Simple designs work best
One of the frustrations with the Internet is that it is always changing and developing. Whilst this kind of development is usually good sometimes it makes us a little lazy.
In the good old days (about 10 years ago – ancient history on the Internet) sites had to be built using the very smallest of images and the very least amount of html. As broadband becomes more and more available the stringent rules we all used to follow have become a little more relaxed. Where I once had to handcode all the html for a site I now use software and very seldom have to code a site using just html. I see this as generally a good thing.
However there is one rule that I think should always apply (and this will be forever): keep it simple.
The Internet always has been about speed. Those people who don’t mind waiting are those who are wanting to be entertained. Unless your viewers are looking for entertainment then you will have to deal with the speed issue.
From a design perspective I’ve always believed that the simple designs are the best. The design of a site is not its most important reason to exist and if your site is all design and no content people will very soon get fed up and go elsewhere. You might win an award for the way the site looks but it won’t make people use your site. You do want people to use your site don’t you?
However although I advocate simple designs I do advocate some design. The design should help people find the content. This something where an awful lot of church sites fall down.
So make sure you have a design but keep that design simple.
Hear, hear! I agree. The vast majority of church websites are still not utilising the latest design technologies which leaves them looking dated and irrelevant amongst the myriad of sites on the internet. Then you can go to the other extreme where some church websites are ‘candy coated’ and hit you with the wow! factor – but what are they saying? How do you navigate to the information that you are looking for? What’s the point? So I agree: ’simplicity’ and ‘good design’ can go together to make a great church website.