Does Content Matter?
Take me out for a coffee and get me chatting about “web design” and no doubt you will hear me groan as you ask for swish sliders and more rotating or swirly things in sidebars than I care to count.
I’ll often say I am not a web designer – I’m not. You’ll hear me say I don’t have a creative bone in my body and I definately don’t do graphics. I use WordPress and make it easier for people to find you online.
Yes, I know design is far more than a few pretty graphics – hear me out…
When I ask about website content and what people want on their pages, I don’t need a crystal ball. Most small business owners say:
- A big header with a logo
- A slider with nice photos of usually unrelated images that apparently inspire people, or their key products
- A welcome to our website with some blurb about how long they’ve been in business
And we’ll have a chat as we dig down into what the website is actually for and what the aims are. It’s great when we can get into a discussion about the whys or why nots of certain features and if we’ll test them.
Sometimes, it doesn’t matter what I say, a business owner just wants a pretty website with a huge logo, slider and “welcome to our website” type content.
It’s at that point, I often wonder why I don’t charge close to a grand for a WordPress website built on a template you can pick up for a few quid and be done with it. (I don’t, taking on work like that frustrates me and I don’t sleep well at night.)
Web Content Does Matter
Whether it’s your web copy, your images or even video it all has to serve a purpose. There needs to be an aim. Having a website just to look pretty is pointless.
I’m not saying that because I’m awkward or a bad tempered bugger (I am both at times!) My graphical ineptness (is that a word?) has nothing to do with it either. If you need graphics outside my dubious abilities then I’ll hire a designer.
For decades, even before the worldwide web, it has been proven time and time again that it is content not style or design that encourages people into action.
That’s not to say design is not important. Your message can be amplified by good design.
While I was catching up with some reading, I spotted this article over at The Internet Psychologist. It’s well worth a read.
The importance of content has been revealed in recent research which looked at the impact of anti-smoking adverts in the USA. The study found that the most effective adverts were the ones that concentrated on content, delivering a convincing argument. The adverts that were brilliantly put together with flashy images, great sound and so on had much less of an effect. The study was clever in that the effect measured was a biological one – not some survey. They looked at urine tests and brain scans. What they found was the adverts that concentrated on good content stimulated the decision-making part of the brain that led to changed behaviour as shown in reduced levels of nicotine markets in the urine. In other words, content beat style in its behavioural impact.
What stands out for me is this study is not one that relies on a market survey or tracking CTR and conversions on the web, which is typical when judging the effectiveness of advertisements and web content for that matter. But, actual changes within the brain that takes place leading to changes in behaviour.
Food for thought! What do you think?
Over to you…
What are your thoughts? Does content matter more than design?
Does Content Matter More Than Design? by Jan Kearney
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I completely agree that content is THE most important part of any website. However, I also know that a new theme and color scheme shot my analytics through the roof! So there is a balance that has to be made That being said, I have also come across many sites that are so busy with pictures and sliders and such, that the content gets completely lost.
The whole POINT of visitors coming to your site is the content. They want to learn something, plain and simple, not watch fancy pictures slide by.
Hi Bradley – don’t start me on about sliders lol They’re a pet hate of mine!
You’re right, a design change or tweak can really make a difference and help get your message across. Thanks for popping in 🙂
Much like people, the appearance may catch your eye, but it’s the content that keeps your attention!
Haha! That’s a great comparison Suzi! Thanks for popping in 🙂
I think content is the most important, but you also want to make sure your design doesn’t get in the way of the content. So – a good, well thought out, attractive design supports your content and probably helps with content delivery.
So true, Katie. I know there have recently been cases put forward for a more cluttered design, it’s one of those things you need to test. For business websites, people want info not to be rummaging around and watching sliding pictures! Thanks for popping in 🙂
I think website design and usability is so important. I was on a website today that had me doing cartwheels trying to make a purchase. All I kept thinking about was “who did their site”! I can imagine they loose a lot of customers because of site design.
Did you actually complete your purchase, Toni? Usability is very important, and a part of design I neglected to mention in this post! Thanks for popping in 🙂
I think content is important and it seems the sites that I enjoy the most are simple in design with good content Best Regards, Wendy
Hi Jan, great article and thanks for sharing. I definitely agree that content is important. That is why I made sure my website is focused on good copy and blogs that are relevant to my market and the audience I am marketing too.
That’s how it works, Debra 🙂 Keep pushing them out and sharing where your audience hangs out!
Hopefully content is more important. I too am graphically inept! Another aspect of a complicated design, that I found to my cost, is that the loading speed suffers. After much effort and simplification, I have cleaned it up and made it faster! Joy
That’s true Joy! The more stuff you have loading, especially pulling in from external sites too, the slower everything goes…
Thanks for popping in 🙂
Hi Jan,
I absolutely agree with the study results, “…actual changes within the brain that takes place leading to changes in behaviour.”
The way our brains work has always fascinated me. “In other words, content beat style in its behavioral impact.” This is true in just about everything according to several things I’ve read (that I won’t get into here.)
Almost all our habits and addictions actually make changes in our brains. The brain can be re-trained, but it takes much longer to break a habit than make one, usually.
“Did you actually complete your purchase, Toni?” I won’t. If it is confusing or complicated, I will leave the site.
This i a great post, Jan. Thoughtful and beautifully articulated. I am going to share with the share buttons over to the side.
Coming from a background in design and printing, I can readily admit that most designers would be OUT of a job if the world caught on to the fact that graphics “are not” necessary to get your point across.
The job of a graphic is to ENHANCE / MATCH what the content reveals and most sales letters these days become far more profitable when you REMOVE the graphics from the pages because there is less distraction!
With that said, graphics are nice bling blinb, but they don’t make the sale. Persuasion and emotional connection is where it’s at. So the next time you want some fancy slider, or animated GIF screaming from your web page – consider relevant text instead.
You’ll gain much more engagement from your visitors and your bank account will show the proof in no time flat.