Efficiency of web communication strategies. The case of art museums

Abstract

The success of a web communication strategy depends on the ability to construct efficient websites which spark the public’s interest and attract visitors. To this end, organizations adopt a range of approaches: content web, transactional web, or interactive web. Such is the case of museums, organizations which are increasingly using innovation in their communication with the public via websites and by building new relationships through new technologies. The present research explores the impact which the approach or orientation to online communication has on online traffic as an indicator of success. The empirical work is based on analyzing information from a sample of the world’s major art museums. Results show content orientation and interaction to be the main drivers of web traffic. Findings also reveal that it is the larger museums, mainly in the US and UK, which have most innovated their websites.