Giraffe Forum

Because websites are viewed on monitors, the prevailing view is that graphics and colour should dominate - just like television. We’ve all seen the websites that impose an elaborate or ostentatious Flash presentation on visitors and those that don’t allow you a bypass.

Why else is this so? Because Flash is time consuming and expensive to code and it makes web design companies lots of money. However, it is the words that communicate the site’s message and represents what the visitor came to find out. People come to websites to find things out, not to watch a show.

Words are to websites what the foundation is to a skyscraper. The right bricks and supporting walls or statements have to be used for an enduring and interesting site. The words create a blueprint for the site design who will get a ‘read’ on what the most appropriate design is. What is the job of design? To frame the words. I could go on but I think this is sufficent.

All web writers must point out that it is their words that compels new customers to contact the company - not a site’s pretty pictures. Yet, the misconceptions in our respective markets are innumerable. That’s the coalmine effect.

Interesting.

As a web designer…and photographer…and writer, I could argue that a picture is worth a thousand words. Provided it’s the right picture. And that it actually loads into the web page properly. And isn’t stripped from the customer’s e-mail. But then pictures (and especially icons) can be mis-interpreted even more than words.

Many designers assume that how it appears on their screen is how it will appear everywhere. Perhaps the most underutilised (abused!) words on a site are the image Alt tags?

And the most underutilised tools are those that correctly structure a web page into headings and sub-headings. That’s where the words really matter. And in the navigation, of course (which are really just menu headings).

The web is a visual media, so a truly great website is one that sucessfully combines engaging graphic design with succinct word content. No small challenge. It makes the occasional unsolicited customer comment “Great website” greatly appreciated!

You are right that no one respects words. I am always told “You’re a web editor, responsible for content.” To them that means I have a very limited role in the development of a website, when I see my job as being the leading integral role, upon which the website succeeds or fails.

Does anyone have any advice for helping senior management see the goldmine vs. the coalmine?

Im a web coder and so normally I do exactly what you said and focus on the words last. What I do hate about creating websites is the lack of respect the author gives the content. I tell them to create the content even before I usually start the design but it does not normally get to me until the rest of the website is finished.

I enjoy these articles and this one of the best ever! Thanks

Gerry, almost everything you write is 100% on the money. But your Ryanair example turns your usual premise completely on its head. Here, customers must adapt to suit how Ryanair has chosen to work.

Identifying that people are prepared to compromise to pay lower prices is customer-centric in the *economic* sense, but their business is renowned for customer-hostility too. I’ve read some other work recently, suggesting that customer service is a false god. Maybe it works for Ryanair in their marketplace, but are you suggesting that customer hostility is what we should all strive for?