Three Crucial Elements for Your Brand’s Site

For many people, websites are a bit like cars — we’re not entirely sure how they work, we just know that they work.

The difference is, it’s not always obvious when a website isn’t working. It doesn’t make a strange noise. It doesn’t have trouble starting in the winter. It just won’t communicate your message (which, in turn, won’t drive people to your business).

Three elements make a successful site: function (how it works), design (how it looks) and content (what’s on it).

All three elements, when working together in harmony, ensure the site is communicating the right message — your message — in an easily understandable way.

Some sites may emphasize one element over another, to their detriment. What happens then?

A site where design trumps function and content can often end up so far removed from the brand that the brand is barely recognizable.

A site where function is emphasized over all else can result in unnecessary (and sometimes annoying) functions, like moving graphics or confusing navigation.

A site focused on content is, well, a Wikipedia page, which is great — if you’re Wikipedia.

When you see your website mechanic, be sure she knows how to weave all three elements together into one beautiful, functional, informative site. Otherwise, your message will be lost in what may be a colourful mess.

Of course, you could go the Ling’s Cars route and incorporate absolutely everything under the sun, but that approach only works for a small number of businesses.

A very, very, very small number.