The Importance of Aesthetics

[davepilgrim]

How important are aesthetics to you when coming across a new website?

 

To me, the visual appeal of an affiliate site is crucial when I'm considering whether or not to promote it.

 

Yes, you can look beyond first impressions to how well the site performs its intended function, but if you look at marketing throughout society, people will almost always choose products based to a large extent on their appearance.

 

I'm not suggesting for a moment that we should put form over function, but it's a fact that first impressions count for a lot and people will, even if unconsciously, make value-judgements of a new site within moments of laying eyes on it.

 

I've certainly seen some websites that have been so ugly I click off them almost immediately without wanting to know any more, and if I'm deciding between two sites roughly equal in what they offer, I'll usually promote the more 'beautiful' one, knowing it's likely to pull in more affiliates.

[Guest mrclean0325]

I think you are right on the money with that concept. I have done the same. I see sites all the time and wonder, "What the hell were you thinking?" when I see them. I really don't understand some of them with a few dozen banners and links scattered all over them and look a mess. I wonder how on Earth they even get any conversions with it. Of course I cringe whenever I read a very professional looking ad or article and see gross misspellings, missing words, and typos were you have to re-read them a few times to figure out what they are saying.

[captkirk]

Also, I see great looking sites with the owners picture on them which turn me off.

 

Why would someone mess up a great looking site by putting their picture on it?