How much should your website be influenced by others in your industry?

When people enquire with us about a new website, we often get asked if we can share previous examples of work we've done in their industry, or with a similar business type to them.

Over the years we've worked with hundreds of businesses and organisations of all sizes, across many industries. So sometimes, we have relevant examples of previous work and other times we don't.

So in those times where we could share examples, why do we sometimes choose not to?

Each business requires something different, regardless of industry.

Here at GEL Studios, we create bespoke websites, so every piece of functionality and every design we create has been completely tailored to the specific needs of the business we're working with. From their brand and audience to their business processes behind the scenes. The industry or the services the business offers has less of an impact on the final outcome than you may think.

The process we go through during the planning, design and development phases of each website project, is what determines the outcome. I.e. the time we spend getting to know the business, their needs, their processes and their audiences. This is what leads to a great website for that particular business, but what is great for one business in an industry, may not be great for another.

An example: Coca Cola vs Pepsi.

Coca Cola and Pepsi are two of the biggest competitors out there. So how similar are the websites? I've taken a look at their UK homepages.

Coca Cola:

A clear, prominent focus on sustainability and the community. The hero contains 10 slides, of which six relate to these two topics. Further down the page, these topics are repeated, in amongst links to the marketing and history aspects of Coca Cola. The products they sell are given a small percentage of space in comparison. Perhaps suggesting that buying into the brand and what they stand for, is more important than promoting the products.

Taken from the official Coca-Cola website

Pepsi:

Pepsi on the other hand, has a smaller, product driven homepage. Their navigation menu is also very limited in terms of offering the user information on anything other than the product range. This could be a result of relying on the PepsiCo website for wider brand information though.

Taken from: the official Pepsi website

Summary:

Two competitors in the same industry, fighting for the same audience, but both have different approaches.

When it comes to looking at other website examples, we always advise to keep in mind that your set of needs will be different to someone else's. Your website should tell your story.

If you'd like to find out more about how we could work together on a killer website project why not get in touch.