I remember being bored. It was this thing that used to happen whenever I felt that there was nothing around to stimulate my brain or body, and I was too lazy to seek that stimulation out. But I haven’t been bored in a long time. I’d like to think that maybe age and maturity have brought this about; it’s likelier a result of the online world. The ability to be sedentary and call forth an endless barrage of information, entertainment, and, of course, infotainment means that laziness and boredom are no longer synonymous, so long as you have a laptop, or even a cell phone.
I have a love/hate relationship with this world. Honestly, it’s considerably more love than hate. When I was on the road, it was great having chat programs, Facebook, Skype, and all the applications on my computer that either connected me with home or kept me occupied. But it also made it easier to be aware of my unfamiliar surroundings. While I’m always happy to explore, it was nice knowing where any local attractions were, where I could find a pharmacy or grocery store if I happened to need something, and, most importantly, where I was going to have dinner.
So this is the world we live in. As a traveler, I can familiarize myself with the area I’m in without leaving my hotel, and I can tailor my excursions to accommodate my every whim. Not only can I locate anything I need, I can also find reviews for the places I might go, and check out their websites to see what they’re all about. But something that I consistently found when I was looking at business sites was a lack of glossy professionalism. A lot of people seem to be more accepting of a lower set of standards for online advertising than they would for other media. But for my money, nothing is more important than putting the right image forward, regardless of the forum you’re using to advertise. Copy should be well-written, layouts should be intuitive and simple, and photographs should set the right tone for a business.
Naturally, I’m a little biased on the last point. But it bothers me to visit the website of a place that I’ve been to and enjoyed, only to see it poorly represented by the photographs that are posted. A great website is a great advertisement, capable of drawing in new customers and reminding existing customers what it is they love about a place. There are two things that I’m going to focus on if I’m looking for a restaurant: the food and the atmosphere. The convenience of modern digital photography is a great thing, but few people would think that a couple of quick shots taken with a point-and-shoot camera would be adequate for more traditional advertising. A photo that is underexposed, has noticeable reflections of the flash, and feels cramped isn’t going to effectively convey the atmosphere of any business.
The culture of convenience offers the option of being picky and critical before even stepping out the door. No matter how or where you’re advertising yourself, it’s important to put your best foot forward.
