When you first visit a website, how long does it take you to decide whether or not you like it enough to stay vs. deciding to leave and go elsewhere?
15 seconds?
10 seconds?
5 seconds?
Turns out the answer is even less than that. Studies have shown that it takes about 50 milliseconds (that’s 0.05 seconds) for users to form an opinion about your website. (Source)
Really? Do you really make a judgement on a website that fast? Let’s test it out.
Take a look at these two websites and decide which one you like better.
Snap Judgements
Yep. Turns out that websites are subject to extreme levels of snap judgements from viewers. Why? Because with so many options out there and different websites for you to choose from, you have to catch their attention & have a good design or they move on to another site.
A first impression depends on many factors such as:
- structure
- colors
- spacing
- symmetry
- amount of text
- fonts
And what causes them to judge a site poorly? Bad design. Not only will they leave your site but they also won’t recommend your business either.
“57% of internet users say they won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed website.”
https://www.sweor.com/firstimpressions
First Impressions Are 94% Design Related
British researchers analyzed how different design and information content factors influence trust of online health sites. The study showed clearly that the look and feel of the website was the main driver of first impressions.
Only 6% of the feedback was about the actual content. Visual appeal and website navigation had the biggest influence on people’s first impressions of the site. (Source)
Key takeaway: Invest in design. It’s what matters the most for pulling users in.
3 Ways to Improve the First Impression of Your Website
Fast Load Times
Your website has to load fast. When we’re browsing, patience isn’t a virtue. We want things to open fast. If the load time is too long, we move on to the next website. Optimal load time: 3-5 seconds. You can test your website’s load time by visiting: www.gtmetrix.com.
How do you improve the load time?
- You can install plugins such as WP Rocket
- Make sure your images are optimized
- Don’t embed videos
- Upgrade your web hosting package
Incorporate Videos
Videos are one of the fastest ways to understand information. With such a short amount of time to make an impression, you need to convey that information quickly. Remember, it’s not about you – it’s about them. Help them see the value in your business and how it makes their life easier and if you can do that through a video near the top of your page, you’ve helped improve your chances of a positive first impression.
Improve the Design and Layout
Having a website professionally designed doesn’t happen overnight. There’s skill and a strategy involved. But the return on the investment is substantial. If you have a poorly designed website, then the end result is no one is looking at your website. You’ve got to keep their eyeballs on your site and the way you do that is through a properly & professionally designed website.
If you need help and would like to talk about how I can help you speed up your website, incorporate videos or improve the overall design, please reach out to me by scheduling a free, no obligation consultation. I promise to try and leave a positive first impression. 😉
