Being Comfortable In Your Own Skin; Why Appearance is Everything on a Website
By: James Ussery
Submitted: 2010-08-25 06:50:35 | Word Count: 750
There are some truly heinous websites floating around cyberspace: the overly colorful, overly “flashed” and the overly textual. The sad thing is, the designers who create these god-awful sites not only get away with such bad design (they were uploaded, weren’t they?) but they were paid thousands of dollars to do it.
As mentioned in Finding the Right Web Designer for Your Business, there are plenty of designers happy to show off their “expertise” by creating flashy websites that appeal to fellow design geeks, but these result in sites of very little substance, which leads to very little traffic, which leads to very little revenue.
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So, what is a website skin, exactly?
In simplest terms, a skin is the appearance of your site. In technical terms, a skin is a folder containing your logo, style sheets, page templates, containers, modules and all other things pertaining to the appearance of your site. The skin has nothing to do with functionality, but everything to do with style.
And why are website skins important?
That’s a no-brainer. They control your image. The first impression you and your product make on your cyber-public is contained in that skin. You can use the same skin across a variety of media: website, mobile phone, Facebook, Twitter—any and all places you have a public face. Or change only the color or pattern while maintaining the same basic design that reflects your unique brand.
Content can be, and should be, changed often. But your presentation should be static so you are easily recognizable to potential clients. And it’s worth spending money on. A skin on your CMS-enabled site is an optimal way to claim both style and easily updated substance.
According to Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, e-Commerce Consultant for Web Marketing Today, websites are like the shingle you hang over your door. “If the sign’s lettering looks crude and homemade, people won’t say, ‘The thrifty shopkeeper is trying to save money by making his own sign.’ They’ll say, ‘How tacky! If this is how the sign looks, then the products and services can’t be of very high quality either!’ Wilson says you owe it to yourself to make your website look top notch and to do so, you should consider hiring a professional.
An added feature: Skins are interchangeable. Just as you don't want the sign on your store to look shabby, you don't want a stagnant store. Your business is a dynamic entity, so your online presence should be as well. Make sure you have a variety of skins in stock, either in your personal files, or your web designer's files. While basic look should remain the same, have a variety of colors and patterns on hand. Perhaps keep a holiday theme in your arsenal that wishes your customers a happy one. A good web designer can even program your site so the site changes automatically on a given schedule to coordinate with your marketing plans!
How Do I Begin to Find a Website Skin?
While there are ample free skin sites, you want to look for someone who does custom skins, so you don’t run the risk of seeing your skin on someone else’s website. (Ever seen that commercial where the two red carpet actresses are wearing the same dress?)
And make sure whoever you hire can create skins that can be used across the variety of media mentioned above.
What Should I Look For in a Website Skin?
Skins should be clean, with a nice balance of text and white space. Graphics should be minimal, using at least one photograph to give the site a classy, professional look. Don’t even consider flash unless your core traffic are children. The less bells and whistles there are, the faster the site downloads. And faster is better. After all, how long are YOU willing to wait for a site to download?
It might also be worth your time and trouble to research the psychology of color. Studies have shown that certain colors evoke certain emotions and perceptions. Be proactive about your choice of color and choose the ones that will evoke the responses you want.
Remember, your presentation IS your image. And skins announce that image. Make sure you make an educated decision before you leap into your skin!
