Websites: the new war machine
We make war machines
Make no mistake about it, the world of capitalism is war, and the battleground of today is the web. But in this day and age, instead of fighting for space, we fight for consumption.
Fortunately, one of the pleasant side-effects of capitalism is the lack of bloodshed and the horrors and atrocities of war. Without belittling war itself, there are some horrible and atrocious websites - but for the most part, the internet involves much less bleeding.
How can we say with such conviction that website development is war? The web is the one battlefield where everyone comes to fight for the customer. If we think about the behaviour of surfers on the web: where they choose to make their purchase is the winner of the battle.
So which website wins the battle? Simple;
- The website that is highest on search engines for their search terms.
- The website which emotionally triggers them to trust you as an expert.
- The website which educates and clarifies how you can help them.
- The website which understands its audience and speaks to them.
- The website which creates a clear path to a successful visit every single visit.
Admittedly, one's website may never have the awesome glory of a trebuchet swinging its mighty arm at the enemy, or elephants, resplendent in the adornments of battle, bearing down upon adversaries. However, thinking about how you approach your site as a function of war can help you strategize on planning your website.
Your website should be better than your competitor's by such a strong distance that you crush them.
Sun Tzu Notes
It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack him... If equally matched, we can offer battle... if quite unequal in every way, we can flee from him.
The best part is - you no longer have to be the largest in your industry to have the best website. Anyone, with a strong CMS (Content Management System) and some effort can create a meaningful and robust website which overtakes the enemy by providing ten time the information that the competitor might.
Some lessons from Sun Tzu
1) Be there first - create the information on your site first
"Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted"
2) If your competitor is lazy, no matter how big they are, you can take market share from them
"If the enemy is taking his ease, he can harass him"
3) Find competitive advantages in your products and services and tell the world
"An army may march great distances without distress, if it marches through country where the enemy is not."
"You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended."
4) Find vulnerabilities in your competitor's products and let the world know you don't have them
"Strike at vulnerable points, shun places that are defended, attack in unexpected quarters."
"Appear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend; march swiftly to places where you are not expected."
5) Make sure you get the information onto your website as quickly as possible
"You may retire and be safe from pursuit if your movements are more rapid than those of the enemy."
There are many simple lessons you can learn from the master strategists of war, which can help you think through how to use your website as the single most powerful tool for battle. The small company is no longer disadvantaged by being small - larger companies find it harder to manoeuvre and manage their content, which leaves the smaller companies with the advantage.
Cry havoc, and release the dogs of war!
