Ad Agency Websites and Why They Stink
I have to smile (OK, laugh) at the ad agency websites that I have reviewed lately. Ironically, most advertising agency sites demonstrate a fundamental lack of understanding of online marketing and advertising.
I should not laugh: because it is actually quite sad.
The typical agency web approach demonstrates the creativity of a kindergarten mindset. Most agency websites seem to think of the internet as a mere showcase for arts-and-crafts projects and see-how-clever-we-are copy.
But the internet isn’t Mom’s world-wide refrigerator. A business audience deserves thoughtful ideas and much better presentation. A business audience is often looking for intelligent marketing leadership that simply cannot be found at most agency websites.
Anatomy of the Ad Agency Website. So what did I find at most agency websites? Sadly, here is the all-too-typical ad agency website approach:
- Who we are. (Cliched “why we’re different” story)
- What we do. (List of typical ad agency services)
- The team. (Hokey see-how-creative-we-are employee pics and stories)
- Portfolio. (Photos of print ads, snippets of video ads, etc.)
- Client list. (Usually devoid of testimonials or project goals and description.)
- Ambiguous navigation. (Usability and Federal Accessiblility Guidelines are largely ignored in ad-land)
- Slow-to-load Flash which leads to symbolic imagery and/or self-congratulatory copy.
- No benefits. No call to action. No blog. No thought leadership.
This typical ad agency web approach insures invisibility at the search engines. Go ahead: search for an ad agency in your city using your favorite search engine. For most cities, you will find that agencies do not design with search in mind.
Worse, most agencies don’t even design with their clients and prospects in mind! When every agency uses the same tired, generic “see how different we are” web approach to demonstrate why they’re unique… they all end up looking and sounding exactly the same.
And of course, these self-indulgent agency websites unwittingly underscore exactly why you shouldn’t hire ad agencies for developing online marketing strategy or even deploying online ad tactics. Can’t find them at the search engines? Then they don’t know how to code or write a site. Their site doesn’t follow federal accessibility guidelines? Then their web designers could expose your organization to liability if you hire them to code YOUR site.
Even the most successful Super Bowl advertiser knew to stay away from ad agencies this year. Realizing that the commercials have a larger web audience than a TV audience, the SuperBowl ad that is consistently rated #1 with 2007 online audiences at YouTube was not created by an agency…but by a consumer.
Obviously, it is time for a better approach…
The internet is a valuable medium where agencies can demonstrate competence and thought leadership. But the infantile web approach of most ad agencies utterly fails to connect with an intelligent business audience.
Moral of the story: Do not hire an ad agency that does not practice online marketing competence at their own websites! The agencies who take the “Mom’s refrigerator” approach to web marketing will insult your intelligence while demanding industry accolades and awards.
That’s kindergarten stuff, and you’re all grown up.
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Comments
Kempos:
Thanks for writing!
If I sound like a nerd, it’s probably because I am! (A little….)
And of course I’m critical. I’m paid to be critical!
The people who pay me to be critical are people who have growing businesses and want to effectively use the internet to market their products and services.
“Growing businesses interested in web marketing best practices” is the audience for my blog.
Ad agencies and graphic designers are not my target! I didn’t think you guys would want remedial internet marketing advice from me, of all people!
But since you asked:
I think an ad agency or a smart young graphic designer can glean a few ideas on how to improve their sites from this post. For starters, agencies can do the opposite of much of what I point out in this post as glaring errors, i.e.:
1. Design sites with search and customer needs for information in mind
2. Design with web usability standards in mind
3. Provide benefits, thought leaderships, calls to actions, etc.
4. Spend less effort with self-conscious design efforts that make you look and act exactly like your ad agency peers. Instead, use your creativity to connect with the people who matter most—your prospects and clients.
Kempos, I wish you much success in your course of study. I hope you are truly interested in providing outstanding marketing results for your future clients.
All that said, my blog is probably not for you… like I said, it’s for growing businesses!
But there are some truly great blogs and websites out there that address internet marketing best practices and what ad agencies might need to do to compete in the 21st century.
You might want to find them and subscribe to them!
For starters, Internet Marketing genius (and potty mouthed cartoonist) Hugh MacLeod posts his must-read short list at his blog yesterday:
http://www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/003748.html
Best of luck to you, and thanks again for writing.
I would agree with you, I have have several ad agencies as clients and their websites usually fail to make them look good to their prospects. In their defense, it’s not just their website. They usually can’t give a prospect a good reason to hire them on the phone or in person either.
It usually seems like their marketing plan is to hope the prospect isn’t aware of any other options. 
[...] Similarly, do not have an ad agency build it for you. (Usually, they share the same mindset and talent level!) [...]
I’m trying to locate a website I saw about a year ago. It was for the Canadian office of an international agency – pr/advertising/etc – and on its home page you could create artwork as if you were picasso or something. If anyone remembers or knows which website that is, please let me know. It was fantastic!
Thanks.
I was recently hired by an ad agency to direct their interactive projects. Tomorrow we’re having a meeting to discuss re-inventing our website. I could not agree more with what I’ve read here and I look forward to using some of the comments in our meeting. I’m open to any suggestions on our actual site. I know it is a typical agency offender in more ways than one! Thanks.
http://www.zigmarketing.com
[...] Be warned! Most of the time, there’s no “tweaking” the code of an inappropriately developed site. (And no, adding meta tags after-the-fact to a Flash website won’t help! Sorry, stuck-in-the-90’s Ad Agencies!) [...]
I’m currently redesigning our marketing agency website for the third time, and I’ve learned a lot the first two times. Your article makes a great point that agencies really don’t know how to create and market their own websites. Our last website was all in flash and we got zero leads from search engines. I’m even guilty of the “ambitious navigation”. It seemed like a good idea at the time…
We say it all the time here at the agency, “It’s so hard to do, let alone have time, to do your own stuff as an ad agency.” That doesn’t let us off the hook though. I’ve been saying this for the last five months as we’ve been redesigning our site…we can’t go out and sell websites and SEO that we can’t do for ourselves…and be successful at it.
So, this time around we’re designing a hybrid site that has a little flash, but mostly HTML/CSS that’s geared solely for search engines. In our own defense, it’s so easy to want to seem creative so prospects think you’re special in a crowded field. You want to say to them, “Look what we can do for you!”
Now, I do find some objectives to your blog. Agencies do the “why we’re different” because it’s so hard to stand out. We lose bids to guys who do “marketing” in their basements, then churn out garbage that doesn’t get any results for the client. “What we do”…how can you not include this? Portfolio…c’mon! Client List…most prospects are suspect of testimonials that anyone can write, then just add a “Maggie P.” behind it. A blog…prospects are at your site to see what capabilities you have and what work you’ve done in the past. That’s it. Believe me, we’ve asked! They have no time (much less care) to read blogs.
Every kind of website is formulaic. Hell, the entire internet is just a few formulas repeated over and over. You can’t tell me that most businesses on the internet don’t have an “about us” page on their site. We’ve found that people expect certain things when they go to a website. This familiarity gets them through websites quickly and easily, which is what they ultimately want. My main question to you is that if navigation and technology are supposed to be simple and familiar to be successful (therefore cliché), why shouldn’t the labels that we put on our web sections also be simple and familiar?
Mike:
Thanks for commenting!
As for “what to label your sections”, here’s an idea:
Test!
From your comments, though, I’m guessing that your firm’s focus is creative design, not marketing strategy or measurement.
A real web marketing strategist can actually become your new best friend. They are often on the lookout for talented people who can effectively execute creative components.
In fact, why not partner with a web marketing strategist? Aside from generating leads, they may be able to help you learn about web marketing as they lead you out of your third 5+ month re-design quagmire!
Best wishes!
Do agree!
The AD Agencies don’t understand the media call WEB well. If all agency’s web sites end up looking same, in your opinion what are the characteristic of a good web site of Ad Agency?
I believe when u no whats wrong, u must be knowing whats wright.
Awaiting ur comments.
Classic, CJ!
Clearly, Leo Burnett doesn’t get it! LOL!
I thought it was a joke, but it really is their actual website! It’s like they’re living under a rock or something!
I just came across this site and I must admit that I find it distinctively ironic. Telling ad agencies to tone down the creativity, you might as well tell musicians not to play there music or artists not to display their painting. I’m not attempting to be condescending here, at all, but feverish thinking like this is the exact reason why ad agencies exist. A fresh approach, a grasp of psyche, and why I agree with you that it all might seem a little similar, a little mundane, the fact remains that taking a more professional, business-like attitude to the web is far from a well thought out idea. In addition, I highly doubt that Leo Burnett worldwide is worried about search engine results and given the fact that it is a long standing, multi-million (probably billion) dollar corporation, I hardly suggest that you should be giving them advice on “marketing competency”.
Hmm. Where did I say tone down the creativity?
Actually, I wish ad agencies would be more creative!
When you agree that it all “looks the same and it’s a little mundane” — you’re kinda making my point!
Leo Burnett doesn’t work with small businesses. They work on large brands, like GM’s Buick and GMC.
GM is also a “long standing, multi billion dollar corporation.” How’s that working out for them?
American taxpayers will be paying dearly for “long standing” companies like these that continue to rely on largely ineffective marketing and other more creative and stealthy business techniques.
Well, I went to look at ‘my’ agency’s site (in GR) and see they attempted to rename those cliche sections. Didn’t help too much. And every page in their site has their address…except their home page. Doh!
They did have a great call-to-action on their home page: ‘7 ways to identify more opportunities when budgets are tight’.
Back to the address thing, isn’t that the number one question at an agency site…are they near me?
That all said, agencies have very limited number of clients, and gaining new ones are not usually done via the web, at least as far as I can guess. So the website doesn’t have to do much. This is the first time I’ve looked at my agency’s site in years.
Ain’t it the truth! I’ve worked in advertising for 15 years. Most agencies are bad at self-promotion. And even worse at communicating internally. Most slap something up and rarely update it because they are afraid to commit resources (time, people) to projects they can’t bill for.
Someone mentioned linking some sites.
The most creative agencies in the US are:
Crispin – http://www.cpbgroup.com/
Fallon – http://www.fallon.com/
Goodby – http://www.goodbysilverstein.com/
Weiden – http://www.wk.com
Have fun with the last one, sheesh.
Nice to see that so many here get that advertising is part of marketing — the sole purpose of which is to SELL. None of this gee look how creative I am and our agency won awards for our pretty pictures. The words and pictures are supposed to be created to sell products and services or at least to get people to take action. It’s not an art show. It’s about SALES. Yes websites need to be written in a BENEFIT-PACKED style!
If you want to see an ad agency be creative, do something truly unique and understand how Internet marketing works. Here’s an agency that put their entire site on YouTube. It’s amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Elo7WeIydh8
Wow. After reading her generalizing criticism ad agency sites, I looked at Laura Bergells website ( http://bergells.com/ ) and it’s just plain horrid!
I know all ad agency sites look the same! But saying they don’t understand the web? They do ! I think the point here is you don’t understand how they sell their services. I can hand on my heart say that any advertising contracts we have picked up have not come through the website! Not because it’s a bad web site but because we find customer’s through other means, word of mouth, networking, previous clients…etc etc.
It doesnt matter how bad your companies website is, as long as your last campaign was a stormer!!
We did have a nice creative website, all the creative and the design team loved it, businesses and partners, not so much. The point is people don’t pay you for a nice website they pay you to increase their business..
While advertising sites excelled in design and innovation, public relations sites ranked low across all categories. Notably, public relations scored lowest for copywriting, even though it is an industry known for effective communication. According to [Association President William] Rice, “It’s likely that PR practitioners focus more on developing their clients’ sites, while their own sites suffer from typical ‘brochure-ware.’ Another possibility is that the low scores reflect the informal nature of the Internet and the backlash over over-edited, corporate speak.”
I must agree with Naugahyde; how lonely of a perch it must be where Laura resides, lol.
All joking aside, I think the criticisms made in this article are widely documented and I regret that no further insight is really provided. While Laura’s site may not be that of an agency, I think it clearly weakens her case. Obviously attractive site design is a real challenge, given that someone who apparently recognizes all the errors in others can only produce a site that is a throwback to 1995.
I suggest that the focus be on agencies who truly do some exceptional work and explain how it differs from the typical offering, rather than take aim at an industry as a whole.
Hi KellyAnne:
Thanks for you comment!
Please note the date of this post.
Please note the response to Kempos for insights.
Please note that CJ asked for examples of a good agency site in 2007 — months passed, and no one could offer one.
Most of all, please note that it’s 3 years later — and yet –
a. You found this post
b. You felt compelled to take action and write
Even though you don’t like my site — you participated and helped continue the conversation.
Think about that.
Laura,
It really has been 3 years!
Feels more like six months ago…
I like your style and would like to talk about retaining you. Please let me know if you have room for a new client?
Regards,
CJ
Oh yeah… KellyAnne say hey to you’re brother BillyBob and sister BettyLou!
Im currently studying graphic design and advertising, and I found your blog quite interesting, but at the same time you also sound like one f them nerds who criticises everything to pieces without actually having an answer to the problem. Youv said what advertising agencys are doing wrong, what should they be doing?