Design – The Most Important 2 Seconds of Your Brand
Why Design Matters
It’s pretty well established now that most visitors don’t look at images on your website.
“Some types of pictures are completely ignored. This is typically the case for big feel-good images that are purely decorative.” - Nielsen Norman Group
And is it any wonder why, when, “The average American is exposed to 4,000-10,000 ads per day. That’s nearly double the number of ads the average person saw in 2007 and over five times as many ads as the average person saw in the 1970s.” - Zippia
We’re over it.
We have ad fatigue. We’ve trained our eyes to avoid anything that doesn’t contain information or some real value.
So, if no one’s looking at our design, does this mean that images and design don’t matter?
Nope!
Visitors immediately notice how your design makes them feel and that tells them what you and your business are about.
Your website’s design sends an immediate message of what you do, who you do it for, and how you do it, which is vital to your visitor’s experience.
Right away, they get a sense that they’re in the right place (or not), so it’s important to get it right.
2 Seconds
You have two seconds to capture someone’s attention online.
If your site looks confusing, doesn’t meet their expectations, or is just the worst website ever made, the back button is too close and tempting for most visitors to waste their time.
UX = User Experience
What’s top of mind for your site visitor when they’ve searched Google and clicked on your site?
What are they looking for?
What information do they need?
What problem are they trying to solve?
Do you answer their main question right up front?
Does your design support the answer to these questions?
For example, a corporate accountant should probably steer clear of a website with a hot pink polka dot background.
Similarly, a children's party planner business won't get far with a beige color scheme and nature stock photos.
Both designs will send the wrong message and confuse visitors, and either drive away the right traffic or attract the wrong traffic!
People sometimes think flashy words and design elements are the way to go for their website, but that can make your message confusing.
It's important to keep the focus on what your visitor needs and make sure your design and content reflect that. (For more on this, read Step #1 in my post about Seven Easy Steps to a Website Audit.)
Make sure your site is clear and well-organized.
Make sure that your message speaks to your ideal clients so they don’t have to waste their time trying to figure out what you’re about. (This also ensures that you repel the wrong people, which is a good thing!)
So, does your brand match your store/your biz personality/your biz cards, etc?
Is your message consistent across all platforms? Does your marketing look and feel like you and what you offer?
Your Website’s Purpose
Finally, what do you want your website to do?
The best way to make sure your design supports your business is to make sure that it accomplishes your main business goal.
Pick just one goal below to focus your design around. (It will change over time.)
Grow your email list
Increase sales
Schedule discovery calls
Build a social media community or following, or increase podcast subscribers
Establish yourself as an expert on your topic
Make sure your design matches your message and that you’re making it easy and obvious for people to call you, hire you, work with you, buy your stuff, or whatever it is that you most want them to do!
To Sum Up:
Understanding what your ideal visitors want from your site and the main goal of your business will help you design a site that accomplishes both.
Get it right in those first two seconds and your new client can relax into their first impression, and make the choice to buy.
