Why web design is only one part of building a website
I love Aaron Wall’s blog on SEO, and today I was catching up on some of his recent posts and found this gem entitled “Why Web Design Matters”. This is an excellent article for web designers certainly, but I think it’s most crucial for people who are about to get a new website, or a website redesign, or who are considering hiring a web designer in the future.
Most people rely heavily on their website designer or developer to structure their site and steer the course on visual appearance and navigation (content). I totally understand this, since more people find it intimating, and also realize that their time is best spent on their business. That’s why they hire an expert, right?
Yes…
or maybe no.
You see, if the expert they hire makes good decisions, the answer is YES.
If their chosen website builder only focuses on one or two aspects of building websites, NO.
To have a terrific website that really and truly meets your business’ needs, all angles need to be considered. The most important core questions a client should consider about a new site or redesigned site are:
- Does it look good/professional?
- Does it look appropriate to my market?
- Is it easy to use for site visitors?
- Is it easy for me to use, maintain, add content, etc.?
- Can Google get to every page of the site we want it to?
Well, there are other questions also, but these are critical to get right. Designers tend to over-emphasis the look, while developers tend to overdo the programming/technology, and many times in ways that make the site hard to use and possible impossible for Google to crawl.
Having a business background primarily when I started building sites professionally in 1999, my primary concern was the practical matters, like the ones above. Then, overlay great looking graphics that support the site’s message and programming where it is called for to support the site’s intentions.
So I heartily agree with Aaron’s article and encourage you to read it. Here’s that link again.
