Less than 4 Seconds to Impress
First impressions are everything; you need to dress the part, and websites are no exception. The average time people are giving a website to make that first impression is less than 4 seconds, and in my opinion it’s closer to 3 seconds. If someone is searching for a product or company using Google, they have more choices than they need; with so many search results just a few clicks away, the “WOW factor” is critical for conversion.
While content is always key to the success of any website, people do not read, they scan.
Loading time, layout, and even color scheme are very important to get perfect when trying to convince a client to pick up the phone or even purchase online.
Mobile Presence
-80% of customers abandon a mobile site if they have a bad user experience.
- Limelight Networks, Inc., 2011
Let’s face it, everyone nowadays has their smart phone glued to the palm of their hands. People are literally in danger of walking into traffic from staring at their phone. By 2013, more people will use mobile phones than PCs to get online, according to Gartner. The number of mobile devices is set to more than double in the next years. Great news if this is your industry, but for most companies it could have a powerful effect on how people view your brand, company, and hurt your connection with customers.
If your website is Flash based, you should begin redesigning your site right now. The iphone and ipad do not cater to Flash websites, and there don’t look to be any changes soon. But more importantly, you need to have your web page accessible, easy to find, and social. With just a few clicks on a device small enough to fit in your pocket, new customers are finding companies to handle everything from shopping deals to hiring a lawyer. Word of mouth is still the strongest factor for recommendations, yet people now have the tools to do research after the fact.
A new study from Adobe Digital Marketing Insights suggests that tablet users spend over 50% more per purchase at online retailers when compared with smartphone visitors, and 20% more when compared with traditional laptop and desktop visitors.
