How do you make sure your website makes the best impact possible on your viewers? Why does your site layout matter? Online media relies heavily on the views and shares created by news consumers. A huge aspect to this is aesthetics. Although this may seem like an insignificant aspect of successful journalism, it's important to look at the whole picture. Think about it this way: if there are two news sites, each with the same content, but one is clean, concise, and easy to navigate, I'm going to choose to spend more time on that site. This post will consider two versions of the same site, The Guardian, and consider which is more visually appealing, and why that matters.
The original Guardian site worked for them. The site has millions of viewers, strong traffic, and a confident online presence. But the site's visuals were basic- there was nothing that stood out as particularly memorable or noteworthy.
The old Guardian site
Recently, The Guardian sent out an email regarding the changes to its loyal followers. The email contained the following description of the shift:
New Guardian logo - a confident representation of its reputation for serious, trusted journalism as a quality global news brand
An updated colour palette using bold, striking colours around the core sections of Guardian journalism: news, opinion, sport, arts and lifestyle.
A new font, called 'Guardian Headline', that is simple, confident and impactful.
The main text font remains the same — with marginal positive changes to size, line spacing and overall typesetting to improve readability
Now check out The Guardian's new home page. The change, although on the surface minimal, smoothly shifts your eyes around the page, the colors are visually pleasing, and the site is easier to navigate.
So why does this matter? Although The Guardian hasn't released any information about a change in online traffic due to the changes, I wouldn't be surprised if people were visiting more frequently. Viewers may not consciously decide to visit more frequently based on visuals, but their subconscious will naturally draw them to something that is easier to navigate and cleanly laid out.
Aesthetics matter. In the age of Instagram, it's important to competitively navigate the online media field by looking through every possible lens, it could make the difference between a successful site and a failed site.
