Aesthetics and Web Marketing

For four years I worked in the editorial department of a major Internet directory. My job required me to search for and review thousands upon thousands of Web sites. Oh, the horror!

I could tell you about the company that misspelled its own name. I could rhyme off a list of sites that had no contact information. I could even show you the university site that had a navigation button reading "Course Summery." But I won't. Instead, I want to address the less obvious and the overlooked: Web site aesthetics.

With more and more people searching and using the Internet to find products and services, a strong visual literacy has developed. Little animated GIFs that depict a construction worker with the words "Under Construction" blinking underneath have gone by the wayside. Well, in most cases. These are signifiers of "old school" design, when the Web was young. Today, a certain design standard is expected.

What many companies fail to understand is this: the site visitor is not a passive viewer, but an active user of the site, forming opinions about the site and the company it represents. The company image is not what the company thinks it is, but rather what the public perceives it to be. This encompasses the textual and visual cues the company provides the prospective client. Surveys have shown that Internet users base Web site credibility on two primary factors - design look and information/design structure. If companies really understood this, one would hope that there would be less horrific design on the Web.

Web site aesthetics support the company's marketing strategy. Proper aesthetic design can add value to a page by reinforcing a company's image, strengthening brand identification and creating a positive image in the public eye.

It is impossible to appeal to every visitor's individual taste, but it is possible to create a site that reflects the company's image and elicits a positive response from viewers. Good layout, colour, style and font type can influence the site user's assumptions about the company, or its products and services.

Businesses must understand their demographic and appeal to that visual sensibility. Too often companies are convinced by design firms try to be something they aren't. Why an accounting firm would need a Flash intro is beyond me. Invest in simple, clean design that reflects the spirit and guiding principles of the company.

Site attractiveness also aids navigation and usability as well as adding to the enjoyment and overall site experience for the user. One of the main reasons that a user will leave a site quickly is not being able to find relevant content. When the aesthetics are good, the navigation buttons are easy to read, clearly labeled and, lastly, quickly found and identified.

Aesthetics are not frivolous or wasteful. To ensure a successful site, companies must not only consider the nuts and bolts of the technical side of the site, but the visual appeal that the site holds for the user. A well-designed site will be cost-effective as it will last longer, create value for the client and help market the company in the most professional way. Good design aesthetics add tangible benefits such as improved client response to the Web site and a memorable and solid company image.

Copyright: A.C. Riley 2004

A. Charlotte Riley has worked as an Internet editor, content producer, marketing writer and researcher. She has a BFA from Concordia University, majoring in Photography. In her spare time she can be found cooking, working on crossword puzzles or hanging out with her daughter, Kate. Contact: http://www.acriley.com

---

How To Hold On To Your Customers Like Hell And Make Them Pay You Again And Again!

With the years competition online, has become fierce. Studies shows... Read More

How You Can Use Free Public Domain Content to Drive Hoards of Targeted Traffic to Your Websites

There is an interesting phenomenon on the Internet and that... Read More

Grab that Browser! The Captive Affiliate Marketing Model

Creating mini-sites that grab your browsers and prime them into... Read More

You Attract Who You Are On The Internet!

Being online is not only about getting your piece of... Read More

Website Sales: 10 Riveting Tactics To Nail Down Instant Sales

If you learn these website sales riveting tactics, you'll be... Read More

The Power Of Cross Promoting

Cross promotion is, without doubt, a powerful technique used by... Read More

The First Steps In Ideal Internet Marketing

The first steps in defining your ideal marketing plan determining... Read More

4 Ways to Make Money from People Who Are LEAVING Your Site!

Oh no... are people leaving your site without buying?Get used... Read More

Why Submitting Articles Gnaws at You Like an Unsent Thank-You Note

Writing and Submitting Articles is More about Psychology than Writing... Read More

What is Pay Per Call? How does it work?

Pay Per Call is the next wave of advertising on... Read More

How To Find Ideas For Creating Your Own Profitable Products

In this Article we look at the third competitive advantage... Read More

The Budget Webmasters Guide to Increased Credibility - Part One

Hey, I just noticed something. I've been sitting here filling... Read More

12 Steps to Creating a Business Online

"E-commerce"A word pervading our society, making headlines around the world,... Read More

Internet Marketing and Leveraging the Power of Networks

Creating a network -- meaning a community of users --... Read More

Setting Your Online Business Up for Success!

There is a common misconception that an "online business" requires... Read More

How To Take Advantage Of Your Competition

When people market their business, they pay little attention to... Read More

The Most Valuable Asset in Marketing - Do YOU have It?

The single most important attribute for a successful Network Marketer... Read More

Having The Right Attitude And Start Becoming A Problem Solver

Do you really want to make money online?Do you want... Read More

8 Things I Have Learned As An Internet Marketer

I started as an internet marketer, like I am sure... Read More

Niche Marketing: Broker Your Way To Profits

If you haven't started your own niche business yet because... Read More

The Relation Between Internet Marketing Education and Profits

Many people join internet business opportunities online blindly. By this... Read More

7 Tricks for More Holiday Web Sales

"Black Friday" has just passed, marking the traditional start of... Read More

Creating Functional Dialogue for Your Website

Opt in clicking promotes your business. By increasing link exchanges... Read More

Learning More About Your Customers to Achieve Maximum Online Profits!

Knowing about the people who buy your products or use... Read More

My Dog Ate My Website

I am really fascinated by the world of on-line marketing.... Read More

Discover How To Find The Gold Online

Finding the GOLD!!!G'Day from the kitchen table of Scott WilsonTime... Read More

Viral Marketing

What is Viral Marketing?"Viral marketing is word of mouth marketing... Read More

The Easy Days

The easy days are gone when you could build your... Read More

Golf Pros Jet to be Sold early 2006 -- Market NOW to Make Large Deposit

Marketing gurus travel all over...Malaysia, London, San Francisco ..so make... Read More

Dont Become Another .com Road Kill

Remember those Super Bowl and World Cup commercials where you... Read More

How To Write Effective Safelist Headlines

Your headline is the gateway to your advertisement. It will... Read More

Offline Network Marketing Recruiting; Vital For An Online Business

I have become involved with many network marketing companies the... Read More

The Secret to Making More Money in Your Online Business: Lessons From Monopoly

Thousands and thousands of people are striving to make more... Read More