Web Design Success Factors for Business Owners

If you’re over fifty (or maybe 30), you probably remember when it was enough to simply have an online presence. Potential buyers would just be impressed if you had a website, and they were probably just using it to find your address or maybe your hours.

They didn’t really care what it looked like or how easy it was to navigate. And you certainly didn’t need to worry about how your website looked on a mobile device or how to get your site found with SEO (search engine optimization).

All that has changed. Today’s websites need to be up-to-date - both up front and behind the scenes. But how do you know if your site is still working for your business or if it’s time for an update?

If someone goes to your website, and it seems old and outdated or – worse yet – neglected, it’s going to reflect poorly on your business. Whether you’re a one-man (or woman) tailor shop or a thousand-employee manufacturing plant, people today expect your website to look good.

Proof:

• 38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content/layout is unattractive.
  
• 48% of people cited a website’s design as the number one factor in deciding the credibility of a business.
  

Life today seems to be moving faster than a speeding train, and people have come to expect speed with everything from buying a latte to browsing a website. If your site doesn’t load quickly, you’ll lose people’s attention immediately, and they’ll move on.

Proof:

• 47% of people expect a web page to load in two seconds or less.
  
• 39% of people will stop engaging with a website if images take too long to load or don’t load at all.
  

People today are going to your website for more than just your address or your hours. They’re looking for information, and they want to be able to find that information quickly. Online, the majority of people will only scan your web pages, which means that long columns of text won’t work. You need to break your content into easily-digestible sections that guide the user through your story.

Proof:

• 47% of website visitors check out a company’s products/services page before looking at any other sections of the site.
  
• 64% of visitors want to see the company’s contact information on the homepage.
  
• 44% of website visitors will leave a company’s website if there’s no contact information.
  
• Consumers trust content from family, peers, and colleagues more than from the business itself.
  

Good gravy, are you tired of hearing this? Well, we’re tired of saying it, but some businesses still don’t understand the importance of a mobile-friendly website. As more and more people – particularly millennials - use mobile devices to search online, it becomes increasingly important (or should we say "critical") to make it a great experience for mobile users. Your website should be highly functional, attractive and engaging on a mobile device.

Proof:

• 62% of companies which designed their website(s) for mobile platforms increased their sales.
  
• 40% of people will choose a different search result if the first is not mobile friendly.
  
• Mobile devices now account for nearly two of every three minutes spent online.

• Images won’t load—46% switch devices; 39% stop engaging
  
• It takes too long to load—44% switch devices; 39% stop engagingContent is too long—30% switch devices; 38% stop engaging
  
• The content is unattractive in its layout or imagery—35% switch devices; 38% stop engaging
  

So, how does your website measure up? Does it have an engaging design? Do the pages load quickly? Is it easy to navigate and find information? Is it mobile friendly? If you don’t give visitors to your website the best experience possible, they will move on.

If you’re ready to consider a website overhaul then give PMI a call today at (484) 297-6395 or contact us online . We’ll work with you to create a website that you can be proud of, and that will attract and wow potential leads and customers. Check out our web design gallery for an idea of how good your mobile-friendly website can look. Then contact PMI to get started!

This blog is a summary of “ 20 Web Design Facts Small Business Owners Should Know.”