Unsure of what is important to users in web design? Struggling to decide if it’s time for a website upgrade? Never fear, we have your back! It can be hard to sift through the mountains of information available on what’s best for user experience. It seems like everyone has a different opinion and it’s hard to know who to trust. Our process at SmartWorld is to trust the research and focus on creating data-driven results. Luckily, we’ve done the research for you.
Here are a few web design statistics to keep in mind when thinking about website redesign in 2019:
Focused Planning
- Given 15 minutes to consume content, two-thirds of people would rather read something beautifully designed than something plain.
- 38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content/layout is unattractive.
- 48% of people cited a website’s design as the number one factor in deciding the credibility of a business.
- You have 10 seconds to leave an impression and tell them what they’ll get out of your website and company. After this time (and oftentimes before), they’ll leave.
- Web design research found that a crowded web design is the most common mistake small businesses make when designing a website, confusing visitors and making them hit the back button
Better Customer Journeys
Looks are important to users. Think about when you tour a new house or apartment? If it’s a dump and looks like it’s a couple decades behind the times, most people will move on to their next option. It’s not that this is the only thing that matters to users, but it’s what makes them feel comfortable and establishes some trust. Don’t think that you have to have all the bells and whistles you see on these big tech sites to make a connection with your user, but keep in mind that it is important that you consistently update your website to keep it in the best possible condition.
Useful Content and Campaigns
- Once your page loads, users form an opinion in .05 seconds.
- 47% of people expect a web page to load in 2 seconds or less.
- 39% of people will stop engaging with a website if images won’t load or take too long to load.
Reporting You Can Act On
Users are becoming more and more involved with technology every day and this has caused a need for instant gratification. They know that most sites are going to load quickly, so if they land on yours and it takes too long, they’ll just move on to the next. You want to make sure you can grab the user’s attention quickly and engage them before they have the urge to move on.
Support That Keeps Moving
- 47% of website visitors check out a company’s products/services page before looking at any other sections of the site.
- Once on a company’s homepage, 64% of visitors want to see the company’s contact information.
- 44% of website visitors will leave a company’s website if there’s no contact information or phone number.
- Peer-created content is the least likely to be questioned. Overwhelmed consumers turn to family, peers, and colleagues as the most trustworthy content sources.
Simple Next Steps
The content on your website matters to the user. They want to be able to find the information they need quickly and easily. Be strategic about where you place information. It’s not enough to just have it all on the page in one big column. You need to section out the content and guide the user through your story. This breaks the content into digestible pieces and allows the user to skim the page, giving them control over what content they interact with.
Focused Planning
- 62% of companies which designed their website(s) for mobile platforms increased their sales.
- 40% of people will choose a different search result if the first is not mobile friendly.
- 48% of users say that if they arrive on a business site that isn’t working well on mobile, they take it as an indication of the business simply not caring.
- 90% of people use multiple screens sequentially.
- Mobile devices now account for nearly 2 of every 3 minutes spent online.
- Key reasons consumers switch devices or give up on content altogether:
- Images won’t load—46% switch devices; 39% stop engaging
- It takes too long to load—44% switch devices; 39% stop engaging
- Content is too long—30% switch devices; 38% stop engaging
- The content is unattractive in its layout or imagery—35% switch devices; 38% stop engaging
- Laptop/desktop is the most commonly used device, but smartphone is most commonly used by Millennials.
Better Customer Journeys
As mobile technology continues to evolve, users are interacting with mobile sites more and more. Though laptops/desktops are still the most commonly used, mobile is catching up quickly. Users expect you to care about the devices they’re using, so it’s important that your site is fast and responsive. Though the experience on mobile will be different, it should be consistent with that of larger desktops. Make sure your mobile website is not only functioning but is also engaging. It’s not necessarily enough to just stack all the information. Think about how the user interacts differently with mobile and make the necessary changes to make the best experience possible.Useful Content and Campaigns
- 73% of companies are investing in design to differentiate their brands
- Organizations describing themselves as “design-driven” are 69% more likely than their peers to have exceeded their 2017 business goals by a significant margin
- Organizations in which creativity is highly valued are 46% more likely to have exceeded their 2017 business goals
A Clearer Way to Grow 20+ Web Design Statistics Small Business Owners Should Know (2018)
So, what really matters to the user? In the most basic sense, a user wants a website that loads quickly, is easy to navigate, contains the information they need, and has an engaging design. As a business owner, it’s important to keep in mind what the user wants and the research to back it up so that we can make informed decisions that will help with increasing leads and building trust. Not sure where to start on updating your website? We’re here to help. Contact our team to receive a free website analysis so that we can help you grow your business.Digital Work Built Around Real Customers
- Adobe State of Content
- Adobe 2018 Digital Trends
- KoMarketing
- Econsultancy
- Medium
- MarginMedia
- uberflip
- comScore
