Whenever you’re spending money on an aspect of your business, it is important to attempt to work out the return on investment (ROI) you are receiving.
After all, if you’re just starting out, it is vital to prioritise expenses in the manner that will best support development and growth, as spending in the wrong areas could prevent your business ever really getting off the ground.
One aspect that it can be tempting to attempt to cut corners and make savings is with your web design, with many people believing they will be able to get things done themselves or for very little cost.
While it is true this may be possible, it could significantly hamper your business prospects. Indeed, HostGator’s new infographic ‘The ROI of Great Web Design’ highlights how important it is to get things right and the ways in which this can boost your operations.
Research conducted by Derek Halpern of Social Triggers found 94 per cent of feedback on an intentionally poorly-designed site focused on the layout, with just 6 per cent noting the actual content.
The infographic also highlights studies from Nielsen Norman Group, which found the three most important aspects to consider are eye tracking, conversion rate optimisation and user experience.
Natural eye movements mean the vast majority of successful web design is in an F shape, while large ads are generally ignored by users. Similarly, calls to action and other attempts at conversion should be integrated into content naturally, or they are likely to be instinctively dismissed.
It is also shown that complicated formatting is off-putting to the majority of users, while strong headlines are generally more useful in capturing attentions than photos.
In addition to providing a number of key tips to help improve your site’s credibility, the infographic demonstrates the key reasons people generally distrust poorly-designed websites, highlighting aspects to avoid in order to improve the ROI of your site.
As well as making it far more difficult for consumers to complete transactions online, a badly designed site is likely to reflect badly on your products or services and your company in general, so it is important to get it right.