How Web Sites Are Like Rental Suites

If you don't think the design of your Web site makes much of a difference to the people visiting it, think again. Content might be king, but there's good reason for making your Web site attractive. To demonstate the point, I have a personal story to share with you. It's about renting a suite, not about Web design, but stay with me, I'll have a point to make at the end.

In the Fall of 2007, my husband and I were separating, our townhouse was being renovated to get it ready for sale and my home office was in the middle of a construction zone. The smell of paint, the noise, the disruption and the emotional upheaval were taking their toll on me and I could see that my business would soon start to suffer.

I was going to have to move when the house was sold anyway, but I decided to make the move sooner rather than later. So I started hunting for an apartment or suite that I could afford to rent while still carrying my share of the townhouse expenses. The apartment also had to be cat-friendly and hopefully even allow them access to the outdoors.

The first place I saw was in the same apartment complex my son and my mother live in. So I did have some incentive to live there. However, the only apartment that was coming available was totally forgettable. The rooms were dingy, dull and drab. It looked like someone had thrown spaghetti sauce at the stove. The apartment was on the second floor and overlooked the parking lot. Cats were allowed only by the manager turning a blind eye, but at that point I didn't care if they took cats or not.

The second place I saw was a basement suite (I use the word suite loosely!). If the first place was forgettable, the second one was memorable in its unpleasantness. It was ugly, dark and filthy. The kitchen had no counter space and was just horrible. The place was cat-friendly; they would even have easy access to the outdoors. But I didn't care if they took wild boar at that point, I just wanted out of there.

The third place I saw was a garden suite in a new home. I wanted to rent it the moment I stepped in the door! It was clean, bright, nicely decorated and the door opened directly onto a big yard for the cats. However, the landlady wasn't keen on having one cat, let alone two. Well, I offered an extra damage deposit and promised that I would pay for any damages when I moved out. Happily, she relented... and I moved in a few weeks later. That's where I am as I write this. One cat is on my lap and one is snoozing under my desk lamp.

What is the lesson here? Here it is... Think of each suite as a Web site. Remember, it was the look of each suite that caused me to leave in a hurry in the first two cases, but to stop and actually negotiate for the cats in the last case because I wanted it so badly. For the other two apartments, I didn't care if they took cats, rats or wild boar, I just wanted out of there. Which Web site do you want to own? One that sends visitors running? Or one attractive enough for them to stay and even be willing to work a bit to stay there?

The look of your Web site is very important. It will stop visitors long enough for them to see if you have what they want. That's all you need: their willingness to stick around. Your content can take over from there.

- Andrea Wilson