In today's society, everyone knows they need a website for their business, but the design and functionality of that website is what is really important. Why?
We're glad you asked!
The design of your website is crucial to the user experience of your customers. If your audience is not able to navigate around your website in a useful way, they will quickly lose interest and move along to one of your competitors.
According to studies done in the last 2 years, the average attention span of your audience is only 8 seconds, and that number is declining every year. Think about it, companies spend tons of money every day to create faster, more efficient tools for consumers because the fastest, best experience wins. However, if your website experience doesn't keep up, or at least compete, you WILL lose sales.
All of this information breaks down to 2 things:
1.) The first impression of your website means perhaps the most to your brand.
2.) Your website has to function in a way that makes sense.
So Where Do You Start?
1.) Start with your first impression.
The first impression of your website basically boils down to a few key points.
A.) Speed
B.) Clarity
C.) Direction
Speed
Remember that 8 seconds attention span I mentioned earlier? That highlights the importance for your customers to be able to access your information quickly and they can't do that with a website that takes forever to load.
Imagine your target customer finding your website, maybe from an advertisement or a social media post, and being excited to see what you have to offer. But as soon as they get to your website, it takes 10 seconds to even load the main page. Then, every subsequent click turns into a waiting game until finally, by the third or fourth attempt, they are tired of it and move along.
You may have an amazing product and even an amazing website design, but if your customers can't quickly access the information, you will lose out every time.
Another factor to consider with speed is how quickly your customers can consume your information, which leads me to my next point: Clarity.
Clarity
Clarity is crucial to your first impression because if a customer is confused about what your business does or sells, they will immediately move along. The same can be said for your website design. If the navigation is confusing and the customer can't figure out how to get more information about, or even purchase your product or service, it will cost you in sales.
In order for your website to be clear from the very start, you have to have a strong sense of your brand right off the bat. You have to shape the experience you want your customers to have through the color, dynamics, and mood. If your brand is fun and adventurous, your website can reflect bright and colorful images. In contrast, if your brand is more serious and sophisticated, neutral tones and higher contrast will set your website apart.
Another component of clarity is managing the expectations of your customers. Let me explain...
When a customer visits your website for the first time, they will likely expect your website to function like most websites. They look for your logo at the top of the page, possibly in the top left corner, with a menu somewhere nearby to navigate the pages. If you sell a product, they would expect to see a listings page and a cart that would help them through the checkout process.
These are simple examples, but if your website doesn't meet this very basic criteria, or function in a way that can overcome those norms, regardless of whether you think your design is amazing, you WILL NOT be meeting your customer's expectations, and that can hurt your sales.
Finally, in order for a website to be clear, it needs good direction.
Direction
Remember what I said about shaping your customer's experience? A large part of that is telling them how to navigate through the process of purchasing your product or service.
Think about when you visit any large ecommerce website like, for example, Amazon.
When you visit Amazon, the first thing you see is likely the first the thing they WANT you to see, and that is a scrolling advertisement that features different services that you can purchase and use from them. You'll also likely notice a large search bar at the top of the page to search for whatever you are looking for, as well as some suggestions based on previous purchases you've made.
Amazon is smart in how they use their website to shape their user experience. You saw exactly what they wanted you to see, you did exactly what they wanted you to do, and your experience resulted with the sale of a product or service they wanted you to buy.
Which brings me to my next point...
2.) Does Your Website Make Sense?
I see a lot of solopreneurs who get this one wrong.
They try to build a website that they think looks good and makes sense with what their business is all about, but at the end of the day, they cut corners and aren't generating the sales they want and end up spending tons of money on unnecessary tools that don't work because they don't fix the underlying problem.
This also comes back to what I said about expectations. If you are selling a product online and your website doesn't function like an ecommerce website, customers won't likely make it to the finish line and you won't close the sale.
You can't just use one cookie-cutter design for every website and expect it to help every business thrive. It simply doesn't work like that. Your website design should reflect your business goals and every component should play a role in making that happen.
So how does all of this apply to your business?
We get it, not everyone has time to figure all of this out. And that's where we come in. We help you not only figure out how to shape your customer experience, but we design a website that caters to your audience and helps you effectively run your business, too.