Did you know that the presentation of your website can greatly affect the way people perceive you and your business?
Web designer Joseph Putnam conducted a research study called Trust and Mistrust of Online Health Sites. The aim was to see how web design and content factors influenced trust among visitors to the website. The results found that design elements were prioritised over content when people evaluated how trustworthy the site was. So don’t ignore the importance of your website. Here are 3 key reasons why you should prioritise your web design:
ONE
Your website reflects your image. If you want to be perceived positively by users you must have a professional looking website. Your business or brand may have the best products or services, but if your website is sloppy then, as Putnam observed, people will mistrust you.
TWO
A good design can help you stand out. A good website can be a perfect way to make a good first impression. Yet, like business cards, every business uses a website to introduce themselves. The key is to stand out. According to data from Chartbeat, 55% of visitors spend fewer than 15 seconds on your website. Make sure every second counts and that you can hook users with an intelligent design.
THREE
Move to mobile. With people spending ever increasing time on mobile devices it is vital to keep your designs mobile responsive. This means having text and images appropriately resized, and content that is easy to read and navigate. The restrictions of mobile make it is even more important to communicate clearly and to deliver an experience that is both practical and beautiful.
Hopefully these 3 key reasons serve as wake up call will make you re-evaluate your website.
And finally, if you’re unsure if your website needs a new design then here are some of the elements that participants of Putnam’s research pointed to when mistrusting a website:
• Busy or complex layouts
• Pop-up advertisements and flamboyant ads
• Small print that’s hard to read
• Boring web design/lack of colour
• Slow website intros and load times