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It’s an old saying that has no business being associated to the internet. Having the mindset that if you build it, they will come, will be the most unrealistic expectations you can have on the internet.

The truth is, after being involved with building websites for over 15 years, if you build it, market the crap out of that website, promote the site, they only then MIGHT come.

Let’s face it – everyone is competing for the same audience to some degree or another. Whether you’re a local business competing with local competitors, a startup competing with other startups, a concept that you’re trying to prove, and so on, the truth remains, build it and they will come for so many reason doesn’t apply.

If you’re a local business, maybe your competitors are 10 years ahead of you, are you prepared to go to digital war? If they are doing intense SEO, content updates, marketing, etc., they’re also making sure people don’t hear about anybody but them.

If you’re a start-up, what makes your better than the other? How are people hearing about it? Is your rollout strategy correctly setup? Free trial? Paid membership? What are you going to do? People aren’t just going to know you exist (past maybe your initial reach of fans and followers on social media).

If you have a concept that you think is BRILLANT, and your whole even family backs you right and believes it, too, and you know just building the website will make you a millionaire, you couldn’t be more wrong. Your concept is great, let’s not even doubt that, but how are you going to create awareness, how you are going to prevent someone from coming out of nowhere and, as Kevin O’Leary often says on ABC’s Shark Tank, “squashing you like the cock roach you are”.

This is 2014. Everyone is building websites. Everyone’s chasing that digital dream.

Some are having websites built in their basement for free by their nephew. Some are being built entirely by a designer or a developer who is trying to be the all-in-one-freelancer, some are being built by professional agencies, some are being built by agencies looking to rob people, the list taking on website projects is endless.

Despite where you build your website, how good or bad it is, one thing remains. When that site launches, it is your job to get people to that website. I strongly recommend putting a lot of thought and consideration into this step/process. DO NOT build a website and expect once it’s live, the hard part is over. The hard part is just getting started. Now it’s your time to introduce your concept/product/service to the world, and you’re doing it against 1 million other people who feel this is not your time, but theirs. You are trying to, and need to, create just as much, if not more, awareness then anyone else is.

You should be developing a rough marketing campaign to raise awareness for and get traffic to your website. A few starting points would be considering organic search engine optimization services, having in place and executing a social media strategy, creating and sending out some email blasts, and so forth.

I created my first website in 1999 (and I was scared Y2K was going to take it offline). I've seen many websites come and go, companies that tank, companies that get bought out. I've seen websites (/domains) that were created when I got started that are all still around and generating revenue today 15 years later.

I’m not trying to scare anyone out of building a website or chasing after their dreams, but you need to have realistic expectations and this is one of those concepts when it comes to the web that is crucial to knowing and accepting prior to building or rebuilding your website – because no matter how good it is, that won’t be enough to "make them come."

If you'd like to consult with Basch Solutions on building a new website or how to formulate a strategy for post-launch, send us a message on our contact page and we will be in touch.

JB

Follow @JustinJBasch

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