Outlook For Trinidad & Tobago Web Design For 2013

After one full year immersed right in the middle of this website thing in Trinidad & Tobago, I’ve been able to glean some insights which I’ve often used as subject and content in my regular articles. Now that 2013 is out the blocks I want to give you what I think is the outlook for websites in Trinidad & Tobago. This is based on my interactions with clients, exchanges with potential clients who call or email, emails and comments from those who read my articles, my own observations when I read the market as I’m constantly observing and making mental notes. Here is my outlook for 2013:

#1 – More local businesses get websites compared with 2012- but overall will be SLOW

My impressions are that T&T business owners know they need a website but it’s still not a priority for them. I think that while they understand how much a website can help their business now and in the long run, they simply do not BELIEVE IT YET. This is no fault of their own as there are few local companies using their websites as a key tool for generating business hence no working model to emulate.

#2 – Smaller businesses on a budget will continue to use free DIY website services (like Weebly, Webs etc.) and site-builders

As a result of #1, many small businesses will not opt for a professionally designed website and use the many free services out there. I’ve even seen some go as far as installing WordPress on their own. With some creativity I agree that a decent site can be produced but it can never replace the real deal done professionally especially for the website to work 100%. Yes some things can be done  yourself and maybe you should so not to throw money away- like putting up a shelf at home, building a closet or installing a new kitchen sink- but NOT FOR WEBSITES. Trying to save money that way will cost you money in the long run.

#3 – Facebook will continue to be the main tool for online marketing in Trinidad & Tobago

Well for good reason as it’s the most visited site by Trinis. My bone of contention is that it will be the ONLY TOOL for most. No one gets that the Trini market is totally at home on the internet and will accept all other forms of online marketing. Few will entertain the notion of Google+ even though international industry pundits predict its growth this year. I say again that our situation is not that unique to require different tools for online marketing. In general, any universal tool has to be applied based on the specific factors on the ground.

#4 – More forays into local e-commerce but technical landscape remains the same

The workings of local e-commerce is just not understood but many want to sell online, not in a big way but to simply offer the convenience to their customers. There is room for an Amazon style approach but only for someone willing to go all the way. I see more people approaching Forward Multimedia for help in e-commerce and I have a surprise coming soon via a client’s site, that’s all I’ll say for now. The new postal code system announced in March 2012 by TT Post that would assist in local e-commerce logistics seems to be a secret now.

The same constraints will prevail limiting payment options as local banks will still look the other way while consumers and businesses cry out for solutions. Perhaps contributing to this is the fact that the Electronic Transaction Act 2011, though passed in the Senate, has not been fully proclaimed. See this article. Workaround solutions (like I am using for clients) will continue to be used.

#5 – The Trini customer will continue to be disappointed by lack of quality websites

Sad but true. They are there, ready and waiting, eager, hopeful, but alas and alack, there will continue to be an acute shortage of high quality websites truly capable of being all they could and should be. It’s because there are few webs designers in T&T with the requisite skill combined with few business owners willing to invest in the design and development of such sites. A few new sites may come this year, maybe from bigger companies who’ve been working on projects all last year, but not many.

The bottom line is that we’ll continue to lag behind as a country as far as I see. It’s a fact that the market is young but we have no excuse for lagging so much behind. A young market is ripe for the picking. There will be the few ‘visionaries’ who see the opportunities and take the plunge as now is the right time to do so but only in small numbers. I’ll do as I’ve been doing, trying to earnestly spread the message to those who’ll listen. There’s going to be a time when everyone ‘gets it’ at the same time. That’s when I’ll say ‘I told you so’. Please don’t wait for that time.

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