Never judging a book by its cover is a strong lesson of acceptance taught to young people, but studies have proven that it's not an accurate description of online user behavior. What can seem even more unsettling is the time it takes a user of your website to determine whether or not they like your website: 50 milliseconds. In a time when 85% of B2B customers search the web before making decisions as to where their money goes your website is an essential first impression piece for your company and offerings. Great web design instills trust in your business. And it turns out, the look and feel of your website are the primary drivers of those first impressions. According to web credibility research from Stanford, 75% of users admit to making judgments about a company’s credibility based on their website’s design.
• First impressions are 94% design-related. Don’t get me wrong, quality content matters. A lot. But even the best content is rendered powerless when it’s embedded in poor design. Studies of user behavior have found that visual appeal and website navigation have the biggest influence on people’s first impressions of your brand.
• Positive first impressions lead to higher satisfaction. The initial impression that a user gets from your site can have a priming effect on how they perceive future interactions with your business. Research shows that positive priming can boost user satisfaction and, as you might expect, negative first impressions put significant drag on user satisfaction.
• First impressions can last for years. And there’s an abundance of research to prove it. One study found that the NBA players’ careers are determined by their position in the draft, regardless of their on-court performance. Another study finds that subsequent impressions, no matter how contradictory, can never make up for the first impression – bringing a more than literal meaning to the saying that “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.”
The truth is, visual appeal matters. A lot. And nowhere is that more true than on the web. Today’s Internet user has infinite options about where to commit their attention. And, as the research shows, they form their opinion about your website in milliseconds. We find that time and time again, good design pays off. In a crowded, competitive landscape, it’s crucial to carve out a space where your brand and your offerings stand out, grab and hold the attention of your target users.
We work closely with our clients to bring out their greatest strengths and build modern, responsive websites to present those strengths to the web arena. Our designers understand the importance of that first impression and love partnering with our clients to help make those impressions positive. After all, you'll never know how many users you lose to a bad first impression, but you will notice the positive feedback from a strong, well-designed web presence.
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SOURCES
Clarity Quest |
Jstor |
Kinesisinc |
Science Direct |
Stanford |
UPI