Good Website Design is Important for Customer Conversions

The remarkable growth of Internet users in the past few years has transformed the manner in which consumers identify, communicate, and make purchase decisions. This heavy growth also signifies an increase in competition among retailers looking to sell a service or product. One way to get ahead of the competition is through good website design. Billions of dollars in online spending decisions are influenced everyday by strategic website design.

Your website is one of the most visible aspects of your company. In large part it will affect the way people view your business. Web design can do more than make a site look good. It’s not just the aesthetic elements such as colors, fonts, and layouts, but also the site planning, messaging and usability that make up strategic website design. By striking a strategic balance between great design and user-friendly functionality —it can be a powerful strategic weapon that enhances financial returns and creates competitive advantage. Additionally, you don’t want to spend money driving traffic to a website that isn’t enticingly relevant and professional.

The first impression is important. We must consider the two-tenths rule when considering the content for the website.

Two-tenths of a second is the maximum amount of time people viewing a website took to form a first impression, according to a study published in February 2012 by researchers at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. The longer the viewers choose to stay on a site, the more favorable their impressions were.

The lesson here is that bad website design may compel prospects to jump to your competitors’ sites in the blink of an eye. The fact that you offer something they might actually want and need won’t matter if they don’t stick around. Conveying your message to consumers quickly through powerful design has never been more vital.

Make 2013 the year of great website design for your business. Take a critical look at your website and marketing materials; see how they stack up to your competitors’ and commit to making the changes you know you need. Identify where you are providing a real, tangible benefit to your clients and showcase it with great design.