Way Beyond Web

Businesses and organisations, nervous in the knowledge that a website is essential if they are to survive and succeed, can be overwhelmed by the challenge and the complexity of new communications.   

It can be easy to go too far, too fast and too soon, running the risk of overlooking the basic building blocks that under-pin your operation. It’s just as easy to hold back, delaying and deferring decisions in the hope that something will just “happen” for you.

Just how commonplace these dilemmas are – and how damning the consequences of either approach can be – are effectively outlined in a TVNZ bulletin which read:

The internet is permeating every aspect of New Zealand business - from where farmers buy supplies to how retailers reach customers - according to a survey of Kiwi businesses' online behaviour.
But the MYOB survey of more than 1000 businesses of all sizes reveals mixed usage.
Only 30% of businesses actually have their own website, while 77% use internet banking and 25% use Skype or similar services to make free phone calls.
MYOB general manager Julian Smith says the survey emphasised a number of areas where Kiwi businesses have more opportunities online.
"While the convenience of key services is really driving businesses online, many are still not taking the opportunity to market their own products and services through the internet."
Manufacturing and wholesale businesses lead the way online with 49% having a business website, followed by retail and hospitality businesses, and the finance and insurance industry on 39%.
Least connected is the primary sector (agriculture, forestry and fishing), of which only 11% have business websites.
However, rural businesses have embraced the convenience of the internet to overcome the barriers of distance, with 50% buying goods and services online, compared to only 38% of city/metro businesses.
Over a third also use the internet to pay their bills.
Smith says the internet has most clearly transformed business in New Zealand in terms of advertising.
"While traditional media like industry magazines, letterbox drops, direct mail and, in particular, newspapers are still part of the marketing mix, its clear that the internet is now the dominant choice for local businesses looking to promote their goods and services, with 66% believing it is a critical marketing channel."
A quarter of business advertise online, while 20% choose newspaper advertising and 19% use search engines like Google.
At the other end of the spectrum, just 3% of local businesses advertise on television - the same number as use door-to-door sales.
However, MYOB's survey reveals there are some areas where the internet is perhaps not yet be living up to the hype.
Only 18% of those surveyed belong to online networks such as LinkedIn, while only 14% use social media like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or YouTube to promote their business.
Similarly, just 12% of all business owners write online newsletters or blogs to promote their business to existing and prospective customers.
The survey also highlights a significant generational difference in Kiwis approach to the internet, with 22% of business owners aged 18-39 using social media, compared with just 11% for those aged 40 years and older.
Smith says he expects this trend will change over time as more business owners, particularly those who are older and those who are less technologically savvy, build trust and see the value in social media marketing.
The survey also reveals that more than a third of all business owners search the web for information and updates on their own industry, while one third use it to monitor competitive activity.

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Our way is to simplify, demystify and develop website design for you, working through every stage to build sites that meet your initial requirements while being capable of rapid expansion as needs evolve.

Once these initial structures and strategies are effectively in place, many business owners and managers quickly realise that their websites are in fact only one aspect of a broader digital strategy, and that they need to formulate forward plans to include social media, email marketing, electronic advertising, rich media ... all cohesively working with their websites.    

Our skills, services and systems focus on ensuring our clients’ websites are a central component of an ever-broadening universe of digital corporate communication.  Brand personalities, identities and strategies are interlaced with evolving technical components, and with an ability to function within specific campaign and promotional requirements.

We inter-relate closely with our clients’ in-house marketing teams to formulate website planning, develop assets and create an on-going maintenance programme that greatly enhances communication output. Our websites meet every need for functional efficiency, delivering the multiple channels of engagement that are at the core of today’s international business world.   

We understand the ways into, through and beyond the Web – and we’ll grow your understanding as we work alongside you.