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OnSpec said:...As far as the statement - "location, location, location", I would modify that to information, information, information. The online world is dynamically different to the offline world...
The glut of information so to speak makes location critically important in the "online" world. More to the point, the bulk of "information" out there, in many aspects, is increasingly becoming a commodity.
If for example a thousand websites provide basically the same "information", what differentiates a particular website from all the rest?
Sure quality, service, etc matter, but ultimately it often comes down to location (branding) to standout from the crowd; retain visitors.
In regards to search engines...
Firstly, one can't truly own search engine result placement - best one can do is spend zillions on paid listings; not an option for some select industries due to ever strict content/listing restrictions of major search engines.
Secondly, lack of consistancy of results shown to visitors. Not a big issue yet, but will be as localization/personalization becomes more common - many businesses rely on their result being shown consistantly in the same position to visitors for repeat business; some businesses even advertise blurbs such as "Top listing shown for 'widget' on Google" ... in a world of customized search results, many businesses will find themselves left high and dry; one sees that on a smaller scale everytime Google and others do index updates.
Thirdly, how does one *consistantly* access particular "information" without a "location"? Even the folks who developed the internet recognized one often can't have one without the other...TCP/IP, URI/URL, etc.
Ron