A website is a lot like a hamburger

A website has many layers, all important to the overall experience. The difference between an average website and a great website can be compared to the quality of a hamburger. You can have a quick and dirty corner store burger, pay very little for it and you will still get a burger. But pay a little more, wait a little longer, and the end result will be far more satisfying.

The Bun

Always start with a good base. The sesame seed bun is the equivalent of a strong framework - the foundation of your site. Compromising on a cheap base because you think all buns are the same is a false economy. Put the time, effort and resources into your website core. It doesn’t necessarily need to be over the top (think: brioche) but you don’t want to risk losing structural integrity later by piling your fillings into a sub-standard bun.

The Meat

The most important ingredient to a burger is obviously the meat. It is the reason the burger exists. It gives the burger purpose. What is the purpose of your website? Why are you building one at all?  Answer this fundamental question honestly and you will create a better website. There is no point in making a website because you think you should; a logo, an about page and a privacy policy do not a website make. A good meat patty is in itself like a burger – comprised of many smaller ingredients. Minced beef, spices, combined with an egg. Your website has content, navigation, a user journey. Design the website structure before you build it. Plan your content upfront so that you know your purpose.

The Salad

A good salad is crucial. It gives the burger balance. You need to balance the meat with the lettuce and tomato, or you can balance it with carrot and cucumber. You may even want to add beetroot. A good website is balanced. It is not overloaded with content that dilutes the message, it provides only what is needed to get that message across. Accurate and concise text, attractive but not obstructive imagery. Anything more and your user gets lost, confused and goes elsewhere. The options are many, but the reason is one and the same - balance.

The Cheese

For many people the highlight of a burger is the cheese. It’s the taste that remains with you the longest once the burger has been eaten and a napkin being sought. Cheese provides the bite; the hook. What is your website’s hook? As well as your purpose and your balance, you must ensure that you can offer a hook to ensure repeat customers. Spend the time researching what you can offer to your users that they can’t otherwise obtain, so that they will keep coming back. You could give them tasty, but you might want to give them Swiss; or even better, a robust Danish blue.

The Condiments

Condiments on a burger are optional. You don’t absolutely need them but they are tasty accompaniment for many people. It’s all about giving people the choice. What kind of choice does your website offer a user? Do you have enough varied content or product offerings to encourage a diverse range of users to be interested? User testing your site early from a prototype will help determine who wants tomato sauce, who wants barbeque sauce. It helps locate the one user who wants mayonnaise, and the few that prefer to go without entirely. Provide users choice and you will make happier users.

 

So, who’s hungry?