28 replies to this topic

[Sebastian]

What's the most important for a site, to have a good layout and content, or the number of visitors?

Personally, I vote for the content.

[maansson]

I would like to chose a mix between layout and content. Content in a unstructured way isn't good at all.

[Fuzion Zero]

id say number of visitors. a site is nothing unless people know and look at it.

[Jaymz]

Fuzion Zero, on Mar 11 2005, 10:31 AM, said:

id say number of visitors. a site is nothing unless people know and look at it.

But that won't happen if there's no content Content is definitely the backbone, a pretty look comes a close second, but I've seen many sites with a horrible layout that are very popular (Ex About.com imo) because they have all kinds of information.

[g0liatH]

First of all content (why would you start a site if you don't have content?), then layout (people should see the content in a good way), and then the visitors will come. I don't think having a lot of visitors is required to have a good site, al though it sucks to have a good site without visitors

[Atomica]

I have to agree with Jaymz and g0liatH,
no matter how bad ass your layout it , your visitors will leave just as fast as they come if there is no interesting content.

[Jag]

I disagree. Its a mix between content and layout, you could have the best content in the world, but without an eye catching layout, people'll simply get bored of just plain text... And vice versa.

[Jaymz]

Jag, on Mar 11 2005, 06:02 PM, said:

I disagree. Its a mix between content and layout, you could have the best content in the world, but without an eye catching layout, people'll simply get bored of just plain text... And vice versa.

I'm afraid I disagree with the idea that a good layout is absolutely necessary to ensure popularity. Look at the information side of Google, they have no real layout at all but they're still popular and have things that nobody else has. The vast information allows them to have a *very* minimalistic layout and still be successful. Frankly anything more complex would hinder Google's wealth of information in extremely bad ways.

That being said, I still hold my ground that content is numero uno, with an effective layout hot on its tail, but not being absolutely necessary. I know it sounds kind of ironic coming from someone who makes a profit off of people wanting a pretty looking site, but without content all you have is a pretty looking page with nothing to entice visitors. If you have good content and a bad layout, at least there's enough to keep people around to read your awesome stuff.

[Donna]

Content NO: 1

but everyone has forgot navigation, no matter how great the layout some of the sites I see now are bizarre to try and navigate around.

[sdesign]

I have to agree with Jaymz, on this one. Use pixel2life for example if they didn't have all the tutorials indexed would they still get the amount of visitors they do NO !!!. Probably not a great example but it gets my point across. LOL

Content is key, once you have it you base your layout around it. Not the other way around, atleast in my opinion.

Great topic btw.

[Canen Art]

donnar, on Mar 11 2005, 03:57 PM, said:

Content NO: 1

but everyone has forgot navigation, no matter how great the layout some of the sites I see now are bizarre to try and navigate around.

I would have to agree... Great content is the key but if you have a bad navigation system, so your viewers cant get around very well then whats the point. Myself, I hate sites that I have to use the back buttons built into the browsers to get back so I can read more. If I have to do that more than a few times on a site I just leave it and dont bother going back. But good content is a must, then your navigation, layout and vistors will come after that.

Best Regards,

Jason

[Jaymz]

donnar, on Mar 11 2005, 07:57 PM, said:

Content NO: 1

but everyone has forgot navigation, no matter how great the layout some of the sites I see now are bizarre to try and navigate around.

Very true. Again, I'm going to pick on About, mainly because their information structure and how it is displayed leaves much to be desired, even though there is TONS of information there. Its easy to get lost in what one P2L member described as a "link maze" (sorry, can't remember who you were ) in which the easiest way to get around is to find the info somewhere else.

[Fuzion Zero]

yes but see, the point of having a website, is to have alot of people visit it. i mean unless its like a personal page then visitors are a must.

[Canen Art]

Fuzion Zero, on Mar 11 2005, 04:15 PM, said:

yes but see, the point of having a website, is to have alot of people visit it. i mean unless its like a personal page then visitors are a must.

True... but they will come after you have all the other stuff first...

Quote

good content is a must, then your navigation, layout and vistors will come after that

Tell me.. why do visitors come to your site? Well there is something there called content that they want to see and read up on.

Regards,

Jason

[Faken]

This survey is missing a HUGE piece of the puzzle. The answer completely depends on the subject/purpose of the site itself.

Faken

[Jaymz]

Faken, on Mar 11 2005, 08:46 PM, said:

This survey is missing a HUGE piece of the puzzle. The answer completely depends on the subject/purpose of the site itself.

Faken

That's very true also My site doesn't have a lot of content (compared to a huge site like P2L) but I don't need a lot since its just me selling myself and showing my portfolio. On that kind of site, looking pretty is a must 'cause who wants to hire a designer with a bad looking website?

[xreasontoblame]

Content. for all the reasons explained above.

[Jag]

I'm not saying content is important, far from it! lol.
But, you could have the best content in the world, but if its just plain text on a white background for pages and pages, your attention would wander. You need some form of a layout, even if is as simple as something like google.

[Sebastian]

I pretty much think the same thing there as Jag. People don't stand to look at white pages all the time. There have to be some colors if you don't want to frighten away the visitor.

[JamesPickens]

A good layout is what first attracts me then when you get that done you need to have a nice set of content, with no content comes no site.

Like all these new GFX Sites and Forums releasing with out a site or without any content, its just stupid, wait till you get the forums ready, the content ready, the site ready, and a nice staff ready then release.