Purskincare, a cosmetics company based in the UK, has been asking for some advice on Cre8asite forums. The website itself is quite a looker - clearly designed by someone who knows their audience well and has an eye for web design. However, they've forgotten the principles of usability and SEO which demand on-page text, clear text links and navigation, and incoming links.

I'm using Pur as an example of the pendulum swinging to far away from the technical side of web development, but there are thousands of examples of just the opposite - designers and developers who put no time, effort or care into the design and fluidity of their GUI and thus, lose the elements of enjoyment and branding that are carried to customers via design. It's always important to strike a balance between the functionality of a site (for both visitors and search engines) and the emotional and psychological forces that drive customers through design.