What kind of design makes for a successful website? Professional and polished? Rich media? Web 2.0-ish Playskool colors and simple graphics? Not according to Marcus Frind. Who is Frind? According to Google, he’s one of the top Google Adsense publishers in Canada, grossing over $10,000 per day from Adsense alone with his dating website, PlentyOfFish.
Microsoft technical evangelist Robert Scoble met up with Frind at Northern Voice, and got an earful on what Frisk believes is the secret to his success.
What is it? That’s right — ugly design. Read Scoble’s commentary.
Ok, so content is king, right? So then, which website do you choose when comparing two sites that contain essentially the same content?
Or is it more than just content AND ugly design?
Two of the websites mentioned, Myspace and Craigslist, have active participation IN the community by the founders. They are visible and active, and listen to feedback from the users. Maybe that is a big part of the equation — simply helping people feel like they are actually connecting with other people, rather than some cold, sterile corporation?
Ok, so content is king, right? So then, which website do you choose when comparing two sites that contain essentially the same content?
Or is it more than just content AND ugly design?
Two of the websites mentioned, Myspace and Craigslist, have active participation IN the community by the founders. They are visible and active, and listen to feedback from the users. Maybe that is a big part of the equation — simply helping people feel like they are actually connecting with other people, rather than some cold, sterile corporation?
That’s very true, Barbara. I’m less likely to trust a bank website that looks unprofessional.
I’ve been thinking about this, and I disagree with Scoble’s assessment. He uses Google, Craigslist and MySpace as examples of “ugly” design. Of the three, I would only classify MySpace as “ugly.”
Google and Craigslist aren’t ugly; just simple. Simple, straightforward, and (relatively) advertising free.
So maybe it’s not ugly design that people like, but simple, “garbage-free” design that does the job.
That’s very true, Barbara. I’m less likely to trust a bank website that looks unprofessional.
I’ve been thinking about this, and I disagree with Scoble’s assessment. He uses Google, Craigslist and MySpace as examples of “ugly” design. Of the three, I would only classify MySpace as “ugly.”
Google and Craigslist aren’t ugly; just simple. Simple, straightforward, and (relatively) advertising free.
So maybe it’s not ugly design that people like, but simple, “garbage-free” design that does the job.