Why Great Web Design is Like Chocolate
Chocolate is one luxury that we simply cannot live without. One chunk is not enough: it’s just too ‘more-ish’. The best thing is that you can make your website just as attractive to your clients. Here’s how to use great web design to do just that…
Chocolate Melts in Your Mouth
The melting point of chocolate is 34 degrees Celsius. This is not an accident. At 34 degrees, it will retain it’s shape at room temperature, but will melt sensuously within the mouth, releasing it’s flavours in a wonderful cascade of… but I digress.
The point is that chocolate is an ideal luxury food because it requires no hard chewing, is easy to digest, and leaves you with a delicious sensation. Your website should be just as easy to swallow. How do you do that? Three ways. Firstly, make the navigation easy, simple, obvious. No training required. Secondly, write clear copy that answers the question and gets to the point quickly. Finally, make every element on the page work for a living. If it doesn’t help you get together with your client, fire it.
Chocolate Makes You Feel Good
Eating chocolate has distinct and measurable effects on your brain. It excites the pleasure centres by releasing a neurotransmitter called phenylethylamine, the so called ‘chocolate amphetamine’. It also affects the levels of endorphins in the brain – they act as anti-depressants. No wonder we can’t get enough of the stuff.
Great web design can have an equally powerful affect on your website’s visitors. Great design has a direct effect on peoples’ happiness and happy customers are buying customers. By the way, here is a fabulous TED talk by Don Norman on the connections between design and happiness, I urge you to watch it – you’ll love it.
You are responsible for your website – that means you have the power to make it an enjoyable experience while you inform or market your products. Make them go “Wow!” and they’ll come back for more. They’ll tell their friends too. Pretty soon everyone will be visiting your site and contacting you, so they can say “Wow” to you in person.
How do you make that happen? Three secrets that great web designers know:
- Crisp, professional photography (use a professional photographer whenever you can).
- Purposeful, informed layout (don’t try and do it yourself, a professional knows what the white space is for).
- Room to maneouvre. Leave your visitor the space to decide to contact you. You don’t need to do any hard selling; leave out the flashing text and flash intros. Be a straight shooter.
Chocolate Makes You More Attractive
Well okay it doesn’t make you more attractive, but who cares when it tastes this good? In fact you don’t need to promise that your product will make people look great (unless you’re a fashion designer). Just be honest about what you can do and trust your clients to make the right decision. Make visiting your website such a pleasant experience that they’ll want to repeat it. For example, I hope that you’ve enjoyed this article so much that you’ll want to check out the rest of the site and come back for more.
How to Make Your Website as Good as Chocolate
Make visiting your site a pleasure by making it easy to navigate. Give your website visitors a shot of virtual endorphins with great imagery and layout. Encourage them to try another bite later by being honest and easy to connect with. That’s how to make your web design as ‘more-ish’ and appealing as chocolate. If you want some help with your website, talk to me via the links below; I’d be happy to give you some advice or design your website.
