It’s 2024, and you probably know that your website influences your business’s perceived credibility and quality.
However, many don’t grasp the true extent of this impact.
Turning underperforming websites into ones that boost credibility and attract clients is a common challenge.
Today, we’ll reveal 10surprising statistics about websites and user behavior, offering strategies to transform your site into a user-friendly, appealing, and conversion-driven asset.
1.It takes just 50 milliseconds (0.05 seconds) for users to form an opinion about your website, deciding whether they like it and if they’ll stay or leave.
What this means:
Despite the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover,” websites face instant judgments that heavily influence their perceived credibility.
Why?
It’s all about choice. For any search query, users often find multiple results that meet their needs. This abundance of options means users have little tolerance for bad websites. So, websites are judged quickly and harshly.
Don’t believe it? Take a look at this:
I bet I can guess which website you’ll view more favorably.
How to fix it:
The only way to eliminate snap judgments about your homepage is by improving its design.
Although this might seem overwhelming, you can read on and apply what you’ve learned to ensure your redesign overcomes that critical 0.05-second judgment in the future.
Now, let’s move on to statistic #2:
2. 57% of internet users say they won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile website.
What this means:
Responsive web design is crucial. Websites that aren’t mobile-friendly are inherently poorly designed because they fail to offer a good user experience.
No company wants its website visitors to hesitate to refer them.
3. 85% of internet users won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile website.
What this means:
Responsive web design is essential. Non-mobile-friendly websites are poorly designed by default, as they don’t provide a good user experience.
No business wants its visitors to avoid recommending them.
4. As of Q2 2018, smartphones made up 63% of all retail website visits.
What this means:
In tip #21, we’ll see that 50% of U.S. e-commerce sales happen on mobile devices.
If smartphones account for 63% of retail website visits, there must be a gap in the quality of mobile sites affecting conversion rates.
Still, 63% is significant and should motivate retailers with poor mobile experiences to improve.
5. 38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content or layout is unattractive.
What this means:
Great job getting past the 0.05-second judgment! But you’re not in the clear yet. Any design or navigation issue can still turn users away and cost you potential leads.
For example:
Remember the Restoration Hardware homepage I praised earlier? While it looks good at first glance, the overall experience is lacking.
The design is appealing, thanks to high-quality images of luxurious products. However, the layout is problematic. Hovering over a navbar category triggers a dropdown menu, which leads to more dropdowns, creating a frustrating maze of nested content that’s hard to navigate.
Each category on the left has its own set of subcategories. Yikes!
And then there’s the “SHOP RH MODERN” option, which opens a new dropdown that duplicates many items from the left column in the right column. It’s enough to give anyone a headache!
There are just too many options for my brain to handle.
How to fix it:
The lesson here?
Not all websites that look good initially are effective at converting users into leads and customers. If a website falls short in any aspect, users won’t tolerate it.
Dropdown menus with lots of nested content aren’t the only layout and navigation issues out there. There are many, and the best way to identify them on your website is to understand how users interact with it.
Remember, even books with great covers can be abandoned halfway through. Ensure your website is well designed and structured from start to finish.
By the way:
6. 88% of online consumers won’t come back to a site after a bad experience.
How to fix it:
The internet doesn’t give second chances. Bad website design, outdated aesthetics, and poor usability can seriously harm your credibility.
Find the root of the problem.
If your website hasn’t been updated in years, the solution is likely straightforward: Use our design tips to create a modern, responsive website.
But what if you recently redesigned your site and users are still bouncing? Check out this guide for tools to improve your website’s user experience and conversion rates.
Need more motivation?
7. 77% of agencies see a poor website user experience as a weakness for their clients, making it the most significant weakness identified.
It appears there’s a clear trend here:
User experience and design go hand in hand. They’re deeply interconnected.
8. 39% of people will stop using a website if images don’t load or take too long to load.
What it means:
If a company neglects to update and fix broken images on its website, it reflects poorly on their attention to detail and organization.
Likewise, images that slow down page load times can drive even more users away.
This brings us to statistic #9.
9. 47% of users expect an average website to load within 2 seconds.
How to fix it:
Slow image loading times are often caused by large file sizes.
Although it’s tempting to use high-resolution images, they can significantly slow down your website. Slow load times not only drive users away but also impact SEO.
Here’s a free tool from Google that allows you to check the speed of your website’s pages, helping you identify any potential loading issues.
Additionally, here’s a helpful tool for optimizing the size of images with large file sizes.
10. Slow-loading websites result in retailers losing $2.6 billion in sales annually.
What it means:
Simply put, if your website is slow, you’re also missing out on opportunities to attract new customers.
75% of consumers form opinions about a company’s credibility based on its website design:
The design of your website significantly influences how consumers perceive your company’s credibility.
What it Means:
It’s remarkable how closely a company’s credibility is tied to the visual appeal of its website.
In 2023, a website is more than just a digital presence—it’s a reflection of how a company conducts its business. Therefore, it must convey credibility in every aspect.
How To Fix:
To enhance credibility on a company website, start by ensuring it has a modern, updated design that reflects your commitment to digital presence. This includes implementing the design aspects we discussed earlier, such as aspect ratio, images, fonts, and layout.
However, credibility isn’t just about design—it’s also about content. Content and design should complement each other seamlessly.
What does this mean?
Content on your website, whether it’s images, videos, or text, should integrate well with the design. Good design incorporates quality, informative content that enhances credibility.
Ensure that your website’s content reinforces its design, incorporating evidence of success, brand-defining statements, and engaging images to keep users interested.
What Does This Mean For Your Business
Your website plays a crucial role in shaping how people perceive your company. A badly designed site can harm your credibility, while a well-designed one can boost your influence and attract leads.
Having a website that’s easy to navigate is essential. If users struggle with your site, they’re likely to leave.
Making small adjustments can make a big difference in how users view your website right from the start.
Remember, first impressions matter a lot online. Make sure yours leaves a positive impression.
