In Defense of a Fussy Website
Sarah Drasner, killin’ it over at CSS-Tricks:
When a site is done with care and excitement you can tell. You feel it as you visit, the hum of intention. The craft, the cohesiveness, the attention to detail is obvious. And in turn, you meet them halfway. These are the sites with the low bounce rates, the best engagement metrics, the ones where they get questions like “can I contribute?” No gimmicks needed.
Struck a cord with me, so true! Some links in the comment section are also pretty good:
- a website of a local cafe, written over 20 years ago
- the Wiby search engine, a web of pages as it was in the earlier days of the internet (hit the “surprise me…” link)
I remember websites with a statement, character, attention to detail, playfulness, boldness, and rough edges. What I don’t remember: websites chasing the next web trend, trying to be like everyone else, mere manifestations of the insubstantial.
I think that’s why I also love Heydon Pickering’s website so much. It’s so playful and thoughtful. Everything seems to be done with intention. And that makes me smile.