As much as it pains me to admit, I am a Millennial. Born at the end of the 80s, I grew up as technology did, and on occasion that makes me a bit of a website design snob. Not that I’m great at making them or anything, but when I go to a website, I have certain expectations in order for you to be a “quality” company in my mind. Silly, I know. But I’m not the only Millennial out there, and I know I’m not alone on web design scrutinizing.
These days, I find new companies through Instagram Ads or suggestions from my Facebook friends. They grab me with the ad but when I click through, if the website looks kind of sketch, I immediately back out and clear cookies. It might be a completely reputable company with a terrible website, but my feelings about them were immediately altered because I judged that book by its cover.
Who Else Pays Attention to Web Design?
It’s not just the uber-picky Millennials who are running away from your terrible website; it’s Baby Boomers and Gen X-ers too. They get to your homepage, but they can’t find the products list no matter what header they click. After a few sighs and curses, they leave your page and try someone else who has their marketing and user experience together. Think about the potential sales these companies lose just because the layout of the website doesn’t make sense. That’s what truly doesn’t make sense to me.
Oh, and if you think Millennials are picky, try the new Generation Z. It’s tough to even get them to visit a website, let alone navigate through a lagging or out of date one. On average, their attention span is about 8 seconds. They haven’t even made it through this blog post without looking at something else on their phone before (hopefully) coming back to finish.
So, what keeps people on your page without running away screaming and cursing the heavens? Most can be boiled down to a couple of super basic web design tools like having a plan, sticking to it, and making it look consistent.
Build Trust Through Consistency
People shop from brands they trust, and this trust gets earned over a period of time. It has to start somewhere, so welcome them with a clean landing page and easy navigation. If you want to share information about yourself or your team, maybe call that page ABOUT; a menu should probably be located under MENU. It’s taking the guesswork out of the experience so customers have more time to make the sale.
Having a plan for your web design from the start helps with consistency and building that trust with the customer. It’s basic things like the fonts you use and common colors to represent your business, but also verbiage and the tone in which you speak. If you are super chill on your social media channels and basically talk like a robot through your website contact page, people are going to stray away from contacting you that way and opt for the friendlier option.
Double Check Your Grammar
One final thought to keep in mind is—and this is a simple one—grammar. More than half of people visiting a website or social media channel are turned off by poor grammar. Double and triple check your work before sharing. Have someone else look at it. Read it out loud to hear the way it flows. Do whatever you can to make sure potential and returning customers view you as an educated and knowledgeable company. If you can’t compose a sentence properly, what kind of confidence should someone have in your services or product? Too harsh? It shouldn’t be! These are basic things someone without any marketing experience can address. Your website is an extension of you, and you would never show up to a client meeting or sales pitch with a wrinkled shirt and chocolate all over your face. Treat your website with the same respect.
Bottom Line: If you have a website that stinks, maybe don’t have a website. Sometimes, something isn’t better than nothing. Instead, make an investment in a web design you’re proud to show off. Let our dedicated design and development team help make your website shine!
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