2014 is the year in which "content" is king! So that statement alone should answer the question the title of this blog posting presents, "Website Content vs. Website Design ... Which Comes First?"
Yes, your website is your online presence, your place of business. It needs to look nice BUT if push come to shove ... which would you do business with in the traditional world of business:
- The business that runs out of stock, misses deliveries, has been accused of false advertising BUT has a beautiful, plush, color-coordinated office in the best high-rise in town?
- A business that services their clients with quality products, on time deliveries, available and friendly service BUT works out of a less than sleek office with used furniture in a low rent part of town?
I have to assume you all chose #2. My examples are rather extreme. But apply the points of my example to your website. What matters most is what goes on "inside" your website, i.e. your content.
Your words, your photos, your videos ... all need to reach out to your website visitors and "easily" connect them to your entire website. Take visitors to where they need to go, answer their questions, make them comfortable and trusting, show them where and how they can buy from you!
BUT .. you can't have all of the above happen at its highest efficiency without a "design" to support it! A good design will enhance the return on your content. Good content will never enhance a bad design. It will hide it, maybe make it be a less than important element, but it will never enhance a bad design.
The first question I always ask my website clients is tell me about your business. From that discussion I always plan the website layout and navigation and what will be on each page. How all the pieces will feed the whole. From there I create the design to support the content. To me, it's the only way to go!
Your words, your photos, your videos ... all need to reach out to your website visitors and "easily" connect them to your entire website. Take visitors to where they need to go, answer their questions, make them comfortable and trusting, show them where and how they can buy from you!
BUT .. you can't have all of the above happen at its highest efficiency without a "design" to support it! A good design will enhance the return on your content. Good content will never enhance a bad design. It will hide it, maybe make it be a less than important element, but it will never enhance a bad design.
The first question I always ask my website clients is tell me about your business. From that discussion I always plan the website layout and navigation and what will be on each page. How all the pieces will feed the whole. From there I create the design to support the content. To me, it's the only way to go!
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Think about it, especially when flash websites became the rage. How many beautiful websites did you see with changes of color, beautiful effects but with text that was too small to read! Or text that was impossible to read because it was on a colored background very close to the color of the text!! People paid thousands of dollars for these sites and where are those sites now?
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Always put your content first! 2014 "IS" the year in which content is king! I can help you out with this, be it a new website, redo of existing content, blog content and/or how to create your social media posting content. I'm here, call me!Think about it, especially when flash websites became the rage. How many beautiful websites did you see with changes of color, beautiful effects but with text that was too small to read! Or text that was impossible to read because it was on a colored background very close to the color of the text!! People paid thousands of dollars for these sites and where are those sites now?
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Also .. as always, I welcome your comments on this post! What are "your" thoughts, experiences, ideas! Please share!
Keep your business growing ...
margie
