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Guest
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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 9:16 pm
Post subject: Simple website design?
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Hi,
I have noticed that the simpler the website, the more successful and profitable they seem to be. This particulary seems to apply to the mini sites.
Is this a general observation? It is easy to assume that people are looking for progessionally presented sites, with nice graphics in order for the site to be taken seriously as an affiliate pre-sell site for example, but the reality does seem to be very different from my own observations, with many sites being little more than glorified pre-sales letters.
Thanks! |
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thepoolroom
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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 11:03 pm
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I think simple sites are easier to optimise for the search engines. You don't have tons of images, javascript, complex tables, fonts, colours, scrolling text, etc confusing the search engine as it tries to figure out what category you belong to. With a simple site, just putting keywords in your title, filename, heading tags, and sprinkled through your text seems enough to get it indexed nicely.
A simple site, tastefully laid out with good quality content is also appealing to visitors. They're sick of sites with blinking lights, animated graphics, blaring ads, popups, popunders, etc. Those sites just look like someone trying to get rich quick. The simple, quality sites seem to engender trust because theres no in-your-face hard-sell going on. They also usually have simple and easy-to-use navigation structures, with fast page load times, so they're more pleasurable to the visitor. Nothing is getting in their way.
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Guest
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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 12:42 am
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Thanks for your response.
The problem is, just how simple can you get without appearing to be unprofessional?
Has anyone any favorite examples of good, simple, successful sites?
What do you think to James Martell's stable of sites for example:
http://www.1st-in-net-shopping.com/
I certainly agree with the honest aspect of it, if the site looks like a hard sell, it usually is. |
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thepoolroom
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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 3:02 am
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Joel On Software:
http://www.joelonsoftware.com/
This is a pretty simple site, which does very well in the trust stakes. The site is all about information, and it presents it very clearly. The design doesn't get in the way of the visitor.
I'm not a big fan of those 1st-in-<whatever>.com sites. I like the nice simple design, but they're very thin on actual useful content or information. They're designed to catch people via search engines, then direct them towards merchants.
So I guess they do their job well, but it's not the kind of site I'd return to later. They don't seem unprofessional or anything, but they don't make him look like a trustworthy expert in the field either. He just seems to be a friendly shopkeeper, happy to guide you to whatever product you're looking for.
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Debs
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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 4:22 am
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Martell has the right idea in keeping it simple and profitable. Definiately worth a look.
Debs
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Guest
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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 7:33 am
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| Quote: | I'm not a big fan of those 1st-in-<whatever>.com sites. I like the nice simple design, but they're very thin on actual useful content or information. They're designed to catch people via search engines, then direct them towards merchants.
So I guess they do their job well, but it's not the kind of site I'd return to later. They don't seem unprofessional or anything, but they don't make him look like a trustworthy expert in the field either. He just seems to be a friendly shopkeeper, happy to guide you to whatever product you're looking for. |
But, these sites make him LOTS of money. I don't know about you, but that's why I am on the web!! |
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dk
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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 9:14 am
Post subject:
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| Quote: |
I'm not a big fan of those 1st-in-<whatever>.com sites. I like the nice simple design, but they're very thin on actual useful content or information. They're designed to catch people via search engines, then direct them towards merchants. So I guess they do their job well, but it's not the kind of site I'd return to later. They don't seem unprofessional or anything, but they don't make him look like a trustworthy expert in the field either. He just seems to be a friendly shopkeeper, happy to guide you to whatever product you're looking for. |
James is very successfull doing this kind of sites. I've similar ones and they are working very well for me also. But what works for me or James must not work for you. So everyone should choose his own style and test what works best for them.
Another example of a very basic, but very successfull website is:
http://tinyurl.com/rmwz
All the best
Dieter Kling
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Guest
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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 9:53 am
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Thanks for your responses.
Yes, it seems the main issue here is trustworthyness.
I do believe that people have become extremely wary of the wizz bank sites with flash and fancy graphics etc., which, for the most part, come across as some corporate designers idea of what a site should look like, rather than one which will sell the goods or services. Many of these site seem to completely lose site of the reason they are there in the first place.
I think an exellent example of simplicity with success is Amazon.
It also seems likely that people who are providing genuine information without wrapping it up in a fancy website are more trusted for their honesty.
I think my main question is: where is the balance between simplicity and acceptability. I think James Martell's sites are probably close to that. |
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Charlie
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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 4:01 pm
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| Quote: | | It also seems likely that people who are providing genuine information without wrapping it up in a fancy website are more trusted for their honesty. |
I think people go online for different reasons. For those that are actively looking for specific information, I agree with you, but there is another side to it...
Some people go online just to kill time (in a similar way to flicking channels on TV). Whether they are at work or at home, they surf based on stimulation and follow anything that looks remotely interesting (including dancing mice). Bright colours, sound and animation help keep them awake.
I have always favoured the simple text-based sites myself, and I'd like to think most of my traffic is targeted. But sometimes when I look at my stats and see how quickly some people pass through, a part of me can't help wondering whether some "dancing mice" would have helped draw them in after all...
But no, I think you're right.
Just my opinion,
Charlie.
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Guest
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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 7:13 pm
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[quote="Charlie"] | Quote: | It also seems likely that people who are Some people go online just to kill time (in a similar way to flicking channels on TV). Whether they are at work or at home, they surf based on stimulation and follow anything that looks remotely interesting (including dancing mice). Bright colours, sound and animation help keep them awake.
Charlie. |
That's true, but these casual browers who are mesmerized by the flashing graphics and so on are most definitely not serious buyers for the most part.
People looking to buy something will key in the keywords to Google or whatever to find the places they can buy from.
These are the people we need to give web design consideration to, and the people, I think we agree, who would prfer the simple design sites with the information they need to make a purchasing decision. |
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Debs
Joined:
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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 11:45 pm
Post subject:
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| Quote: | | These are the people we need to give web design consideration to, and the people, I think we agree, who would prfer the simple design sites with the information they need to make a purchasing decision |
The key part above is the last phrase ... sites with the information they need to make a purchasing decision ... IMO. These are the people we want, they want info, lots of it for the most part, and fast loading pages to get where they need to go, because they are the buyers, doers, the reason 
Debs
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Guest
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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2003 9:53 am
Post subject:
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| Quote: | | a part of me can't help wondering whether some "dancing mice" would have helped draw them in after all... |
Maybe, if that is what they were looking for.
On the serious side, I guess it really does depend on what people are looking. Flashy sites don't bother me too much, as long as they aren't too "loud" or load too slowly. I tend to only pay attention to the information I am looking for anyway, so the flash is wasted on me (unless it's a pretty girl!!)  |
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Charlie
Joined:
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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2003 11:22 am
Post subject:
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| Quote: | | but these casual browers who are mesmerized by the flashing graphics and so on are most definitely not serious buyers for the most part. |
Very true.
| Quote: | | Flashy sites don't bother me too much, as long as they aren't too "loud" or load too slowly. |
Remembering the many people who surf at work, I don't think it's right to include any sound clips that run automatically.
After all, we wouldn't want to get any thieves the sack would we...
Just a thought,
Charlie.
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Guest
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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2003 12:15 pm
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Hey Charlie,
I meant "loud" in a busy, gawdy sense. I hadn't even considered sound. I can see it now, surfing at work and all of a sudden Christmas music starts blaring loud enough for everyone to hear. Can we say "busted"?  |
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Charlie
Joined:
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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2003 8:00 pm
Post subject:
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| Anonymous wrote: | Hey Charlie,
I meant "loud" in a busy, gawdy sense. I hadn't even considered sound. |
Singing and dancing mice might do the trick...
| Quote: | | Can we say "busted"? |
We can if I'm paying them... and that includes via taxes.
Cheers,
Charlie.
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"Before I speak, I have something important to say."
- Groucho Marx |
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