Comments on: When Bad Web Design Is Good http://blog.dinkuminteractive.com/when-bad-web-design-is-good/ SEO, PPC and Social Media Marketing Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:24:05 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Bruce Smeaton http://blog.dinkuminteractive.com/when-bad-web-design-is-good/comment-page-1/#comment-8349 Bruce Smeaton Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:05:52 +0000 http://blog.dinkuminteractive.com/?p=1576#comment-8349 As an Auckland based web designer I rather sheepishly admit to creating this <a href="http://www.propertyinspections.co.nz">building inspection</a> company website about four years ago. I used Xsite-Pro as my html editing platform and did the best I could as a complete amateur at the time. Ironically, it was my love for "all things search engine optimized" that breathed so much life into this otherwise rather bland website. I optimized the living hell out this site (on-page) and even without undertaking a single linking campaign until recently, the site quickly shot to the top of Google for at least 30 keywords! So yes, I also agree... a "bad" website can definitely provide unexpectedly good results. As an Auckland based web designer I rather sheepishly admit to creating this building inspection company website about four years ago.

I used Xsite-Pro as my html editing platform and did the best I could as a complete amateur at the time.

Ironically, it was my love for “all things search engine optimized” that breathed so much life into this otherwise rather bland website.

I optimized the living hell out this site (on-page) and even without undertaking a single linking campaign until recently, the site quickly shot to the top of Google for at least 30 keywords!

So yes, I also agree… a “bad” website can definitely provide unexpectedly good results.

]]> By: Bill http://blog.dinkuminteractive.com/when-bad-web-design-is-good/comment-page-1/#comment-8341 Bill Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:00:38 +0000 http://blog.dinkuminteractive.com/?p=1576#comment-8341 Ted, thanks for sharing your experience with "bad" web design. The short term fall off in conversions is a good reminder that SEO/Design changes can provide unexpected results. What I'd like to know is whether the conversion rate eventually returned and then exceeded the original. Ted, thanks for sharing your experience with “bad” web design.

The short term fall off in conversions is a good reminder that SEO/Design changes can provide unexpected results. What I’d like to know is whether the conversion rate eventually returned and then exceeded the original.

]]> By: Ted Hust http://blog.dinkuminteractive.com/when-bad-web-design-is-good/comment-page-1/#comment-8322 Ted Hust Fri, 29 Jan 2010 23:18:24 +0000 http://blog.dinkuminteractive.com/?p=1576#comment-8322 Bad design is great for "Made For Adsense" sites, but in almost all other cases its BAAAD. Although, I will say that we've "improved" a couple of sites for clients that had odd niche markets, and their conversions fell off badly for a while. Why that is, I'll never fully understand, but my first guess is that they must have had a ton of repeat customers that just got thrown off by the new look and feel, even though it was MUCH IMPROVED. The other thought is that they possibly got more traffic due to the more SEO friendly navigation and overall coding, and as always some of that new traffic wasn't as targeted. Bad design is great for “Made For Adsense” sites, but in almost all other cases its BAAAD. Although, I will say that we’ve “improved” a couple of sites for clients that had odd niche markets, and their conversions fell off badly for a while. Why that is, I’ll never fully understand, but my first guess is that they must have had a ton of repeat customers that just got thrown off by the new look and feel, even though it was MUCH IMPROVED. The other thought is that they possibly got more traffic due to the more SEO friendly navigation and overall coding, and as always some of that new traffic wasn’t as targeted.

]]> By: Ashley http://blog.dinkuminteractive.com/when-bad-web-design-is-good/comment-page-1/#comment-8205 Ashley Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:40:15 +0000 http://blog.dinkuminteractive.com/?p=1576#comment-8205 ya, as stoica told some times bad design can have good outcome.. But it works for some sites not for all sites. ya, as stoica told some times bad design can have good outcome.. But it works for some sites not for all sites.

]]> By: Bill http://blog.dinkuminteractive.com/when-bad-web-design-is-good/comment-page-1/#comment-8075 Bill Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:37:00 +0000 http://blog.dinkuminteractive.com/?p=1576#comment-8075 Paul, Good point. At the end of the day, it's all about whether the website performs well. It may be fun to point toward Vincent Flanders' "Daily Sucker," but if it's getting the job done, who cares? Paul,

Good point. At the end of the day, it’s all about whether the website performs well. It may be fun to point toward Vincent Flanders’ “Daily Sucker,” but if it’s getting the job done, who cares?

]]> By: Paul http://blog.dinkuminteractive.com/when-bad-web-design-is-good/comment-page-1/#comment-8066 Paul Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:52:06 +0000 http://blog.dinkuminteractive.com/?p=1576#comment-8066 About 10 years ago I had a bit of a wake-up call when i started working with a company who had a series of websites that you could probably describe from a design perspective as "bad". However, they were outperforming all their competitors on search and as result, had become very popular destinations and were making a good amount of money. This opened my eyes to the fact that the actual design didn't matter as much as I thought and showed me the power of search engines. These days I like to marry the two but depending on what you are designing your site about, performance is incredibly important. Hey, infomercials are pretty bad but they work! About 10 years ago I had a bit of a wake-up call when i started working with a company who had a series of websites that you could probably describe from a design perspective as “bad”. However, they were outperforming all their competitors on search and as result, had become very popular destinations and were making a good amount of money. This opened my eyes to the fact that the actual design didn’t matter as much as I thought and showed me the power of search engines. These days I like to marry the two but depending on what you are designing your site about, performance is incredibly important. Hey, infomercials are pretty bad but they work!

]]> By: Ling Valentine http://blog.dinkuminteractive.com/when-bad-web-design-is-good/comment-page-1/#comment-8059 Ling Valentine Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:05:50 +0000 http://blog.dinkuminteractive.com/?p=1576#comment-8059 No, it's not mean... That guy Flanders is simply a bit anal. Some of the "rules" he quotes are just miserable. Like sticking to 2 font sizes. How boring. The dummy in his mouth says it all. :) You can make a web page how the hell you want and not follow the sheep. Web page design is generally completely retarded IMHO. If the same "rules" applied to TV, then every TV programme worth it's salt would "suck". You would have static, dull, boring, consistently miserable TV programmes. Nothing should move, flash or have any action according to that misery Flanders. If you pay attention to these "rules" of "good design", I will happily post you razor blades to complete your online activity as you may as well slash your wrists. Wish more people would be more adventurous. Ling LINGsCARS No, it’s not mean… That guy Flanders is simply a bit anal. Some of the “rules” he quotes are just miserable. Like sticking to 2 font sizes. How boring. The dummy in his mouth says it all. :)

You can make a web page how the hell you want and not follow the sheep. Web page design is generally completely retarded IMHO. If the same “rules” applied to TV, then every TV programme worth it’s salt would “suck”. You would have static, dull, boring, consistently miserable TV programmes. Nothing should move, flash or have any action according to that misery Flanders.

If you pay attention to these “rules” of “good design”, I will happily post you razor blades to complete your online activity as you may as well slash your wrists.

Wish more people would be more adventurous.

Ling
LINGsCARS

]]> By: stoica http://blog.dinkuminteractive.com/when-bad-web-design-is-good/comment-page-1/#comment-8053 stoica Sun, 10 Jan 2010 10:11:48 +0000 http://blog.dinkuminteractive.com/?p=1576#comment-8053 Yes, poor design can have a good outcome!Ttake for example : you are building a website and you are trying to sell weight loss pills by telling the visitor a story about how you were able to lose fat , if you have a poor design the visitor will think you are a normal person (like him) and will gain trust in you. Yes, poor design can have a good outcome!Ttake for example : you are building a website and you are trying to sell weight loss pills by telling the visitor a story about how you were able to lose fat , if you have a poor design the visitor will think you are a normal person (like him) and will gain trust in you.

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