There is an AdWeek piece out today talking about how ad agencies are increasingly moving away from Flash-heavy creative showcase Web sites and instead embracing social media features and content as the basis for their Web sites.

I figured this would happen. Our industry, although no one would ever admit it, is all about following the leader and the latest cool new trend. In the case of agency Web sites, that cool new trend was started by Modernista’s uber-social Web site concept, and then solidified by Crispin Porter + Bogusky’s beta site. Now everyone is ditching Flash for a crazy WordPress template or a pimped out Twitter feed.

As my mom always used to say “todos los extremos son malos” / “all things in excess are bad.” I hope decision-makers and creatives at agencies around the world think about this before greenlighting their new Facebook Fan Page only Web site or Wikipedia sandbox site.

Remember to balance and prioritize all the things your Web site needs to do. Although showing off your social media chops might seem like the end-all-be-all right now, don’t forget that your Web site needs to give prospective clients, employees, etc. basic information about what you do, who you do it for, and where to send RFPs! Sometimes, a Ning social network is not the best vehicle to accomlish some of those very basic requirements.

Jose Villa

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