Proven Strategies
We utiilize time-tested principles that are here to stay, rules that every website should follow, yet many often do not. Here are a few of the more important examples.
Don’t Make Me Think
People don’t go to websites to figure things out: they go there to get things done, like learning about a bed and breakfast or buying patio furniture. Anything that slows down this process is a problem for the user—and therefore for the website’s owner, too. The statistics bear this out: totally intuitive websites generate higher levels of customer retention and activity. A great website spoils its users by making things brain-dead simple for them, while not 'showing' it. This will no doubt mark your site as a favorite among the competition for being so attractive and yet "easy to use." There's a reason that Amazon.com massive amounts of money on usability testing.
The Wake-Up Call
Like every mammal, people tend to relax when there’s nothing new and fresh in their environment, and to perk up when something new and different comes along. Elite websites flip this switch: they get people to pay attention—immediately. To do this expertly, you need to work skillfully with individual elements like content, design and message, and then to integrate them into a single, seamless, synergistic whole. Activate the “pay attention” impulse and you’re on the way toward making more with your brand, in revenue, attention, and sales. When all is said and done, this is what's most important (unless you are a non-profit, in which case we help you to create the most effective social influence with your message).
The Five-Second Rule
Now that they’re hooked, you have to reel them in. Studies show that, once you’ve got a person’s attention, you have about five seconds to persuade them to stick around. This isn’t much time to woo and win. How you design the user experience during this critical five-second interval can spell the difference between gaining and losing a customer. This, too, is an art and science we excel at, that you won't find in your run-of-the-mill web design company.
Setting the Mood
The subtle things matter—more than one might think. We know because it is our job to know what does well. Make artful and deliberate choices about color, typography, spacing, margins, size, and the website will feel stylish and 'right'. Be inattentive about these things, and letting them just happen 'because it looks good' and it will fall flat. It may hold up at first glance, but when you really break it down and read between the lines, and start to analyze the site from a high volume of users it will break down without fail. We know how to get these details right for you.
