Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Web Design and Content : Is design essential?

[Whirl - Joshua]

Howdy all,

From past experiences I have noticed that it a good Web 2.0 site design is essential for quality customers. What are your thoughts?

Is this true or have I been brainwashed by corparate propaganda?

Let me hear your opinions.

[ScreamHost]

Yes personally i think web designs nowadays plays an important part. Same like anywhere else, first impression is always important

[tuxpack]

Hi,

Of course. A good design will bring in more new customers :-)

[hostingawards]

well it does, its helps on user interaction and experience new stuff on your site, and also helps you in competing to other sites

[manicone2008]

Of course, design is essential but don't forget that over design is bad too. Personally, I prefer simple, sleek and user friendly design.

[awatson]

There was a study a while back (no time to go dig it up) that found that users made a decision on the professionalism/trustworthiness of a site based on it's design in the first few seconds they spend looking at it... So even with great content, if it looks like a kid's class project or a generic frontpage template, you're shooting yourself in the foot.

[Mookman288]

Originally Posted by manicone2008

Of course, design is essential but don't forget that over design is bad too. Personally, I prefer simple, sleek and user friendly design.

This.

If your design is just a simple photoshop cut up job, you might end up having a lot more trouble then actually coding it from the ground up.

Sure, most of the time overly aesthetic projects look great or fantastic, maybe even revolutionary, but in my experience they lack user friendly design. Know what I mean?

[Whirl - Joshua]

Does a Web 2.0 style make a difference?

[Mookman288]

Originally Posted by Whirl - Joshua

Does a Web 2.0 style make a difference?

Depends on who you're marketing for.

A "web 2.0" style (as opposed to a web 2.0 site; often dealing with website applications,) would be more appropriate for a e-commerce website, such as a host or online seller, as opposed to an informational site like a greenhouse/farms or real estate website.

With informational sites, that only cater to informing or creating discussion about something, the simpler the better. Chances are, if people are reading your informational web log, or informational website, they're already interested in whatever you have to say; or they're just getting interested by reading. Making it flashy and distracting will only cause them to read slower, thus lowering the time information is absorbed (and ultimately, the increasing bounce percentage.)

Sometimes, when you're marketing to the elderly you need a 100% fluid layout, so that they can increase text size. Sometimes you'll find the elderly working on larger screens, with a magnification program... or lower resolutions. In this case, image-based websites will only cause a headache. In this case, I usually regress to the late 90s, early 00s and work on a design proven to be useful at that point-- before this web 2.0 craze took storm.

With something that you're actively trying to market or sell to the consumer, you have to be flashy, loud and aesthetically pleasing. Your consumer has to be thinking "wow, this site has my attention, now let's look at their content!" (more or less.)

If the content matches what the general public wants, they go in for the buy. However, to get them to that point, you've got to draw them in somehow.

So yes, it does make a difference but, in my opinion, it only works in specific situations.

[the_pm]

Originally Posted by Whirl - Joshua

Does a Web 2.0 style make a difference?

If this design style fits into your overall brand strategy, then yes. If it doesn't, then no.

If there was a "magic Web 2.0 formula for success," everyone would be successful by simply adopting this style. It doesn't work that way, for any particular style, not just Web 2.0.

You've been brainwashed

</discussion>

[ZinkHosting]

I would say yes. I would say web 2.0 everything (actually we're at 2.1 but..).

I think design makes a big difference, but I don't have the stats to back it up.

[the_pm]

@

Originally Posted by ZinkHosting

I would say yes. I would say web 2.0 everything (actually we're at 2.1 but..).

I think design makes a big difference, but I don't have the stats to back it up.

You're still doing Web 2.x design? We're so Web 3.0 already!

[Tswaibel]

Originally Posted by the_pm

If this design style fits into your overall brand strategy, then yes. If it doesn't, then no.

If there was a "magic Web 2.0 formula for success," everyone would be successful by simply adopting this style. It doesn't work that way, for any particular style, not just Web 2.0.

You've been brainwashed

</discussion>

Beautiful point! Let me know the magic scenario so we can market to the world . Honestly though, they all make valid points. You have to cater to what you think your target market is. Obviously something easy on the eyes, visually appealing, yet not cluttered will work well in most scenarios. Of course, as already pointed out, sometimes what you're selling or offering viewers need not be too fancy, just fast, to the point, and easy to locate.

Pick your target then base the design on what you believe most likely appeals to them most. I'm still against neon green and purple though .

[MikeGreene]

Ok,
Let me put it to you this way. I didn't take time to read the rest of the responses, but I get tired of hearing these same questions. This should be almost a no brainer.

If you are doing business online, and you have no physical presence, then it is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL that your website design is solid. Now when I say solid what exactly am I talking about?

1. Usability - The website must be simple, no elaborate unnecessary flash. Navigation has to be a no brainer. If I go to a website and I can't figure out what you sell and how I can buy it in the first 5-10 seconds, I'm leaving your site and going to your competitor. Now call this the result of our mass media culture and short attention spans, but why should I waste my time trying to figure out YOUR site?

2. Valid Coding - Now this is another no brainer, but there are definitely a few things that you should make sure are done. If I visit your site and there are annoying little bugs or glitches once again this hurts your reputation/credibility take your pick. Your coding should be 100% XHTML/CSS compliant. In addition although tables can be useful under the right circumstances, make sure that your coder isn't using tables to design your layout. This makes your code extremely tedious to modify, and a nightmare to add content.

3. Clean Design - Another very basic principle. But seeing as your trying to attract as many customers as possible, your website should not use tons of bright or exotic colors. Also there should be a consistent design/layout for all the pages. Make use of open space. How you present your information is just as important as the information you present. Do NOT try to overload us with information and images. Keep it minimalistic and classy.

And since I don't feel like typing anymore I will leave it at that. I think that should cover most of the basic points.

[Chuck Hamrick]

I work with a group of review/content sites that have very basic design. People come to them through organic search based on keywords. They convert solely because of their copy.

Does a Web 2.0 style make a difference?

Web 2.0 definitely looks more up-to-date and if you are paying for traffic to your site it would give a better impression. It all depends on your business model.