Tiny Videogames and Your Web Site

Guimp, the world’s smallest Web site, has a collection of classic videogames reduced to 18 pixels by 18 pixels. Amazingly, games like Pong, Pac Man and Breakout hold up pretty well and are still fun even when reduced to their absolute minimum. Could you have as much fun playing an 18x18pixel version of Grand Theft Auto as you can playing miniature Pong? The main thing these tiny games illustrate is that as much thought went into the gameplay as the graphics. Unlike today, where so much effort goes into creating the most realistic graphics the hardware is capable of that we end up with a bunch of amazing looking games that all play the same or offer nothing new that hasn’t been played before.

Now try applying that same concept to your Web site, but instead of making it tiny, get rid of everything that isn’t necessary. What does your site have to offer when reduced to only the content and some text links? If you rely more on flashy graphics and visually heavy designs while neglecting the content, you could be in trouble. Visit your site and a few of your competitors - with images and CSS turned off in your browser - and see how well you do compared to them.

Visual design is an important element of your Web site, I’m not suggesting that we all redesign our sites to look like Jakob Nielsens. Be aware that designing a Web site involves a lot more then selecting a few colors you like and slapping a logo in the corner. The saying “content is king” is very true, especially when talking about the internet and your search engine rankings. Search engines love original, relevant content and I’ve yet to meet a search engine that cares what a Web site looks like visually.

Of course, if your site is already as fun as playing mini-Pong then you’re likely headed in the right direction.