The Importance of a Tidy Web Design
01.20.10
If you think that this web design article is about the looks of a website, stop reading. Aspect and accessibility are important aspects when it comes to navigation and the overall visitor’s experience. We agree on that.
However, if the design of your website is messy and done in haste, trust me: you will not only have an avalanche of bugs coming right at you, you will not only have to start the whole thing from scratch and you will not only lose time, money, patience and close relationships in the process.
Oh, no: that’s the least of your curses.
Cleanliness starts as a concept
Your page can be an abomination or a Sistine Chapel to your visitors and that’s solely based on perception. Usually, a proper use of colors, space and composition will enhance the experience and create a memorable webpage.
Nevertheless, if the code of your site is not clean, effective and quick (trust us: loading time will be an important factor, if it isn’t right now, for sales), you’re just painting the soil so it looks like a floor.
(an obscure Simpsons reference… if you remember the chapter, let me know)
Some people like it dirty (and that’s why they can’t make sales)
The main difference between a web site and an Internet business is that the second one is completely optimized to bring money to your company. Aspect has nothing to do with that.
If you keep adding stuff to your site, making sudden changes and filling it with whatever you consider as AWESOME, it will end up looking like the inside of your high school locker’s door. I’m sure you regret some of the things you glued in there.
It’s the kind of mess that will haunt you forever.
Clean it, right now
- Check your code in order to get rid of any superfluous pages, broken links, etc
- Always make sure that each page has a readable HTTP address (as in “readable for humans)
- Make sure that every link, button and form has start and finishing points (where to start, where to go to)
- Always draw the map of your site on paper (yes, it sounds weird, but that way you can have a feel of how it is organized that you cannot get from a computer.
Would you buy food from a loud, smelly, dirty restaurant? Maybe in case of urge but you know you’d regret it
Same happens with websites.
