Written by AlphaPixel Reach team member Mikayla Dudek.
Creative and out of the box is okay but only if it fits your message and brand. The family whose patriarch brought us the Nintendo game console have a very creative site! https://y-n10.com/
Websites: How Out of the Box is Too Out of the Box?
Today, websites come in all shapes and sizes. From bright colored pages with photos and intricate designs, to unique layouts and styles – it can be hard to keep up. While it may be true that a website with a white background and loads of small black text may not cut it for business to stay competitive in modern times, it’s important not to lose track of your business itself when building your site. When it comes to modernizing and getting creative with your website, ask yourself these questions to determine how out of the box is too out of the box for your business.
Take Yamauchi No.10 Family Office’s website for example (we’ll call them YN10). They have a very unique and creative site, but it works for them due to some key elements pertaining to their business, their audience, and most importantly their brand. As you ask the following questions about your business’s website, we’ll also provide an analysis for YN10 as a reference point.
Does your website promote your business goals?
At the end of the day, your business is a business, which means that your website should work towards achieving your business goals. For example, if your main business goal as a small non profit is to explain to site visitors why they should donate to your cause, you probably don’t want an ultramodern layout that makes finding the donation form difficult. And you probably don’t want a bright, flashy color scheme if your business works toward giving back to a cause that is emotional and close to the heart for many.
Does YN10’s website promote their business goals?
Yes. YN10’s goal in the end is to inspire creativity, pioneering mindsets, and passion, which means that visitors to their site will likely be energized by the fun sound effects and old school video game-like layout.
Does the aesthetic of your website mirror the aesthetic of your target audience?
Recognizability and consistency are hugely important when it comes to your business and building brand awareness. If a potential customer sees a magazine ad for your business that sparks their interest, but then goes to your site and finds something in a completely different style, they’ll likely believe they’ve made a mistake when searching for your site, or determine your business isn’t actually aligned with their priorities or goals as customer like they had thought. It’s important that you keep in mind who you want to be looking at your site, i.e. customers, potential clients, etc. and be sure your site is tailored to them.
Does the aesthetic of YN10’s website mirror the aesthetic of their target audience?
Yes. YN10’s target audience is people looking to create a more exciting future with dreams and possibilities, who will be inspired by the site’s look and feel. If YN10 was actually a business that targeted customers looking for vintage books or movies, then style certainly would not align with YN10’s target audience, likely hurting them on the business side of things.
Does your website stand out from your competitors’? Or just stand out in general?
Standing out isn’t always a good thing, and when it comes to your business’s site, focus less of standing out as a website in general, and more on standing out from other businesses and the competitors in your market category. Say a customer was perusing different window washing websites to determine who they want to give their business too. All the sites they’ve looked at present expected information in a way that is easy to navigate, and while different from one another are all perceived in a way that clicks in the customer’s mind when thinking about window washing. Suddenly they come across a company that features bright pinks and yellows, sound effects, and a beautiful swirly-twirly font. They’ll likely remember the site, but it’d be very unlikely they choose that business to wash their windows. It just won’t feel like the professional, high-quality, clean and reliable company they’re looking for.
Does YN10’s website stand out from their competitors’? Or just stand out in general?
Yes. YN10 is competing against other foundations and self-help gurus and business and life coaches. While YN10’s site is unique and somewhat out of left field, it embodies the unencumbered free thinking, creativity, passion, dreams and possibilities that the organization represents. With unconventional design, effects and animation, YN10’s site does certainly stand out from its competitors.
What it all comes down to: is your website a clear translation of your business’ brand?
Like any element of your business, your website should be a clear translation of the branding you’ve established. Branding is everything when it comes to the consumer – it determines what they associate your business with, and eventually how they will come to remember it. You’ve likely worked hard to establish your business’s brand and that matters. That being said, it’s never a bad idea to modernize and update your site to keep up with the times and your industry. As long as you don’t lose track of your business’s branding when doing so, you should be doing just enough to be out of the box, but not be too out of the box.