Once upon a time, not so very long ago, simply having a website launched you ahead of the competition.  It was as simple as the ability to reach more people who were changing the way they researched, shopped, communicated and lived.  You could inform them.  You could market to them.  You could let them know you were the place to go to.  Some loved it.  Others hated it.  But it was unstoppable and changed the very nature of how business breathes.

As the internet exploded, having a basic website became expected.  To be stand out, you needed a good looking, professionally designed web site just to maintain your edge.

And with the exponential proliferation of professionally designed websites came the necessity of Search Engine Friendly site builds and Search Engine Optimization. The two acronyms, SEF and SEO, are marketed by the scrupulous and unscrupulous alike.  Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between Snakeoil Enterprising Frauds (SEF) and Search Engine Friendly (SEF).  So the role of a competent consultant entered the minds of wise entrepreneurs and managers everywhere.

But, with change as the only constant in this story, you might expect another level of mandatory sophistication to hit your website.  And maybe that’s true.  Or, maybe it’s coming.  Or, maybe it just doesn’t matter right now.

Instead, there’s been a seismic interruption to the otherwise predictable pace and progression of the story.  Some love it.  Others hate it.  Like that time not so long ago when websites first began to appear, it’s a game changer.  And it, too, is unstoppable, changing the way business breathes.  It is Social Media.  It is conversational by nature.  It turns customers into your sales force.  It leverages your time. It’s where people are shifting their time and attention to, so to succeed, we must go there with them. And it is only going to be effective by rethinking your web presence.