Nov 19, 2009 - Comments: 0

What Madonna Can Teach You about Web Strategy

Posted by Jennifer Hoppe under Web Strategy

Yesterday, the office radio was tuned to the 80s station and I had a wave of nostalgia for junior high, legwarmers, and Atari. (Cue grumpy old lady voice: “In my day, there was no such THING as a Wii!”) Madonna

Inevitably, the playlist cycled around to two of the 80s’ most iconic ladies: Madonna and Cyndi Lauper. These two had a lot in common back in the day. Both were white-hot; both launched influential, if tragic, fashion trends; and both were constant fixtures on MTV (back when it actually played videos). 

But by the end of the decade, Cyndi Lauper had almost completely dropped off the pop culture radar, while Madonna is still going strong almost 30 years on. So what happened? And what the heck does any of this have to do with the web?

Let me offer a one-word answer to both questions: Adaptation. Madonna’s famous ability to stay one step ahead of the pop culture curve and reinvent herself accordingly is what’s kept her relevant. Cyndi Lauper, on the other hand, stuck with her Girls Just Want to Have Fun image just long enough to watch the Zeitgeist Train roll along without her (Lauper’s superior songwriting skills notwithstanding).

To succeed on the Web, you need to always be adapting your process, your strategy, and your online presence. It’s something we constantly do here at CDG. The way we approach projects now is significantly different than they way we tackled them just two or three years ago. If we allowed ourselves to get stuck in a calcified process, then we’d quickly go the way of Captain Lou Albano (RIP).

Likewise, if your website—and your web strategy—looks the same way it did in 2001, 2003, or even 2007, then you’re dating yourself faster than a dude wearing a Frankie Goes to Hollywood T-shirt.

So as you’re looking ahead to 2010, take a good hard look at your web strategy. If your organization has settled into a sleepy status quo, then it’s time to wake up and adapt!

How do you want to evolve your web strategy?

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