Consumers do online research before making purchase decisions, regardless of where the purchase takes place. Whether you sell online, in-store, or provide a traveling service, your website is the most common first impression your potential customers have of your brand. Consumers judge the credibility of a business based on its website. Prospects may see your billboard, get a referral from a friend, etc., but no matter the case, almost all of them will visit your website before they consider calling or visiting your location. For this reason, the quality of your website is a major determining factor in the success of your business.
Ask yourself these 5 questions to help you find out if your website is helping or hurting the credibility of your business.
- What percentage of my website’s traffic converts?
- How long do visitors stay on my website?
- Are my leads increasing, decreasing, or flatlining?
- How does my website look and function in comparison to my competitors’?
- When was the last time my website got a significant update?
Some of the factors that decide whether a website helps or hurts the credibility of the business include:
Loading Time
Consumers demand lightning fast loading speed. If your website doesn’t load within two seconds you can expect to immediately lose half of the visitors who clicked.
User Experience
User experience is rooted in the design of the website. Is the navigation intuitive? Can visitors find exactly what they’re looking for without having to search around? Are the paths to conversion (forms and contact info) simple and impossible to miss? Are the calls-to-action crystal clear and persuasive? One way to assess user experience is to test with friends, family, or colleagues. Ask them to go on your website and perform some function, then see how long it takes them to do it. Consumers want everything quick, easy, and convenient. If your website isn’t, they’re clicking away and on to the next.
Content
Visitors will judge the credibility of your business based on both the written and visual content on your website. Spelling and grammar mistakes make you look unprofessional and careless right off the bat. Add credibility by including helpful educational content and testimonials/case studies from real clients. Low-quality images and corny stock photos are big red flags to consumers. Add credibility with professional photography and real images of you, your staff, your customers, and your product.
Design
A clean, modern design is necessary to compete in today’s market regardless of industry. Outdated design is probably the number one reason consumers choose not to purchase after seeing a business’ website. You may be providing the best product/service in your market, but if your website looks old or chintzy, most of your potential clients will assume your business is old and chintzy. Your branding, color scheme, and typeface should be consistent and appropriate for your target audience. On top of this, your design needs to be mobile responsive, since over half of all online searches for local businesses occur on mobile devices.
How To Fix The Problem
After reading this article, do you think your website could use a touch up or perhaps a complete redesign? A website update may seem like a daunting task, but with the right design agency, you can get a stunning custom website for an affordable price. Plum Direct Marketing is here to turn your web presence around and help your business gain the credibility it needs to grow! Check out our web design services page or call 1-800-992-9663 for more information.