In the advertising industry big ideas are the currency of success. Doesn't matter if you're working on an ad or a golf course website, you work your butt off to come up with a big idea that can be leveraged into a category-busting campaign.
Big ideas are also the bread and butter of Silicon Valley.
Tech entrepreneurs are constantly searching for innovative, disruptive ideas that solve a problem, attract venture capital and produce hordes of 28-year old billionaires.
And in Hollywood, producers are aways on the lookout for high concept scripts that break out of the predictable, not-another-sequel playbook and produce box-office mega hits like Avatar or Titanic.
There's absolutely no doubt that big ideas can transform any golf brand from bland to brilliant. And there's no doubt that your website is great place to showcase that big idea.
Unfortunately, when it comes to golf course websites, big ideas are as rare as a Harry Potter blockbuster.
Everywhere you look there there's nothing but cookie-cutter templates, lousy stock photos and "keyword-rich" Ai-written copy devoid of any style, substance or value.
It's like paint by numbers, and the results are mind-numbing. Most golf course websites are nothing more than bad corporate brochures in electronic form.
I think we need a whole new approach to website design. Because the current standard operating procedure for website projects is all wrong.
Everyone in the web development world knows that web projects get bogged down by one thing: "Content."
The tech people who build sites are always waiting for content. Sometimes, it seems, for an eternity.
That's because they're waiting for the client to provide it. But that's the hardest part. Building a site is easy compared to the work that has to be done up front by the client, or by a creative team.
First you need Strategic Insight. That means you have to clearly articulate the crux of your brand and your value proposition.
Essentially, you have to figure out what to say.
Then someone needs to figure out how to say it, in an attention-getting manner. This is the Big Idea. (Think "Got Milk" or "Where's The Beef.")
THEN, last but not least, execution... That's the recipe for success in website development. It's a step-by-step process that begins with strategy.
Unfortunately, in the web design arena the tail is definitely wagging the dog. Companies skip over the fundamentals and jump right to the building of the site. Like working on a high draw before you address the grip, aim and stance.
It's technology first, process second, content third, design fourth. Nowhere do the programmers say, "where's the strategy?" Nowhere does the big idea come into play.
So here's my advice for any golf operator or marketing person who's thinking of "doing a new website":
Stop thinking of it as a short-term website design project, and instead think of it as a new approach that's more holistic, more integrated, and more effective than the old way.
Yes, you might need outside help to come up with the strategic insight you really need, but the effort will pay off.
The big idea is the branding thread that connects all your marketing efforts... It's not limited just to your website.
It can be leveraged in your social media campaigns, your paid advertising, your PR and even your customer service procedures.
When you begin with a big idea, the website falls into place quite naturally. Doesn't matter if it's built in WordPress, on WebFlow, or on a DIY site like WIX, it's just another tactical execution of the big, strategic idea.
When it's done right, it obviously aligns your marketing strategy and tactics into one, kick-ass idea.
If you're thinking of getting a new site, let's talk. One phone call can save you a lot of headaches and false starts. 541-815-0075.
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