Now more than EVER, your website is critical to how people perceive your business. It is often the first place that potential customers will go to find out about who you are, what you do, and what your brand is all about. In many cases, your website is the first impression your business makes on your potential target audience. 

Your site needs to be effective and attractive while keeping users’ attention and encouraging them to convert. A well-designed site can make visitors want to stay longer and get them interested in what you have to offer. It takes about 50 milliseconds (that’s 0.05 seconds) for a person to form an opinion about your website. Linking up with a talented web design agency in Philadelphia is the first step to success for your business.

In a recent study, 94 percent of respondents mistrusted a website because of the way a website looked. It showed that web elements, more so than content, had a significant impact on mistrust. When asked why they mistrusted a site, 94 percent of respondents mentioned specific design elements, compared to 6 percent who referenced actual content.

Among the least-trusted elements were:

• Pop-up and overly expressive ads
• Busy or complicated layouts
• Slow intros and load times
• A lack of color
• A ‘boring’ design

This study shows us that a great design will get website users to trust you and click around your website. Poor design creates mistrust and makes people leave.

At Philadelphia digital marketing company R2 Creative Group we consider your User Experience (UX) and the user journey before we start any design work. We use data and analytics (typically provided via Google) to determine what your audience is searching for, and what is the easiest and fastest way for them to find this. We do not use any templates when we design a website because every business is different and all audiences search differently. Your website navigation and sitemap are critical design elements that must be designed and structured specifically around target audience and their engagement, which is why knowing your target audience with a good brand strategy can be so important.

Your website is also necessary for online advertising campaigns to be successful in that this is where you are likely driving traffic. An online advertising campaign is only as successful as the number of leads that you receive. If your campaign drives traffic, but you send them to a site or landing page that does not represent your brand, then the campaign will not convert. Your website is an extension of your brand, and the elements you use for your website are going to tell visitors a lot about your company.

We have seen over and over how a “simple” design overhaul results in a major boost in conversion. People form their opinion about your site in milliseconds and the first second that people spend on your website might matter more than all the seconds that follow. Take advantage of your one chance to make a great first impression and talk to Philadelphia marketing and web design agency R2 Creative Group about how can help build a site that speaks to who you are as brand.