What is Disney to do?!

A controversial topic came up in an article I read in the Wall Street Journal online today discussing Disney. The idea for Disney to create a new web portal has been on the agenda at various Disney staff meetings. The decision needs to be weighed out as to whether Disney should create separate websites for distinct target markets and brands or should they create a single portal strategy instead? After reading the article titled, Disney Angles for Cash, Loyality, I decided that the best strategy for Disney is to have a single portal strategy.

First, in earlier discussion topics we have discussed the fact that easy domain names and keyword search terms are necessary in helping to make one’s site easy to find and easy to remember. If Disney chose to incorporate different web sites for distinct target markets and brands I think it would become a huge mess. People would become confused and just give up on what they are searching for. As I remember from the readings of both my website design and e-marketing classes, a design of a website must be convenient for the user or else there is no way of keeping their interest if they can’t find what they came to find in the first place. As big as the Disney Empire, I think the best option is to keep it simple by only having one portal and then from that keep it very organized and user friendly so that users can navigate around it easily and conveniently.

As the article Disney Angles for Cash, Loyality, states ‘One of the most persistent thorns is Disney's side has been the proliferation of unofficial Web sites and blogs that sometime spread rumors and opine about various aspects of the company and its doings,’ by only having one site to maintain this may help diminish these not-so-friendly remarks and rumors (Sanders) . One portal will allow users to go to the site and find the information they desire about false or untrue statements about this great company. Also, many websites have a comments link available, those who question something they have heard and can’t find information they seek elsewhere, can write in a comment and know that with only one portal site the comments/questions will get to the right people and a response shall come in a timely fashion.

The article goes on to further explain that Disney wants to continue targeting the younger generation as they grow older. By just having one site, these members have, from the time they were Whinnie the Pooh and Tiger fans, to High School Musical followers, embedded in their minds the site’s address and a general idea of where to navigate to find the info they desire. As this group continues to grow up, they will still remember that address, how to get around the site and perhaps even all the words to every High School Musical song! Having one single portal is evidently the best possible strategy for Disney. What do you think would be Disney's best approach?!