You’re in the market for a new website.
After doing a bit of research you’ve whittled it down to two web design companies. Both have great reviews and testimonials, both have impressive portfolios. So which do you choose?
Company A meets with you and shows some ideas for your new site.
It’s stunning.
Its glorious full colour images far outweigh everything else on the page.
Eye-catching it definitely is, but you’re slightly concerned about how easy to use it will be.
There’s no obvious navigation. Users have to explore the image to find the links to the sub pages.
Company A tell you that this is the latest design technique that all the major players are using. If you have the same for your website you’ll be seen as an edgy, dynamic company. You like that sound of that.
Then you are visited by company B.
Their design is all together more traditional.
There are some nice touches and it looks very professional, but it doesn’t have quite the same eye-candy appeal as the other one.
They explain that it’s been designed with your customer in mind. It’s simple yet elegant navigation makes it easy for the user to find their way around. Each page has enough text on it to show the user what you do and, more importantly, what you will do for them.
You can see their point, but you’ve been dazzled by company A.
What do you do?
Well, the chances are if you go with company A, although you’ll have a stunning site no one will use it, because:
- They won’t be able to find it because the image heavy design limits it’s SEO potential
- If they do find it they won’t have a clue about how to find the information they’re looking for
Company B’s design might not win you (or rather them) any design awards, but it will get ranked (provided you have a great SEO strategy) and your customers will love it.
Every thing you do must be done for your customer. That means your website must give them what they want.
Remember, you’re investing in your companies future, not the award-winning potential of the web designer.
1 comment so far ↓
This is one of the problems I have as a website designer – trying to convince customers that large flashy websites may look good, but have less scope for SEO. Keeping website sites simple, clear and readable are best for SEO (and often makes them much faster as a result).
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