I mean, for most of the twentieth centuries books all looked the same. Same handful of typefaces, sizes, margins, etc.

Newspapers also. Same handful of column layouts, typefaces, styling.

It's not about user metrics. It's that what's important is the content of the text itself, alongside whatever photographs and illustrations are necessary and informative.

Websites are no different from the long tradition of books and newspapers in this regard.

There are plenty of spaces for artistic, aesthetic creativity on the internet. No shortage whatsoever. More art than there's ever been before.

There's no need in also trying to shoehorn it into nonfiction articles everywhere.