[Dixielandjazz] Website Justification

[WILLIAM HORTON]

I'll admit I'm not a big web surfer, but I wonder about the time, effort and
expense of a band (or a jazz club) creating a web site.  My guess is that
99.99% of interested persons will visit the site once (only).  After all,
why revisit a site after you've seen it once?

Many years ago, I created a website for the Basin Street Regulars club in
Pismo Beach.  Had many compliments on it, but only from already-baptized
members.  Don't know of a single person who joined the club as a result of
the website.  A couple of years ago, multi-talented K.O. Eckland re-did the
site, making it into the best, funniest site I've ever seen.  Check out
www.PismoJazz.com and see if you don't agree.

Probably it was fun for K.O. to create and, for sure, it was a delight for
already-joined members, but marvelous as K.O.'s creation is, I'd bet it
hasn't fulfilled its principal purpose: to encourage new people to join the
club, or attend its concerts.

Advertising is the lifeblood of bands, businesses and organizations, but  I
don't think a website, considering all that is involved, is even marginally
cost-effective.  Abe Snake, idly cruising the web, might happen onto your
site and enjoy it, but chances are that Abe lives half a continent away and
it is very unlikely he'll fly a couple of thousand miles your town to check
out the band playing at your next session.

What do you think?

Bill "Raining on the parade" Horton