Featured Article
Aesthetics and Web Marketing
by A. Charlotte Riley
For four years I worked in the editorial department of a major Internet
directory. My job required me to search for and review thousands upon
thousands of Web sites. Oh, the horror!
I could tell you about the company that misspelled its own name. I could
rhyme off a list of sites that had no contact information. I could
even show you the university site that had a navigation button reading “Course
Summery.” But I won’t. Instead, I want to address the less
obvious and the overlooked: Web site aesthetics.
With more and more people searching and using the Internet to find products
and services, a strong visual literacy has developed. Little animated
GIFs that depict a construction worker with the words “Under Construction” blinking
underneath have gone by the wayside. Well, in most cases. These are
signifiers of “old school” design, when the Web was young.
Today, a certain design standard is expected.
What many companies fail to understand is this: the site visitor is not
a passive viewer, but an active user of the site, forming opinions
about the site and the company it represents. The company image is
not what the company thinks it is, but rather what the public perceives
it to be. This encompasses the textual and visual cues the company
provides the prospective client. Surveys have shown that Internet users
base Web site credibility on two primary factors – design look and
information/design structure. If companies really understood this,
one would hope that there would be less horrific design on the Web.
Web site aesthetics support the company’s marketing strategy. Proper
aesthetic design can add value to a page by reinforcing a company’s
image, strengthening brand identification and creating a positive image
in the public eye.
It is impossible to appeal to every visitor’s individual taste,
but it is possible to create a site that reflects the company’s
image and elicits a positive response from viewers. Good layout, colour,
style and font type can influence the site user’s assumptions about
the company, or its products and services.
Businesses must understand their demographic and appeal to that visual
sensibility. Too often companies are convinced by design firms try
to be something they aren’t. Why an accounting firm
would need a Flash intro is beyond me. Invest in simple, clean design
that reflects the spirit and guiding principles of the company.
Site attractiveness also aids navigation and usability as well as adding
to the enjoyment and overall site experience for the user. One of the
main reasons that a user will leave a site quickly is not being able
to find relevant content. When the aesthetics are good, the navigation
buttons are easy to read, clearly labeled and, lastly, quickly found
and identified.
Aesthetics are not frivolous or wasteful. To ensure a successful site,
companies must not only consider the nuts and bolts of the technical
side of the site, but the visual appeal that the site holds for the
user. A well-designed site will be cost-effective as it will last longer,
create value for the client and help
market the company in the most professional way. Good design aesthetics
add tangible benefits such as improved client response to the Web site
and a memorable and solid company image.
About the author:
A. Charlotte Riley has worked as an Internet editor, content producer,
marketing writer and researcher. She has a BFA from Concordia University, majoring in Photography. In her spare time
she can be found cooking, working on crossword puzzles or hanging out with her daughter, Kate. Visit: http://www.acriley.com
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