Focusing Your Efforts on Design Versus Content Development

December 9th, 2007 Posted in Uncategorized

We’ve all at one point or another obsessed over the design aspect of our sites. Have you ever stopped to think whether your site’s design has any bearing on its overall success? Probably not. Read on, the answer may surprise you.

Visitors Want Content, Not Glorified Crap

You have to ask yourself what a visitor is looking for when he or she stumbles upon your site. Most likely they’re looking for good content. Sadly, not many sites are able to provide this good content. Why? Because more effort has been placed on improving their cosmetic appeal rather than their intellectual appeal.

It is stupid to think that having a nice layout will compensate for lackluster content. This is simply not the case. If you have good content, a nice layout acts as a mere bonus to the visitor – not vice versa. Give the visitor what they want and they’ll give back.

Does That Mean Go Wild?

Many will see this as a free ticket to do whatever they wish with their site’s design – it’s not. A site needs to have good functionality, accessibility, and a hint of aesthetic appeal. These requirements can be easily achieved without the need of fancy flash graphics or rollover buttons. Keep it simple and the rewards will come.

How the Heck Am I Still Supposed To Make Money?

Despite popular belief, having a no-frills site does not mean banking in pennies a day. Basic sites have proven over and over again that they are able to monetize far better than design-oriented sites. Not convinced? Take a look at the dating site Plentyoffish.com. Its owner, Marcus Frind, makes over $10,000/day with Adsense alone. Not bad for a site which likes to keep it simple.

Conclusion

Whenever you find yourself designing a new site or remodeling an old one, remember that your highest return comes from investing in your content. Keep your design simple and invest as much time as you can into developing your content. If you keep your visitors happy, they will keep your wallet happy.

Image: gdiazdeleon

design content money simplicity plentyoffish