The look and feel of your website creates an instant impression on your Users.
Have you ever walked into a shop or restaurant and instantaneously ‘just known’ that it wasn’t the right place for you? (if you answered ‘No’, then please read on anyway!) Well the same happens when people visit websites.
We all tend to perform an instantaneous sub-conscious calculation which compares what we were expecting/hoping to see, with what we’re actually presented with. This expectation may have been caused by an offline experience (or industry standard), an online advert, or maybe even something as simple as a Google Search Result link and description.
The problem is, we don’t have any time to waste on ‘mistakes’.
When we visit websites, we do so in search of specific solutions to specific problems. If we click on a link which subsequently makes us feel like that action was a mistake, then we’re instantly going to leave the site and try again elsewhere.
This is partly because we’re time starved (lots to do, not enough time to do it in), but increasingly it’s because there’s simply an enormous volume of choice online so why waste time ‘making do’ with a site that could potentially disappoint?!
Unexpected look and feel could be the cause of your low conversion rate
One of the main reasons why people ‘bounce’ off landing pages and fail to convert is because the look and feel of the page failed to match their expectations. For example, if your website is promoting children’s toys but your colouring is all midnight black with flames licking away at the bottom of the page, then it probably won’t matter how good your navigation, headlines, or calls to action are, because people will already have left.
In this landing page review, I’ll compare two websites which sell similar products from the same niche. Despite the similarities of their products and marketplace, you will see why getting the right look and feel for your website and matching the expectations of your users is vital to improving your conversion rate. Watch the video…
Learn why your look and feel should match the expectations of your Users…
2 Minute Review Items |
Ticks are good, Crosses are bad! |
|---|---|
| Website identity and purpose is obvious | |
| Look and feel matches target audience expectations | |
| Navigation is obvious and intuitive | |
| Site controls look like controls with obvious functions | |
| Feedback is appropriate | |
| Hints, help, and error recovery match requirements | |
| Images enhance communication | |
| Language matches User roles and tasks | |
| Legibility, font styles, sizes, consistency, formatting | |
| Content prominence supports Key Micro Conversion |
Summary of the video
So when you’re planning the design of your website, and in particular the look and feel of your website, make sure you consider the following:
- Do some online competitive research. Make sure that the look and feel you’ve designed accurately reflects your brand’s ideals, promises, and positioning in the marketplace. Find websites in your niche that have ‘got it right’ in your opinion, and discuss these attributes with your designers.
- The right look and feel creates trust and builds belief. When people land on your website, they’ll make an instantaneous decision about whether or not your website is the right place for them. If it doesn’t meet their expectations, they’ll become unsure and hit the back button. If it ‘feels right’, then they’ll stick around for a bit longer to make a more considered decision.
- Make sure your ‘channels’ match. The fastest way to destroy potential sales is to present people with an experience which contradicts any expectations or impressions already created by other interactions with your brand.
Let me explain…
People might walk into your store, watch your ad on TV, or receive your flyer through the post. This will form an impression and create a brand expectation. When people visit your website, you need to reinforce this expectation by providing an online User Experience that is consistent with whatever they have experienced offline. Get this right and you’ll build trust which increases conversions.
What are you going to do now?
The best way forward is to ask yourself two simple questions:
- Does the look and feel of my website create the right impression for my products, services and brand?
- How does my website compare to my closest competitors?
If the answer to either of those questions was negative, then you really need to take action! If you’re worried about the cost of improving your website’s look and feel, then at least do some research – I think you’ll find that improving things really isn’t as expensive as you think (prices have come down a lot of the last few years).
