Why written content is also part of visual design
Visual design is an important part of the success of a website. That might seem obvious, but have you ever thought about what it means?
Using the web is a personal experience. A business website may have an audience of thousands or even millions of people, but every one of them interacts with it on his or her own.
It's also an experience that involves rapid first impressions. When you see a website for the first time, your eyes and brain take only a fraction of a second to form your perception of it. A bit like the way you judge someone by their appearance when you've just met them, but much faster.
The site's visual design creates that first impression. If you're a typical web user, you probably think design is just about colours, shapes and pictures. There is something else that most people overlook.
When you use the web, you spend most of your time reading. Websites are full of words. Words communicate ideas. But in a visual communication medium like the web, they are also part of visual design. They too have size, shape and colour.
Next time you land on a new website, after it's made that virtually instant impression on you, think about what just happened. If you like the look of the words well enough to want to read them, someone has done their job well.
