southparc.

I love liquid. Why? Because it’s flexible, it adapts. And I’m getting really fascinated by the new (technical) possibilities for the web. Liquid websites are great, because they are build with only one target in mind: relevance!

A liquid website contains all content a certain company/brand/person wants to share with the world. Information, stories, news, pictures, schedules, graphs, videos, music, posts… you name it. But it’s not thrown in your face. No! All this (branded) content is patiently waiting to be activated by a visitor, hoping to be relevant. Pick me, pick me!

Assuming a website fascinates you, or at least has something interesting, you will return and a liquid website will learn from your visits, your clicks… and adapts. The more you come back, the smarter it gets, improving relevance time after time.

Does it work? Can it be done? Hell yeah, ever heard of Google?

Ben

Good day sir, can ik help you? - Martini, please. - Would you like some ice? - Yes, please. - Cubes or crushed? - Cubes. - Lemon? - No, thanx. - Olive? - Yep. - Tumbler, long-drink or cocktail glass? - Tumbler, please. - Anything else? - Some of those peanuts would be great. - Of course sir, here you go…

Thanks, buddy. That was a great Martini. Next time I’ll bring my friends…

Although modern technology offers us a lot of new channels and tools, the nature of marketing has not changed. You still have to make a serious effort to find out what your customers (or fans, or friends) really want. Ask, listen, respond. It’s not about all you have to offer or all you want to tell. It’s only about what’s relevant to them.

In my opinion, a solid 2.o strategy is based on relevance. Do you agree?

Ben

According to some gurus, our web-based-world will experience major changes over the next few years. And it will not just be ‘the same web, only bigger. No way. We are creating ‘the One’, that is one big computer(system), connecting everyone to everybody to everything. Our phones, laptops, tv’s and other devices will transform into (no more than) ‘windows’ to look into ‘the One’.

But there’s more. In the near future, all ‘things’ will also become part of this mega-system. All our stuff will be connected to ‘the One’, communicating and sharing data. Your shoe will share stories with the world. Where it’s made, when, by whom, what ingredients are used, how many times it has been used, where it is right now (check Google maps!)…

Ping! Hi John, this is a message from your BMW. Could you please be so kind to check my oil, it’s dirty and has not been changed since 11 November 2009! Please solve this problem within 3 days, otherwise I will have no other choice than to tell “the One”…

I can’t wait to have a good conversation with my coffee machine or an indepth discussion with my wife’s shampoo…

How about you?

Ben

Nice to meet you mr Jones. Likewise. Got a website? Yes, of course! Why? Uhhh, what do you mean? Well, what’s the purpose of your website? Uhhh… be out there and tell our story! I see. Any other targets set? Uhhh, no. Okay, so your website is more or less a digital brochure, right? Uhhh, yeah. Does anybody care about your story? Uhhh, I don’t know, to be honest… Do your visitors ever return? Uhhh…

Are you relevant to them? Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…

Ben