The Perfect Website Myth

• by Matthew McNairy, March 27, 2012 at 10:00am

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The self-proclaimed experts in the web design field love to boast when they think they’re ahead of the curve. Posts appear on an almost daily basis touting the ingredients of the perfect website or, conversely, what’s wrong with almost every website on the internet. The truth is that the “experts” don’t really know because everyone is at the mercy of the search engine companies. What Google and Bing say goes – the rest is just noise. So what are they saying? It’s really not that complicated.

1)     Include good content: That’s what everyone out there is looking for – quality copy, useful information, nice pictures, engaging video. If you’re disregarding the content, your site is worthless. You can try to game the search engine optimization (SEO) system, but your life will be a lot simpler if you simplify and isolate the targets. The result? Visitor numbers that build organically over time. Keep the content fresh and readers will keep coming back.

2)     Create a visually appealing site: You may like the idea of including every new eye-catching tool in your presentation, but the bottom line is that it needs to be simple and appealing. Readers want comfort and symmetry. Bombarding them with excess design is a ticket to the Back button.

3)     Consider the user: Ultimately, the site is not about you; it’s about what the user wants. Your site architecture needs to be logical and have a navigable flow. If readers struggle to find what they came for, you’ve lost. You need to make it easy for readers to dig around.

The perfect website is a myth. A smart website, on the other hand, is always in reach. Consider the three points above when creating or rebuilding your site.

What are your thoughts on the subject?