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Which is more important, content or design?
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An interesting post from Marcus Hochstadt at Internet Business Guide got me thinking. Which is more important, content or design?I think he makes some good points in saying that some sites spend too much time on the design, and not enough on the content.
On the other hand, I think that a visually appealing site can be a lot more inviting than a disorganised mess. Maybe a plain site won't cause major grief, but a really poor design can drive visitors away, no matter how good your content is.
For me, the bottom line is this: A great design can grab someone's attention, while great content is what keeps their attention.
What do you think?
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Comments on Which is more important, content or design?
Your bottom line is my bottom line, too. But a really crappy site desing can be distracting and make it impossible to read... so there's a minimum level required, I'd say.
I would disagree just to be different... but I'd be lying. I've come across some pretty 'standard looking' sites and the content is decent but I still didn't stay because I felt like it was boring to be there even if the content was decent. I have yet to find a site where the design was boring but the content was great though. I think for the most part people with good content understand the need for an attractive site design, and I am truly grateful.
Bad design will turn me away in many cases. Bad design and good content is possible, but it depends. Bland design and good content is a winner for me. I am also instinctively suspicious of a blog loaded with adverts
If its a really poor design that can drive people away , but I think more than the design its the title and the first few sentences that grab the attention. After that its the content.
They're definitely BOTH important although I still think content is more important than design (as demonstrated by Grizzly's blogger blog which is a very basic design but still attracts people because of the content - and his SEO understanding).
I am probably very biased, coming from an Interior Design background, but I would definitely say that design is key to stopping me from moving away within seconds.
I have to say design catches my eye, then the first couple of sentences. I think poor design is a sign of lackadaisical blogging. Not for me.
I think the two go hand in hand. But, good content can make up the difference for a mediocre design.
It's a constant challenge, keeping them both up to snuff.
It's best to have both. But when you look for information, it's the content that matters.
I think both design and content are equally as important.
Blogs I don't stay around long enough to read are those that have totally white backgrounds and no colour whatsoever. Sooo boring.
Those with oh so many adverts.
And those where the posts have no paragraphs hardly. These I find the hardest to read.
A continual stream of words with no break in them is like listening to a lecture in a monotone.
I don't mind bad spelling or poor English (I'm guilty of both) but I wont even attempt to start reading a post if it hasn't been broken up with enough paragraphs. It's far too taxing on the ole brain.
However great the content may be your first impression of a site comes from the design, the layout, colours, structure. In some cases a site may be so cluttered, full of ads, or just too hard to read that it does not get read at all. Then the content is never part of the equation if that is the case.