I've seen so many businesses spend five, ten thousand pounds on a website that does nothing for them. Here's why, and how to think about it instead.
A website is a premises
A website is just a premises. A shop, only online. It's no different from a unit on the high street.
Walk into a shop that sells sports equipment. What do you want? Clearly marked aisles. Products with visible prices. A tidy space. If it's a premium shop you want it to feel premium; if it's a cheap shop you don't mind. You want to check out easily, and you want to be able to talk to someone when you need help. That's it.
Since COVID, people moved online, so your website is that shop now. So the questions are simple. Can they see your products clearly? Can they see the price? Can they buy easily? Can they get support?
The decoration is secondary. People aren't there to admire your shop. They're there to sort their problem. A gorgeous site that says "updated 2022", with outdated prices and dead links, is a beautiful shop where nothing is actually for sale.
So does design matter at all? Yes, but consistency matters more
People judge in seconds, and that's not shallow, it's risk management. Like a CV, you dress it for the job. A brilliant person dressed all over the place sends the wrong signal, and people feel unsafe, so they won't risk their money. A Louis Vuitton shop that looks cheap makes you wonder: is this a scam?
But the key is consistency. The look has to match what you sell. I tell my auction-house clients not to over-decorate, because people come to auctions for a bargain. If you look like Chanel, they don't feel like they're getting one.
The takeaway
Start treating your website as your online business premises, and everything gets easier. Design isn't everything, but it has to match what you sell. Choose it wisely, and don't confuse people.