Humans Are Visually Judgemental

We’ve all heard the saying countless times, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. The simple meaning of not dismissing something because of outward appearances is a noble thought.  It could be applied to anything from an actual book to a profile pic on a dating app.  Despite what our mothers taught us, we do judge based on looks.  We just can’t help it.  When it comes to web design, you have to bring your “A” game because you have one shot to impress a potential customer before they swipe left and head to your competition.  Here are the most common mistakes that your website is making:

First Impressions Mean Everything
Humans are visual creatures.  About 70% of all the sensory receptors in the body are in the eyes and 40% of the cerebral cortex (the outer layer) is involved with processing visual information and making sense of what we’re seeing (antranik.org). Visual data is also processed about 60,000 times faster than text. It will only take 50 milliseconds for a prospect to decide if they are interested in your content.  That is a very small window of time to impress someone.  This is where design comes in.  

According to silverbackweb.com, first impressions are 94% design-related and only 6% content-related.  Aspects of a good design include the layout, images, and color scheme.  These may seem elementary, but a good design can mean the difference between converting traffic into sales or losing the customer altogether.

Looking Sketchy = No Thanks

People are very aware of how the internet can pose a threat to their personal information. Between 2006 and 2019, there was a 160% rise in data breach cases (preyproject.com).  In fact, The global cybersecurity market size was valued at USD 156.5 billion in 2019 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.0% from 2020 to 2027 (prenewwire.com).  

A poorly designed website will look like a dark alley to a prospect.  They will not want to stay any longer than they have to and they absolutely won’t want to leave any personal information there.  A few steps that a website can take to reassure customers that their information is safe are:

• Using HTTPS and having SSL Certificates
• Display security badges
• Fix faulty contact forms
• Prevent 404 errors
• Block spam in the comments section
• Monitor server downtime

Mobile Devices Are An Unstoppable Juggernaut

Our lives have become dependent on our mobile devices.  We don’t go anywhere without them and a quick scan of any room will show people inhaling information, catching up with friends on social media, shopping for the latest styles, or taking a quick selfie...all on their mobile device.  It should come as no surprise that over 80% of users accessed the internet on their mobile devices in 2019.  Additionally, over 40% of all online transactions are done using a mobile device (quoracreative.com).  

In order for customers to have a positive experience with your website, it needs to be mobile-friendly.  The website should be easy to read, easy to navigate, and not need too much effort in order to open links.  It is a good idea to invest in a completely separate, tailor-made design for mobile devices instead of the typical website that just shrinks everything to fit on a mobile screen.  

Your website is your digital business card.  It is the first thing people look at when they want to learn more about your company.  It needs to reflect exactly what your brand is.  Potential customers will be influenced by the content and design of your website and quickly decide whether to investigate further or seek out your competition.  In order to grow your business, start with your website.  

For a free website evaluation, contact Code Koalas