Marketing 360® reviews thousands of websites. One reality is clear: pretty websites built to impress don’t convert as well as plain, functional designs.

The hamburger just plain works.

It’s not the fanciest cuisine. Not the most chic. If you’re taking a first date-out and you want to impress, you don’t go out for burgers.

Yet in every city in America, burger joints are money makers. Go to any decent size market, and one of the most popular restaurants will have a menu anchored by hamburgers. If you wanted to invest in a restaurant, a place with burgers would be one of the least risky to start-up.

Simple. Predictable. Easy to understand. Satisfying.

Still…

You might be on that first date, eager to impress. You want to establish your good taste. Create a perception – begin a story about the type of person you are. You’re looking to position yourself in a long-term relationship.

In this case, filet mignon is more aligned with your goals than ground beef. It’s worth the time and expense.

But for the restaurant owner, fine dining can be a far more difficult business to establish profitability. Steaks don’t generate repeated sales the way burgers do.

This is analogous to website design. The plain, functional website is better at driving direct response. If your goal is sales and conversions, focus on functionality over appearance.

If your goal is to create a perception with your website – but you’re much less concerned with enticing a specific action, then perhaps you can afford to be beautiful. In some cases, the design aesthetic is a major component of the message.

But you can’t do both. Try turning your filet mignon into hamburger, and you’ll lose money.

Most business websites are designed for ecommerce sales or lead-generation. They have defined calls-to-action and want to motivate direct response.

Bottom line: if you want people breaking out their credit card or calling your office, sell burgers. They’re a proven winner.