Seriously, I am asking. I am not sure that I am sold one way or another. As social media begins to grow-up and enter kindergarten if you will, it has redefined how businesses think about marketing, communication with customers and employees, and brand portability.

So where do websites fit it? I think it is a justified question that will spark many different opinions.

Gone are the days where what the company says goes. For some it was replaced with customers speaking their mind—both good and bad, while for others it was replaced with people reading or watching but not participating. Perhaps there is no reason for them to participate or perhaps the audience that is drawn in isn’t the talkative type.

As social media matures, and more businesses are relying on it for different reasons more people are keeping their opinions to their self. Social media tools like Facebook and Twitter are implementing functionality to accommodate this. You can now ‘like’ comments or retweet posts so you don’t have to express your own opinions, just agree with others or be free to share another’s opinion with your audience.

So again I ask you, do you really need a website?

I don’t think there can be a clear cut yes or no answer until ‘website’ is defined. Just because you have a domain name, hosting, images, and content does not mean you have a space worthy of being called a website. Also, how do blogs fit into this? Blogs have become more predominate than websites and are preferred by viewers. Is a blog a website, or is it a part of your website, or is it a part of your social media efforts?

See there is no clear cut answer to this question. The more you try to answer it, the more questions that arise.

I suspect if done right, one could get away without a website. What is right? I don’t know, but I would love to see some attempts! And if you have the right PR team I'm sure you would get press coverage.

It is no secret that I am a firm believer in educating your employees, but as times change companies are rethinking how to handle that. A recent article in the Puget Sound Business Journal focused in on a change that Boeing has made in regards to their tuition reimbursement program.

Boeing is now setting a limit to the amount that they will reimburse and union members are responding negatively. While I understand their concern, I agree with Boeing. People are choosing to work at Boeing only for the education assistance. Which means Boeing is paying to educate people who have no genuine interest in the company, the products, or the brand and Boeing is paying to increase their employee turnover rate. Does Boeing really want those employees? Would you? Yes this is a great perk for employees, but if not handled properly, it can be a huge risk for Boeing.

For the first time, Boeing is placing restrictions on what and how much they will cover. Will this lead to retaining better, stronger and smarter employees? Let’s hope so—Good Luck Boeing.