People are Shallow: Why well-written websites still need good design

You read the title, you get the idea. Is there more nuance to it than that? Absolutely. That said, if you’re spending a ton of time getting your copy together with StoryBrand or TAYA or whatever system you use, but aren’t spending that time on the design of your website – well, you’re not going to like the results. Here are a couple reasons why you don’t want to

First impressions matter

All joking aside, first impressions DO matter. We’ll pull a simile from our founder Matt Banker’s brain. He often tells clients in meetings that having a poorly designed website is like showing up to a job interview in a rumpled or ill-fitting suit. It won’t matter if you have the best ideas in the world to most companies – they’ll just be looking at the suit the entire time.

Now, that’s not to say you won’t have SOME folks who won’t let that deter them, but for the majority of people, you’re going to have good messaging AND good design. It might feel shallow, but that’s reality. You can wish it was something else, or you can make the change.

Visual hierarchy matters

A well-designed website uses visual cues like color, typography, and spacing to establish a clear hierarchy of information. This helps guide users through the content in a structured manner, making it easier for them to understand and remember key points. This is especially important for StoryBranded websites that want to clearly communicate each point, but also want to still feel fresh.

A well designed homepage will HELP that content, not distract from it. We’re not saying you need to reinvent the wheel, but having a clear, clean design will go a long way in communicating what you’re trying to say.

User Experience (UX) matters

You don’t want any potential clients fumbling around with figuring out the information they want – or (gasp) how to contact you. If they struggle, they’re likely to just give up. That’s why so many folks make their living on UX. Creating a great funnel only matters if you have good design. Why?

Good design contributes to a smooth and intuitive user experience. Elements such as clear navigation, easy-to-read typography, and logical layout ensure visitors can find the information they need quickly, giving them what they need and allowing them to make a decision based on ALL the information that you want them to see.

SEO matters

SEO is one of the hardest problems to solve with your website, and great design actually helps with this problem. Design elements such as site speed, mobile-friendliness, and structured data can influence your website's search engine rankings. Not only that, a well-designed website that adheres to SEO best practices can help improve your visibility in search results.

Do you have great content but need a better website? Let’s talk. We’ve done dozens and dozens of StoryBrand websites over the past few years. Have a look at some of our favorites.