Someone smart once said that Facebook, the beloved and despised social media behemoth, in its early days was like a woman or man addicted to cosmetic surgery. That’s how often the portal changed its look and feel. The frequency of change was aggravating for users, especially some 21 years ago when the website was new and people were just getting used it. One day a button you used to do this or that was here. The next day it was there. It felt capricious and stupid, as change for its own sake often is.
But there is a balance, of course, and website formats, functionality and aesthetics do get dated. And when that happens, refreshment is essential.
At least if attracting and retaining visitors and advertisers is a goal.
Take the site you’re visiting right now. Powerboat Nation hasn’t changed its look in years. Of course, the owners of the site have a legitimate “guilty with an explanation” excuse. The content side of Powerboat Nation has been dormant for several years, and its revival began just three months ago. Any aesthetic changes before fresh and frequently refreshed—key words—would have been digital lipstick on an online pig.
But the content side of Powerboat Nation is humming along, at least enough to warrant a new look and feel for the website. And in a few weeks, Powerboat Nation 2.0 will greet you. The process has already begun.—Matt Trulio
