Classic Advertising Agency Website Mistakes

(Blog posts tagged: gaffe)

If you find that your agency website makes some of these classic advertising agency website mistakes you may want to hire me for an Agency Website Blueprint.

Agency Website Gaffes: #4. Graphics as Text

In my RISD days I studied letter-press printing and wood engraving. Achieving great typography when setting metal type is a laborious task. For example, tightening-up letter spacing (kerning) requires taking file to metal. The process of setting type by hand gave me a deep appreciation for the subtleties of excellent typography. So I sympathize with designers when they make this common web design mistake of using graphic text in place of real text. (more…)

Agency Website Gaffes: #3. Flash

This may be the most controversial of my series on advertising agency website gaffes. I’ve been advising agencies to avoid Flash as their website platform for…, well, ever since Flash existed. Let me make it clear from the outset that I’m not against Flash. It’s a great tool that, when used properly, can have a positive impact on website design and functionality. I am, however, against Flash as the primary platform in almost every case (exceptions would include certain website applications, web-based games, and some entertainment-oriented websites). (more…)

Agency Website Gaffes: #2. The Splash Page

It’s 2008 and sadly I still need to write about splash pages–an unfortunate stronghold of advertising agency websites. The use of the “splash page” has a long history (long in Internet years anyway). Back in 1999 I wrote an article for Web Techniques about the appropriate and inappropriate uses of website splash pages. Today that article is moot. There are no appropriate uses for a splash page. (more…)

The Crit: Anonymous Associates

When I review an agency site for “The Crit” I look for examples that perform well on at least one or two of the four criteria I consider most important for a successful agency website: positioning, content, platform, and design.

I’m making an exception for this post. This agency website fails on all counts. My intention is not to poke fun at this agency. In fact, I’ve gone to great lengths to obscure their identity. (more…)

Agency Website Gaffes: #1. The Browser Re-Size

As an agency consultant I spend a good deal of time visiting agency websites. I haven’t counted precisely, but a large percentage of the agency sites I visit attempt to take over my browser. These sites either launch a new window, or maximize my browser to fill the screen. Before I calmly explain why this is a very bad idea and a poor web strategy I must vent some rage… PLEASE STOP! STOP STOP STOP. YOU ARE NOT INVITED TO REARRANGE MY DESKTOP! (more…)

6 Reasons Why Google’s Improved Flash Indexing May Not be Such Great News.

Pretty big news today, Google announced considerable improvements in their indexing of Flash based websites. One of my chief criticisms of many advertising agency websites is their propensity to adopt the Flash platform. One of the biggest problems with Flash has been its incompatibility with search engines. This news from Google mitigates this problem–to some degree.

Though this announcement is good news, it leaves me even more concerned for agencies. Technical problems between search and Flash have been significant, but the impulse to build a site entirely in Flash has other problems too. Problems that now, with this change, may be all the more ignored. Agencies that lean too heavily on Flash may be emboldened to do so all the more. (more…)