Lately the word going around is “design no longer matters” and, that in today’s world, the words and content on websites means more for supporting SEO and overall online business strength.

Here are some valid reasons why this is no longer true………

Quoting New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in a recent interview in the annual design issue of Fast Company magazine, he noted, “Design does matter. And not necessarily in a way that people realize.”

The principle applies to individual business as well as on a city scale:

“If good design is doing its job, it is managing your perception of an experience in many ways—both obvious and not so obvious. How you feel, and therefore if whether you’re going to engage and buy, is directly influenced by the design of a website, a package or a business card.”

-Randall Smith, founder of Salt Lake City brand management agency Modern 8

Smith agrees with the comment of Forbes contributor Mike Myatt: “Why present a content vs. design argument? The Holy Grail is found in nesting great content within brilliant design—don’t think ‘either/or,’ think ‘and’.”

Myatt continued, “Being found is nice, but it’s the experience and engagement that occurs (or not) that really matters. There are many ways to get eyeballs to your content, but what really matters is what happens when you get there.”

To that end, here’s how design will matter most in 2014: in the creation of responsive web design—design that adjusts itself gracefully for an optimum experience on desktop, tablet or smartphone OS. As contributor Josh Steimle recently reported in Why You Business Needs A Responsive Website Before 2014 even if you have only a “brochure” website right now, it is possible to spend as little as several hundred to several thousand dollars to overhaul your site to a format that exemplifies the best principles of responsive design.

As Steimle reported the world is rapidly moving to mobile. Ninety one percent of adults keep their smartphones perpetually within arm’s reach. Nine out of ten mobile searches lead to action, and more than half lead to sales. More than 5 billion people will use mobile phones by 2017, according to Statista. In fact, there is close to a 50% chance you are reading this article from a mobile device even now.

Yes, quality content matters, but superb design matters as well. Most importantly, the design that optimizes perception and experience to whatever medium the viewer is participating within will be the greatest winner in 2014 and beyond.

So design really matters. With this in mind, are you ready for 2014? How well does your site accomplish the goal of nesting great content within brilliant and responsive website design? I welcome your thoughts.

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Parts of this Article sourced from Forbes.com written by

Cheryl Conner, Contributor – writes about communications, business and the ways the two intersect

Steph Zahalka

Steph Zahalka is the founder and CEO of Jungle Branding Co., a premier award-winning brand agency based on the Gold Coast Australia, serving clients across the globe.

Recent winner of the prestigious Female Entrepreneur of the Year Stevie Award 2020, Steph is a brand strategist and designer who has been featured on the cover of a nationally recognised ‘women in business’ magazine (GCGIB) and regularly appears on podcasts and events around the Gold Coast as a speaker, panel expert and interviewee where she reveals her unique process for building a wildly in-demand brand for ambitious entrepreneurs, modern CEOs, influencers, thought leaders, and service-based business owners.

Steph believes that, when done right, branding is the door to connecting with your people, your audience on a deeper level. Human to human connection that makes your audience ridiculously obsessed with not just your brand, but YOU and your vision that ultimately makes a positive impact on the world.

jungledesignstudios.com