Websites are similar to stores in a mall in that visitors have many places to choose from and often are unfamiliar with what many of the stores have to offer. The stores deploy the use of signage, displays, lighting, store layout and even scents to attract and keep your attention. Unlike the store example, websites aren’t in a mall of limited stores – they are in a more-or-less infinite marketplace. Attracting and retaining customers becomes all that more difficult. That first impression is a big one.
Your site’s appearance plays a major role in people’s perception of your company and its offerings. A nicely designed site conveys credibility, professionalism and is more approachable that on that is not. In our experience the design is the last place that should be looked at for cutting corners as the effect is often much higher than cutting code functionality and complexity. Ideally a balance of the two is ideal but factors such as timelines and budgets can steer a project to some unexpected choices.
In our real-world experiences, businesses have opted to cut design over code functionality all too often. The thinking is that the functionality is more important the aesthetics. While this can work in and handful of cases on the whole you aren’t going to “set the hook” (so to speak) with functionality if they don’t hang around long enough to try it.
When choices like the above need to be made we recommend putting your money on a solid template design. You can always add more functionality later but you probably won’t get a second shot at winning over that site visitor.
If you have further questions regarding balancing good design and code on your website or this article please contact us.
