What Web Designers Can Learn From Video Games

Most people will try to sell their work on the basis of what already exists on the net. We're talking about design, content (now the phrase "content is king" pops out of my mind), SEO or anything else connected with virtual world. Now, why would you be exactly the same as anyone else out there?

Isn't it smarter to stand out? Isn't it better to have negative publicity rather than any publicity? It is exactly the same with Web Designer. Why do you want to make your clients site with those 5 pages-About Us, Contact Us, Our Services…well, you get the point. That's so late 90's.

Don't deliver generic trash-no one likes that!

And even if they do, don't give them that. You know better than your client. You're a Web Designer, he is an Entrepreneur. You're not going to tell him how to make better shoes, would you? Would you like to show your generic-trash kind of a work to your future clients? Of course not.

So, what can you, as a Web Designer, learn from a Video Game, any Game? A lot, actually. First things first; we're living in the 21st century which means your site has to interact with your visitors. What do you do when you play your favorite Game? You interact. With whom? With the PC, with the game story, with the fantasy world, with yourself. You will be sitting in front of the screen because your little grey cells like it, because your brain says how you're having a quality time.

Average site visitor will stick with the site only if your site delivers the similar or the same experience as your favorite game. No, the visitor doesn't have to learn how to swing a sword or how to zook a tank, but you should make the site interface easy to use. The visitor would like to have some information delivered in a fun way. If your site can't do that there are plenty more fish in the sea. So, make a wish, close your eyes and imagine how your next project should look like.

OK, I like it so far, give me some more

What is the part of the website that every game has and vice versa? Anyone? Icons, Buttons and/or any other type of navigation. You can't reach any part of your site without clicking on the icons in the menu/submenu so why not making those navigation interfaces fun and simple to use.

When playing a first person shooter you have the weapons of choice (usually on the left drop down menu) where you can easily chose a class, weapon or anything else you need for a battle. It is more likely that you will choose those weapons by clicking on an image rather than wasting your time reading what comes in the package. Same principals can be used on in the Web Designing.

Why not using your client's shoes (we're of course taking the shoes as an example) as icons? When visiting real shoe shop all you want to know is how the shoes look like and how much they cost. This is exactly the same with virtual shops. Give your visitors images rather than descriptions. It is hard to keep someone's attention so hit them hard from the very beginning.

Once they click the button don't let them go away

So, they decided to click on your shoe, now the new window opens up but you're not giving them white background with a small image and loads of boring data. You're giving them the huge rotating shoe with all the specifications of your shoe. You place a mouse on a part of the shoe and you get a small usable amount of data; what is material that the shoes is made from, what type of leather, is it hand-made… This reminds me of the game of Farmville where you place your cursor on the chicken and you get all the data regarding the specific chicken; is it hungry, when it will be hungry etc… Now, all of you Web Designer go out of your boxes and start creating magic.

Guest Author

This post is authorized by Jason Phillips. He is a freelance blogger and a big fan of video games. He keeps writing articles for different blogs. Click here to read his more articles.