Today’s brand and business marketers need to take advantage of every opportunity they can find to differentiate their shops and engage their target customers from every reputational angle, and new research from digital and creative agencies directory Top Design Firms reveals that a full 50 percent of consumers say their impression of a brand is dependent on the design of the company’s website.
Because consumer preferences vary, businesses must evaluate their company’s web design frequently. Given recent industry trends, companies should consider visual elements that improve customer experience and fit their overall messaging.
Consumers enjoy seeing multimedia experiences when visiting a website
The data revealed that consumers prefer to see photos or images (40 percent), color (39 percent), and videos (21 percent) when visiting websites
Jessica Day, the co-founder of IdeaScale, believes that while multimedia is essential to a website design, companies need to think about their customers. “It’s important to have multiple ways of sharing messages because not everyone is drawn to the same content types,” said Day, in a news release.
While preferences may vary, companies must consider one key element.
An engaging user experience is key for a successful website revamp
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, “physical” experiences a foreign concept to many. Small businesses, however, can still create engaging digital environments for their audience.
Nearly one-third of consumers (31 percent) believe that an engaging user experience should be a company’s primary focus when designing a website.
An effective user experience needs to speak directly to a company’s target audience. Understanding consumers’ visions and preferences require research, so creating an exceptional user experience isn’t a quick fix.
Calloway Cook, president of Illuminate Labs, agrees and encourages companies to think ahead. “Optimizing for user experience is a continual process,” said Cook, in the release.
Consumer preferences often change, and small businesses need to be prepared to update their websites to align with new trends that will generate high engagement.
Businesses must prepare for their website redesigns with user experience top of mind.
Poor functionality is the most common reason visitors leave websites
Forty-two percent of consumers will leave a website because of poor functionality. Site visitors will leave websites because of cluttered layouts, lack of visibility, and slow response time.
When optimizing their website for user experience businesses should think of accessibility, navigation, and other efficiencies to make them as streamlined as possible.
“People will make assumptions about your product and services based on how easy or difficult it is to navigate your website,” said Day.
Businesses that prioritize user preferences and streamlined functionality in their website redesign will make a positive impression on users.
Top Design Firms surveyed 500 consumers in April 2021 about their web design preferences.
