Has your organization seen website traffic slow down? It might be time for a website design overhaul. Making sure you facilitate the right changes, however, can be a bit daunting for web design projects. The devil is in the details. Here are a few data-backed tips to make sure you’re making the right design decisions:
#1. Load time
How important is a quick load time to your website’s visitors? Very. As 40 percent of visitors will exit the page if it takes more than three seconds to load. Studies have found that the mean wait time for a loading website is 2.078 seconds. Beyond visitor frustration with slow website load times, SEO is also greatly affected. Website load time is a factor for search engine traffic and ranking as well.
#2. Website Layout
Most people scan websites rather than reading a website like a book. A website layout is critical to a website's user experience and the retention of web users. For example, website visitors will often scan a webpage in an F-shaped pattern, giving most of their attention to the first two paragraphs on the site. Putting your most pertinent information in bullet points can help with getting your most significant information across on your website, as 70 percent of users look at lists with bullet points. Only 55 percent of people look at lists without bullet points. Make your website quickly understandable, accessible and scannable by designed a well-organized layout and content strategy.
#3. Website Trust Factors
Ninety-four percent of users say they do not trust certain websites because of their design. Websites can win visitors’ trust by:
- Adding links to media coverage
- Including logos of well-known clients
- Displaying social media followers
- Staying away from stock photography
- Avoiding pre-made templates
#4. HTML5 Websites
Finally, stats show that utilizing HTML5 could more than double pageviews. When employing HTML5, sites saw 2.3 percent growth. When using other formats, sites saw only a 1 percent growth. HTML5 websites can provide an additional layer of interactivity and dynamism that helps retain and inspire web visitors. New web technology can offer a beautiful user-experience that builds trust in a brand.
Bonus: Here are 10 web design statistics to also take into consideration when overhauling an organization website.
Sources:
- “5 Data-Backed Reasons to Redesign an Ugly Website [Infographic].” 2014. Blog.Hubspot.com
- “Make Your Sites Load Faster.” 2014. NetMagazine.com
- “Does Website Design Matter?” 2014. Blog.CrazyEgg.com
- “How to Build Instant Trust on Your Website.” 2014. SocialMouths.com
