“If you’re constantly tweaking and tailoring your website for natural search success, doesn’t it also stand to reason that this diminished focus on your website’s users creates an environment that isn’t enjoyable or interesting for real people?”
In a recent Search Engine Journal article, author Sujan Patel argues that fundamentally sound SEO and increased clicks can also make for good user experience, but he neglects the true importance of a website: design. In fact, the word “design” never appears in his post.
Google domination
Google Search completely transformed the website landscape several years ago by manipulating websites to accomplish certain tasks in order to more likely appear at the top of a search string. These tasks include appropriate use of:
- keywords, site descriptions, and meta data;
- amount of content; and
- uniqueness of content, amongst other factors.
Sites quickly learned that the way to appear high in organic search was to follow the Google Search commandments… or perhaps no one would find your site! Gasp!
Let’s not forget about the dreaded “clicks.” Patel talks about adding microdata to a site:
Not only does this extra data help users to make more informed search decisions, these enhanced displays have a notable impact on SERPs click-through rates, increasing the likelihood that a search user will wind up on your page over a competitor’s.
Again, in an article about user experience, Patel has failed to mention design. Rather, he stresses the importance of data, search, and clicks.
With a heightened importance on search combined with analytics, data became an increasingly popular way in which to build – or dare I say, design – a site.
Balance
Over the past several years, the building and developing of websites has been unbalanced – too high of a concentration on proper code and SEO and not enough on design and creativity.
It’s design, not SEO, that:
- delivers stories and content in a visually-striking manner;
- creates an engaging digital experience;
- requires a deep, human interaction from the viewer;
- makes the world a more beautiful place.
Design is critical to user experience – in fact, it’s the most important part.
Trends are cyclical
Like anything else, trends tend to work in cycles. Towards the beginning of the commercial internet, amazing things were built with great design. Over the past few years, the data and measurement revolution changed that.
Regardless, I believe we are seeing a movement back towards the necessity of artistic design as the key factor in user experience and the building of websites. Digital news consumption and the minimalist aesthetic result in sites embracing the beauty of white space and legibility. Mobile sites and apps require a simple, pleasing design in order to succeed. And the rise of the designer/developer is helping to put design at the forefront.
And that, as Patel says, is “enjoyable and interesting for real people.” In short, it’s a beautiful thing.