Seth Godin Hints About Web Design
Seth’s blog today mentions something that I try to articulate to clients all the time – there are web subcultures and you can’t sell to one if your site fits in another. I recently saw the site of a web design agency. The front page promoted them as a highly professional firm who wished to work only with highly professional people. It stated this on a little sign held up by a cartoonish guy! Clients choose service agencies that seem to match their own personality to at least some degree. So watch your site’s subculture.
- If you’re selling to gamers, go dark and scary.
- If you’re selling to a tech business, go metal.
- If you’re selling to an art museum, be artsy.
- If you’re selling to business firms, keep it soft.
- Personal blog? Be highly expressive and personal.
You get the picture. Think with the brain of your ideal client. Would you hire you based on your site’s design?
I think there’s room to maneuver here as well. The thing about “culture” is that it can be wildly different and break all types of stereotypes…
@John – Very true, I think there are good examples of that everywhere. Still didn’t like the cartoon guy however. Point taken though!
Amazingly, quite a high number of our clients don’t bother looking at our site – they come through personal recommendation.
A lot of agencies aiming at larger clients go for the ‘cartoon guy’ approach, so, to some extent, it must work for them, but I’m not a great fan either!