People all over the world seem to be preoccupied with their online image right now. Whether you love it or loathe it, image-led social media platforms like Instagram are taking over. But when it comes to the design of your website, do the same ‘aesthetics first’ rules apply? Or do users care more about what’s going on underneath the façade?

The age-old question of function versus form has been batted around before. But we thought it was time to wade into the discussion with a thorough breakdown of the benefits and drawbacks of each approach. We reached our own conclusions about the role of aesthetics and function in web design.

The Pros of Aesthetics:

• Creates immediate interest
• Shows creativity
• Stands out from the crowd
• Builds relationships
• Evokes emotion

The Cons of Aesthetics:

• Load speed problem
• Risk of over-complication
• Users with outdated hardware might experience issues
• Distracts from the conversion

The Pros of Functionality:

• Conversions come first
• Easy navigation
• Fast load times
• Mobile friendly
• Easy updating

The Cons of Functionality:

• No “wow” factor
• Just another face in the crowd
• Designing and coding are less fun

Visual appeal is an extremely important aspect of website design. It has the power to help you build lasting relationships with your customers and differentiate yourself from the competition. However, it’s essential you put the functional foundations in place first. Your website must be findable, usable, and accessible. Once that’s nailed down, you can then add a few stylistic touches to make you look the part.

To learn more about all the pros and cons, as well as find your balance between esthetics and functionality, read the full article.