For many busniess, the words "web redesign" unfortunately mean just revamp its design to bring it up to date. This is often the same busniess that will hold a speech like "the web does not bring me customers." This is due to the fact that at the beginning of the Web, the main inspirations marketing people had to create their website were their experiences in the fields of print. Thus, this has resulted in a design of web design which is limited for many people to have a "brochure site," whose design is managed like a business card or an advertisement in the newspaper.
In this context, I will discuss in this article of the reasons why you should give a little more importance to the content and the information architecture of your website instead of relying only on its design. In the same vein in one of my previous articles (Why invest in web content rather than advertising), I'm not telling you not to invest in design at all, but not to invest in design only even if it is significant.
In this context, I will discuss in this article of the reasons why you should give a little more importance to the content and the information architecture of your website instead of relying only on its design. In the same vein in one of my previous articles (Why invest in web content rather than advertising), I'm not telling you not to invest in design at all, but not to invest in design only even if it is significant.
Writings remain and web design changes over time!
The first reason why it is better to invest more in its content strategy in the design of its website is due to the obsolescence of the latter. Web design trends are changing at a rapid pace and do not try to follow ... it's already lost! Unless you are willing to redesign your site every 6 months.
Conversely, all content you write on the web is a solid achievement that is still (almost) good time if you bother to create a good content strategy that focuses on the content type "ever green ". For example, your detailed proposal or a blog post giving X tips to better cope with respect to a subject related to your business field, it will always be true, even in 5 years, and regardless of whether these contents are presented in a site pink background, purple or yellow or displaying your logo 200x300 instead of 100x150. In addition, by having good content on your site, it can be transferred to the next version of it in 3-4 years (not 6 months!), And in the meantime he will have brought you more results as comments and congratulations your mother.
In this context, if you think your site again soon, bet on a design that is simple and allows good ergonomics focusing on the user experience. The rest of your budget, keep it for planning your goals, build on an architecture that meets the needs of your users, efficiently reference your pages to search engines, conduct marketing campaigns and attract traffic to your site. This is a friendly advice, because otherwise you will be frustrated to have invested in a (super nice) website, if it brings you any visits and even fewer customers.
Having a beautiful website is not enough to attract visitors and achieve business objectives. If nobody knows it exists .. it's like he did not exist! The question of the tree in the forest is gone!
Consumers need your help, no web design
The second reason your web content will be more useful than the latest trend suggested by a famous designer is the fact that it's your web content and what you have to say that will help and / or convince your value not the size of the images or text on your site. Indeed, each user of the web to issues he wants to set. Your products and services are used to solve some of these problems and your content strategy must be to convince your visitors that you are the solution to all their problems!
In this context, you will have more than 5 pages on your web site and these pages will contain a minimum of information. The Web Editor will help you more than the graphics to achieve your results at this level. The old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" no longer holds the road on the web!
Why not regularly maintain a blog too? This will give you additional opportunities to your pages simple products and services to explain to your potential customers how your products and services will help them in different contexts. Start by writing at least one article a week and then increase the pace, you will give me the news ... But do not forget to make effective dissemination on social media before coming to complain that it does not work not!
Third, although the most recent updates to the Google algorithm try to include some design criteria, the search engines do not see websites as we see them. The only element that search engines really well evaluate the relevance of your pages based on the keyword typed in the user query. What search engines do they rely to evaluate this relevant? Drum roll: Your content! So the more you write about topics related to your business, the higher your search engine optimization will be optimal.
Some performing sites despite an ordinary design
To support my statements here are some examples of sites that have a very ordinary design without functionality or revolutionary animation. However, it is greatly sites visited by the general population (although you probably!) That the volume of traffic that would make you jealous.
Example 1: Wikipedia
Well, black writing on white background, small capacity, the main menu on the left ... let's be honest, the Wikipedia site has nothing to do with the latest design trends. Is this prevents it from being in the first page of search engines on just about any topic? I Do Not. Is it prevents people who go on this site to access information they need? I Do Not.
What are the keys to the success of Wikipedia?
An indexed web page for each of the matters referred to
Lot of content on each page
Your site, is like Wikipedia?
Does your site has a web page for each of the relevant topics in your field of business?
Are your pages contain lots of content? Did you know that it should at least have 300 words?
Example 2: Huffington Post
A second example of a site whose design is not the latest fashion is the site of new Huffington post. Indeed, the latest design trends rather bet on the white spaces as this site uses all available space. Is it keeps visitors returning day after day see the news that interest them? I Do Not. Is this affects the number of page views and time spent on the site? I Do Not.
What are the keys to success Huffington Post?
New content published regularly (every day!)
Articles divided into the topics of interest to visitors (sports, politics, finance, etc.)
The opportunity to subscribe to receive articles by email or on social media
Your site, is like Huffington Post?
Do you post frequently and regularly new content? (At least weekly?)
Is your content strategy covers all relevant topics in your business area?
Is it possible to subscribe to your content?
To conclude, while in beginning of the article I said that the web was first inspired printed marketing in its infancy, do not you think it should now draw from the fields of writing and journalism to deliver relevant content to your personas to guide them in their buying process? Let me know your feedback and questions in the comments!
The first reason why it is better to invest more in its content strategy in the design of its website is due to the obsolescence of the latter. Web design trends are changing at a rapid pace and do not try to follow ... it's already lost! Unless you are willing to redesign your site every 6 months.
Conversely, all content you write on the web is a solid achievement that is still (almost) good time if you bother to create a good content strategy that focuses on the content type "ever green ". For example, your detailed proposal or a blog post giving X tips to better cope with respect to a subject related to your business field, it will always be true, even in 5 years, and regardless of whether these contents are presented in a site pink background, purple or yellow or displaying your logo 200x300 instead of 100x150. In addition, by having good content on your site, it can be transferred to the next version of it in 3-4 years (not 6 months!), And in the meantime he will have brought you more results as comments and congratulations your mother.
In this context, if you think your site again soon, bet on a design that is simple and allows good ergonomics focusing on the user experience. The rest of your budget, keep it for planning your goals, build on an architecture that meets the needs of your users, efficiently reference your pages to search engines, conduct marketing campaigns and attract traffic to your site. This is a friendly advice, because otherwise you will be frustrated to have invested in a (super nice) website, if it brings you any visits and even fewer customers.
Having a beautiful website is not enough to attract visitors and achieve business objectives. If nobody knows it exists .. it's like he did not exist! The question of the tree in the forest is gone!
Consumers need your help, no web design
The second reason your web content will be more useful than the latest trend suggested by a famous designer is the fact that it's your web content and what you have to say that will help and / or convince your value not the size of the images or text on your site. Indeed, each user of the web to issues he wants to set. Your products and services are used to solve some of these problems and your content strategy must be to convince your visitors that you are the solution to all their problems!
In this context, you will have more than 5 pages on your web site and these pages will contain a minimum of information. The Web Editor will help you more than the graphics to achieve your results at this level. The old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" no longer holds the road on the web!
Why not regularly maintain a blog too? This will give you additional opportunities to your pages simple products and services to explain to your potential customers how your products and services will help them in different contexts. Start by writing at least one article a week and then increase the pace, you will give me the news ... But do not forget to make effective dissemination on social media before coming to complain that it does not work not!
Third, although the most recent updates to the Google algorithm try to include some design criteria, the search engines do not see websites as we see them. The only element that search engines really well evaluate the relevance of your pages based on the keyword typed in the user query. What search engines do they rely to evaluate this relevant? Drum roll: Your content! So the more you write about topics related to your business, the higher your search engine optimization will be optimal.
Some performing sites despite an ordinary design
To support my statements here are some examples of sites that have a very ordinary design without functionality or revolutionary animation. However, it is greatly sites visited by the general population (although you probably!) That the volume of traffic that would make you jealous.
Example 1: Wikipedia
Well, black writing on white background, small capacity, the main menu on the left ... let's be honest, the Wikipedia site has nothing to do with the latest design trends. Is this prevents it from being in the first page of search engines on just about any topic? I Do Not. Is it prevents people who go on this site to access information they need? I Do Not.
What are the keys to the success of Wikipedia?
An indexed web page for each of the matters referred to
Lot of content on each page
Your site, is like Wikipedia?
Does your site has a web page for each of the relevant topics in your field of business?
Are your pages contain lots of content? Did you know that it should at least have 300 words?
Example 2: Huffington Post
A second example of a site whose design is not the latest fashion is the site of new Huffington post. Indeed, the latest design trends rather bet on the white spaces as this site uses all available space. Is it keeps visitors returning day after day see the news that interest them? I Do Not. Is this affects the number of page views and time spent on the site? I Do Not.
What are the keys to success Huffington Post?
New content published regularly (every day!)
Articles divided into the topics of interest to visitors (sports, politics, finance, etc.)
The opportunity to subscribe to receive articles by email or on social media
Your site, is like Huffington Post?
Do you post frequently and regularly new content? (At least weekly?)
Is your content strategy covers all relevant topics in your business area?
Is it possible to subscribe to your content?
To conclude, while in beginning of the article I said that the web was first inspired printed marketing in its infancy, do not you think it should now draw from the fields of writing and journalism to deliver relevant content to your personas to guide them in their buying process? Let me know your feedback and questions in the comments!