Obsolescence Squared
In many instances it’s often asked what purpose web developers, and for that matter, Digital Marketing experts serve when there are (seemingly) free DIY template builders that spin out blank websites the way spiders leave webs behind to lure unsuspecting prey (and to similar effect).
Why would anyone pay to work with a web developer much less consult with a digital marketing expert when we have templates for free, they ask.
For many, this posits a conundrum and a feeling that what web developers, SEO specialists, graphic designers, social media marketers, and others who work digital marketing are somehow commodities or…. even worse, obsolete.
How would web developers become obsolete, I usually counter, because I don’t see digital marketing as a single item but as a service requiring highly individualized, almost visionary care and ability to plan on very complex levels.
Yes, there are a gazillion, “free” (albeit with countless hidden fees that are quadruple what regular hosting companies charge) do-it-yourself template builder services out there such as Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, and now WordPress.
However, there are seldom any…..
Results.
Have you seen the results? Sites that look like PowerPoint presentations from the mid-nineties, with no way to be found in Google searches, no way to actually make money for anyone (which is called monetization), and no returns-on-investment for the hobbyist or business owner except an empty brochure template.
Now, yes, some sites look very good visually, but ultimately still lack compelling (or even moderately engaging) content written by a human hand. And if you searched Google for their type of service, it’s unlikely you’d ever find that website listed anywhere.
But That’s Okay…?
Let’s say for the sake of argument that this is great. You’re a business owner with a generic one-size-fits-all empty brochure template online that no one can find in searches, has no way to actually make you any money, but you “got a website.” Problem solved, right? One more “to do” item checked off your list.
What Happens
What usually happens is that business owners who are serious about growing, needing to make more money, or support a family inevitably find their DIY projects aren’t doing anything for them because they denied the inherent value of digital marketing and negotiated the value and importance down to nothing.
They’ve spent months trying to learn how to become web developers using page builders, keep hearing about SEO, trying to find short-cuts but they’re going nowhere.
They usually feel disillusioned, ripped off, and can easily feel like nobody really knows anything.
I hear it every day, literally; from people like lawyers who are contemplating getting a job at Starbucks, psychotherapists who can’t connect to patients, mechanics who can’t find cars to work on, and businesses going out of business.
Why is all this going on?
Because essentially people who may be very nice people are trying to a) run a business while b) trying to grow it, and c) while trying to learn how to become web developers, SEO experts, programmers, social media experts, graphic designers, content marketing writers, and branding experts, all at the same time.
It’s like trying to manage and run a business while also trying to learn how to also become an expert in:
- web design
- SEO
- eCommerce
- hosting
- content marketing
- email marketing & automation
It sounds crazy, doesn’t it? It sounds like trying to do your own taxes while on a roller coaster. It’s also not your area of expertise. You would never go to a chef asking about a root canal or a lawyer to have plastic surgery or a mechanic to help you do a home inspection; yet it’s the equivalent.
And this is why you can Google “dentist,” “lawyer,” “mechanic,” “salon,” in any major city and eventually find an infinite number of websites that won’t work on modern phones, are on page 10–20 in Google search results, have confusing layouts and text, and misrepresent a business and send business to competitors on a regular basis.
This is why businesses still pay thousands of dollars (if not more) to professional web developers, digital marketing consultants, and web agencies: because they want results the automated DIY fill-in-the-blank generic approach cannot possibly deliver.
It’s actually very similar to getting legal help: you can read books on what forms to use, go to a DIY service (such as Legal Zoom), but these steps can often leave you in a bad place if you ever have to actually go to court for something.
So, no, I don’t see web development going the way of the dodo quite yet, at least not until generic automated DIY template builder programs can learn empathy, marketing approaches, strategy development, public relations, and how to innovate and extrapolate.
And right now, AI is nowhere near that, and even further away as it relates to running a creative marketing endeavor.