Once you decide to redesign your company’s website, you want it done…well, yesterday. But we know the approval process can be excruciatingly slow. You need buy-in from the appropriate stakeholders; and beyond that, you need to get everyone aligned on budget, direction and goals. That’s a tall order.
While every stakeholder wants what’s best for the company, it can take some cold, hard facts to convince them to take the leap of a full redesign. A meshing of industry trends, competitive benchmarking and internal reporting are commonly used to make this case.
We wanted to take some of that pressure off you, so we collected a few key web design statistics for marketers in the professional service sector. We hope that you’ll be able to use these insights to build a strong business case and achieve your marketing goals.
With that, here are those cold, hard facts:
It takes users .05 seconds to form an opinion about your website, determining whether they stay or go. (Source)
First impressions are everything – both in life and online, and more often than not your website is a user’s first introduction to your business. If your website doesn’t visually, please a user, this distaste is hard-coded into their impression of your brand. While, in an ideal world, visitors would read your content before passing judgment, this rarely (if ever) happens. Instead, it’s the design’s responsibility to hook visitors and entice them to stick around to learn more.
Bottom line: Your website’s design weighs heavily on a visitor’s decision to engage with your brand.
75% of consumers admit to judging a company’s credibility based on the company’s website design. (Source)
A poor web design can take a huge blow to your company’s credibility. In todays’ digital world, consumers expect their brands to be keeping up with digital trends and tactics. This is especially true of the professional service industry, companies who are sought out for expertise and strategic partnership. If a user visits an outdated website, how are they expected to trust the credibility of your insights and guidance?
Bottom Line: Your brand’s reputation cannot afford an outdated web design.
85% of adults think that a company’s mobile website should be as good or better than its desktop website. (Source)
Many companies make the mistake of designing their websites around desktop. The fact is, as mobile usage continues to skyrocket, the desktop experience is becoming less and less relevant. Taking a mobile-first approach to web design is the key to pleasing users and offering a seamless experience. When a user visits your site on mobile, they should never have to pinch and zoom to view information (and they won’t).
Bottom Line: A mobile-first approach ensures user satisfaction.
Nearly 60% of users say they will not recommend a business that has a poorly designed mobile site. (Source)
Not only do users prefer a mobile-first website, but their recommendations depend on it. Many referrals are exchanged on-the-go, making mobile a prime channel for impressing potential clients. By failing to provide these users with a responsive design, you’re diminishing potential referral business.
Bottom Line: Failing to provide a responsive website design discourages referral business.
77% of company decision-makers view customer experience as a key competitive differentiator. (Source)
While the customer experience includes more than just digital, your website is a huge piece of that experience. Whether a user is collecting cursory information, looking for validation or comparing your company to competitors, the website will assist them in their journey to conversion. By providing users with an unforgettable digital experience, you’ll bolster your brand’s overall customer experience – further differentiating your brand from competitors.
Bottom Line: An impeccable website will make your brand stand out and your customer experience shine.
Conclusion
Your website is a core brand asset – it’s often the first interaction a consumer has with your company. Delivering a website that emanates credibility, works seamlessly across devices, enhances the customer experience and ensures consistency is crucial to digital success.
The digital world is ever-changing; will you evolve with it?
Boston Digital can help your company keep up. Reach out to learn more about the ideas we have for your website.
