Did you know website users form an opinion about a website in just 5 seconds? That 88% of website visitors won’t return to a site after a bad experience or that about 50% of all website visitors leave the site after just looking at one page. What does all this mean? It means every website needs to be compelling and an enjoyable and helpful experience to keep visitors interested in reading more, taking a valuable action, and coming back.
I recently had the privilege of collaborating with a strategic communications/IR agency, an investment management firm, and a local university to enhance each’s value proposition and competitive edge through the development of differentiated new websites.
As part of our efforts to refine each organization’s positioning, I had the opportunity to craft their vision, mission, values, and salient messages, which served as the cornerstone of each’s website content. The importance of responsive and beautiful design and compelling photography cannot be overstated in fostering engagement on a website and promoting a favorable reputation. As such, these played a central role in our work.
Companies need more than a beautiful website with well-written copy. They need to uniquely position and distinguish themselves and offer a valuable experience to site visitors at each stage of the customer journey from information gathering to making a sale or other desired action. It’s about improving business performance. As such, I thought the following data points were shareworthy.
How a Strong Website Can Perform for You
I thought the following data points for a first-class website experience are shareworthy.
- Credibility: Research from the Stanford Web Credibility Project suggests that 75% of visitors judge a company’s credibility based on its website design. A well-designed website can leave a positive first impression on visitors.
- Online Research: According to a study by Adweek, 81% of shoppers conduct online research before buying. A website provides a platform for showcasing products or services and providing valuable information to potential customers, as well as an e-commerce solution.
- Trust: A professionally designed website with accurate information can establish trust with customers. According to a survey by Verisign, 84% of consumers believe small businesses with websites are more credible.
- Mobile Access: Today, having a mobile-responsive website is crucial. StatCounter reported that mobile devices account for >55% of web page views worldwide in 2023. Users are 67% more likely to make a purchase if a website is mobile friendly.
- Great Design = $: 57% of website users won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed website and aren’t likely to return to it themselves. So, beautiful and intuitive design is more than creating a nice user experience, it impacts the bottom line.
- Analytics and Data: Websites offer valuable data through analytics tools. You can track visitor behavior, gather insights, and make data-driven decisions to improve your business.
- 24/7 Accessibility: Websites can be accessed 24/7, allowing potential customers to learn about your business and make inquiries or purchases at any time.
- Customer Support: Websites often include FAQ sections, contact forms, and chatbots, providing a channel for customer inquiries and support. This can enhance customer satisfaction.
- Marketing and Branding: Your website is an essential tool for digital marketing. You can use it for content marketing, SEO, email marketing, and more.
- Sales and e-commerce: If you sell products or services, an e-commerce website can be a significant revenue generator. The global e-commerce market is steadily growing.
- Global Reach: A website enables your company to reach a global audience, not limited by geographical boundaries.
Recent Website Projects
I recently project managed and wrote the brand framework and web copy for these sites. A shout out to Audra Brown at NXT and Raborn Media, who served as art director and developer, respectively, on several of these projects.
Post Advisory Group (a client of Financial Profiles)
University of La Verne College of Business
University of La Verne Center for Entrepreneurship
University of La Verne College of Health and Community Well-Being
A compelling, fully mobile-optimized, current website is a vital component of any business’ marketing strategy. And although this seems self-evident, many smaller companies don’t invest in updating and keeping their websites fresh and optimized. But a great website experience that is aligned with your business goals and meets the needs of your customers can significantly impact your online visibility, credibility, marketing efforts, customer support, and sales.
About the Author
To discuss how your website can better reflect your business priorities and brand, contact marketing / communications consultant Judy Johnson at The Brand Partnership. To learn more about the importance of your website, read this Forbes article. Judy is the founder and lead principal at The Brand Partnership. She has more than three decades of maketing experience as a global agency leader and in-house C-suite executive.