1. The first website I see issues with is that of MGBD Parts. The mixed font sizes and colors is very disorienting and its hard to focus on any one point they are trying to get across. Also, there isn't a clean introduction page, you are just thrown into a messy homepage with images and font spread all over the page, nothing is centering your attention and its hard to know where you're supposed to look. Thirdly, the page is very outdated, it gives the impression that the owner hasn't taken time to modernize their company and may not provide top tier service.
The second website I visited was Penny Juice. Like MGBD Parts, the homepage is not giving me a clear message as to where they want me to go. I cant tell if they're selling a product, raising money, or just an info page. I also feel that the stock images that they put on their website steer me away from trusting their product, as it gives me the impression that there isn't tremendous pride in their branding. Lastly, the format doesn't look like a store. It looks more like an early 2000's blog. The website design does not incentivize me to make a purchase.
I dont feel that either of these websites come across as well designed, and neither are very user friendly. Users must scroll down and look all over the page before they even get a grip at what they're looking at. Also, both pages feature pretty jarring colors. A successfully designed website is calming, something that draws you in to stay a while. Both websites use colors and images that insight anxiety.
I would improve both websites by making much simpler designs, this will help customers navigate the site and give an impression of professionalism that each company is currently lacking. I would also change the colors to be more neutral and swap the stock images for originals, both of which will make the company seem more stylish, modern, and credible.
2. The apple website does a great job at drawing users in. It does this with a clean and easy to understand home page, there isn't a lot of words but rather a beautiful image that clearly conveys what their brand has to offer. Another way this is a successful website is the use of cool calming colors and simple fonts, nothing here is overwhelming or hard to look at. Finally, there is a clear menu above that allows anyone to easily navigate the website.
Another successful website is Craigslist. While Craigslist is less beautiful than Apple, it is extremely simple and user friendly. The use of all black and white color makes it easy to read through the long lists, and the way that the links turn purple once they've been clicked encourages users to stay for long searches without getting frustrated with losing track of where they were. I also thing that the way the categories are organized makes it very easy to find what you're looking for. The no frills design also give the impression that this is a great website to find a deal.
Both are easy to follow and very clear in their brand messaging, which makes them friendly for all kinds of users. The two websites simplicity in design make them even more user friendly, as well as being relaxing and nice places to be on. Apple used beautiful large images to get a clear message across, where Craigslist uses simple categorized lists. These two different methods reach the same end result, websites that anyone can feel comfortable using despite their computer experience.
3. Through this exercise I learned how important design is in a brands ability to build trust with the customer. The websites that had clean professional pages simply looked more credible as a company. The outdated and busy websites gave me the impression that like their internet presence, their goods and services are also going to be less than optimal. A companies website is similar to the outfit you wear to a job interview. It is the first impression. Even if you are the most qualified candidate for a job, if you come to an interview looking disheveled and out of place its going to be significantly more difficult to portray your credibility to the potential employer.
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