Many PR firms’ websites stink. In fact, they rank among the lowest.
The Web Marketing Association, sponsor of the annual international WebAward competition, says its decade-long study of web development trends across more than 80 industries shows that PR agency sites ranked low across all categories. PR firms scored the lowest for—get this, copywriting.
William Rice, president of the web marketing association, says PR firms probably focus more on developing their clients’ sites, while their own sites suffer from typical “brochure-ware.”
Another possibility, he said, is that the low scores “reflect the informal nature of the Internet and the backlash over over-edited, corporate speak.”
A far better explanation is that PR firms with lousy sites are just downright lazy—and horrible at the one thing they’re supposed to do best: PR.
My biggest gripes about PR websites:
—Flash, including annoying audio that blasts from the speakers without warning
—Big, clunky graphics on the homepage that slow down loading time
—No contact information on the homepage
—Use of generic clip art, when the PR firms could be featuring their own stars
—Convoluted copy rife with “industry-speak”
—The absence of a blog. (Big surprise. Many PR agencies are still clueless about blogging.)
—Self-congratulatory copy that’s “all about us” instead of focusing on the needs of the client
I’d like to hear your own gripes.