in step with technology, and the impression you make will be a good one.
About the Author
Lauren Hobson is the Editor of Biz Talk Newsletter, a free monthly publication designed to provide small businesses and non-profits with tips and techniques to help them make the most of their web sites and marketing efforts without spending a lot of money. Biz Talk is published by Five Sparrows, LLC. Visit us at http://www.fivesparrows.com or subscribe to Biz Talk at http://www.fivesparrows.com/biztalk.htm.
