See I was just sayin…

Almost a month to the day when I posted this, some well intentioned idiot at Greater Spokane Incorporated decided to present Google Sites to all of it’s clients in its news letter as a viable alternative for creating business websites.

/*begin rant…*/

There are so many things wrong with this I don’t know where to start.

I guess first of all I’m upset because this demonstrates a troubling lack of understanding regarding internet marketing at GSI.  Google Sites, Website Tonight, Webs.com, Intuit and the rest of them provide an inferior product that is essentially useless unless your website is for a senior prom or company picnic.  They do NOT perform well in search engines, look absolutely atrocious, and serve only as a loss leader for said big companies to be able to market their other high margin products.  Many of my current clients have come to me after long stints trying to make these things work, wasting time, money and sacrificing business.  GSI is doing their clientelle a disservice by promoting these operations.

It would also appear that the powers that be at GSI are unfamiliar with the Law of Unforeseen Consequences.  Did it occur to anyone down there how this might effect dozens of businesses in Spokane?   Apparently not.   Whether you meant to or not you just devalued the product of countless advertising agencies, graphic designers and web developers in front of thousands of business owners.

People are confused enough about the internet and how they can best use if for business and it does not help when a supposedly reputable source obsfucates the issue further by giving the impression that the kid who mows your lawn should be able to produce a functional and effective web presence.

I am not a GSI member butI can assure you if I were that would be a rapidly changing situation.

/*end rant…*/