Guest Post by Webcopyplus
The demand for good web design is increasing, revealed a recent Webcopyplus online poll. Almost 25% of web users indicated "poor visual presentation" as the number one element that drives them away from websites. Only 6.6% of web users who participated in a similar 2007 online poll indicated "poor visual presentation" as the main reason to abandon a website. That equates to a 267% increase during the two-year period.
Our web content specialists believe the increased desire for quality design comes from the fact that Internet users have become increasingly sophisticated. Consequently, more of today’s Internet users understand that a well designed website makes it possible to achieve more, with less time and effort.
A total of 318 web users were asked what’s most likely to drive them away from a website.
- 50.9% indicated "slow load times"
- 24.8% noted "weak web copy"
- 24.2% specified "poor visual presentation"
In the 2007 poll, 51.2% of 258 participants indicated "slow load times" and 42.2% noted "weak web copy" as their biggest turn-offs.
True Beauty Comes From Within
Informed web designers and business owners alike know that design is vital to a successful website, and its beauty must go far beyond looks. While design needs to support a company’s brand positioning, it must also effectively inform, communicate and provide positive experiences.
A winning website is one that delivers useful, relevant content that allows people to accomplish their goals quickly and easily. In today’s hectic society, that’s what makes a great and lasting impression on the Web.
Good design achieves simplicity through a range of elements — from a single point of focus to intuitive information flow to plain, familiar menu names. And as more people flock to the Web for everything from casual encounters to green homes, more businesses will likely lean on web specialists who can contribute to effective design.
Web professionals who specialize in select services, technologies and industries will increasingly thrive with higher tier clients and get paid accordingly. In contrast, jack-of-all-trade web types can’t keep up with every emerging tactic and tool, and they’ll eventually only appeal to and serve clients who are purely price-driven. These clients generally don’t value expertise, nor are they willing to pay for it.
Additionally, web professionals will benefit from the fact that businesses are pushing more of their marketing dollars online – even those businesses that have been hesitant to shift from traditional media such as TV, radio and newsprint.
Moving marketing online makes more sense than ever. Something’s off when typical consumers might spend 25% of their media time on the Web and a company is investing only 5% or so of its marketing budgets on websites and other online promotions.
With almost 75% of global consumers using the Web frequently (Internet World Stats), a $10,000 investment in a website will get almost any business a better return on investment than an ad in a newspaper, magazine or print telephone directory. A website can provide greater reach and superior exposure, and it works for a business 24/7 for multiple years.
Web Copy Carries Punch
With 24.8% of web poll participants indicating weak web copy would most likely prompt them to abandon a website, businesses should continue to take their web writing seriously.
While there appears to be increasing awareness surrounding web writing in general, many businesses continue to fail to recognize what a professional web writer can bring to a website and a business’s bottom line.
Web writers, website content writers, SEO copy writers — call them what you will — these web copy specialists are often not even being considered a part of the equation when it comes to building or overhauling a website.
A well-versed web writer can help a business with everything from attaining traffic via search engines, to differentiating a business from competitors and conveying key benefits effectively, to achieving higher conversion rates.
Fortunately, as of late, there are more web-related organizations and schools introducing copywriting courses specifically for the Web, which promises to increase the supply and qualifications of web writers, particularly in the United States and Canada.
An increase in writers who specialize in the Web will help decrease the ineffective, error-laden, self-centered copy that is so common on the Web.
Need for Speed
More than 50% of poll participants noted that getting their information promptly on the Web is a top concern. Make them wait, and they are likely to hit a competitor’s site.
Good web designers and developers respond by optimizing images, streamlining HTML and avoiding dated gimmicks like Flash intros. But some designers and business owners alike continue to fall into such traps.
A designer recently told me about an architecture company that just spent tens of thousands of dollars on a Flash intro. Unfortunately, web designers and business owners sometimes let their egos get in the way. They fail to acknowledge that when a prospect visits a website looking for information or to complete a task, that Flash intro will only get in the way, and potentially frustrate visitors.
Flash intros were tolerated in the ’90s when the Web was a novelty. People were excited about this new thing called the World Wide Web, and we spent countless hours surfing it. Today, however, most people want to get information and complete tasks in as little time and with as few clicks as possible, so they can get on with their busy lives.
Give Users What They Want
Internet professionals would better serve Internet users by collaborating and delivering simple, fast, useful and convenient websites.
Give Internet users what they want and everyone wins: web users benefit from ease of use and efficiency; businesses enjoy increased leads and sales; and the web professionals maximize income and fill their portfolios with winning websites.
gummisig
Good to hear this stuff as a profesional in the field. I keep telling people this, but not everybody is buying it :)
sir jorge
well, i lose on all fronts
kevin
Yup. I agree. Nice to see stats.
In this economic downturn I have a lot of small businesses upgrading their outdated sites to better design, good copy and fast easy load in.
Thanks
Matt
I’ve been looking for a study like this to come out. Not a surprise at all. I use a ton of web apps online for both business/personal reasons, and I won’t touch an app that doesn’t look modern and fresh.
I’ll be using this as a reference for future clients! Thanks much!
Jacob Lower
It’s true. Well done =)
mack
I’ll also be mentioning the bit about websites being a better investment than print or TV ads.
Brian Feister
YES! It’s been so obvious that a change is coming, but I notice more and more that people seem to be abandoning sites with ugly interfaces. This is so encouraging, thanks for sharing!
Aliya Khan
Take the best of it.Good Change
Kiri
Very good to know. I think the copy is the weakest part of my site, but I’m definitely working on it…
Neal G
318 users is hardly enough to consider the data useful, but it is nevertheless interesting to see results on this (which I haven’t before).
I think each of the 3 choices are a different step in a users choice to stay on a site. Slow speed is obviously the most important because if the site isn’t loading fast enough, the user won’t even be exposed to the design.
After the site has loaded, the use next makes a decision on the design quality. If the site looks too ‘geocities’ they leave.
Finally after loading the site & evaluating the designs trustworthiness the user starts consuming the content which would take the longest of the three to make a determination on.
Shaka
And I don’t like a site has toooooooooooooo many ads.
- Toby -
Its good to be a unique and user friendly website.
Tim in SF
“A total of 318 web users were asked what’s most likely to drive them away from a website. ”
I put zero stock in what people say draws them to or pushes them away from a website. The vast majority of users have no idea what impulses go through their head from moment to moment.
Vim
Websites need to look nice and have good content, there can be customers who are too old fashioned, and would not want there website to have that modern touch.
Everett
Interesting article and comments. I judge a site first and foremost on how it loads … it’s easy to see when a “weekend warrior” has done the site, and this is what grinds me the most. I sometimes feel like I have been infected when I see poorly designed and developed site. But that’s me … clients might love it :P
Chris
Just the 318? Enough for a trend, granted. But assuming that this is an accurate trend, it doesn’t hold up to actual retention data.
In a perfect world, good copy, good design, and good speed would be the goals for every website.
Dario Gutierrez
Interesting information, sometimes the copy part doesn’t considered as important. Me too I working on it.
Almog Koren
I think this is 100% right, however 318 is not a good number for proper stats.
And of course there is the client I just put together a custom design for one of my clients, it took me over 2 weeks, and what happens they come back and ask to use a awful bought design template. Why who knows.
Martin
Well I think a good design should also include good usability. Because even a super fast website is useless when the users can’t find the right informations.
kaiz3n
This is an amazingly well written article with interesting statistics and a lot of what I have been thinking confirmed. I will be using this for reference material for the near future.
Thanks!
Addison Kowalski
@Tim in SF VALID.
Trevor
As a part of your web marketing, it is strategic to have designs that will catch a web browser’s attention. The uniqueness, simplicity of navigation and content should be balanced. Your blog is first noticed by the way it looks. It usually turns off visitors to see so many distractions on your web page when they read your content.
mamdouh
thanks you.but how can make beauty website by using any script like wordpress. because i don’t have sense to make beauty website,can you help me,,,,
Creamy CSS
I thought ‘slow load times’ will be third, but not the problem #1,.. hmm… interesting.
Adam Akers
Another good article, but what there really needs to be is balance between all parts of design, look & feel, user experiance & function….
Richard - Accessible Web Testing and Design
Interesting that three times as many would leave because of design problems than because of content (and as others have pointed out this doesn’t specifically address usability or accessibility). I keep telling people that content is King but it would appear then that design is Emperor.
Anna
This was a really cool article, I’ll be sure to reference it if a client starts asking for ridiculous things. :)
John K
I consider that many times web designers and programmers used on their sites the following word: “SOLUTIONS”. I really hate that, because it’s like they want us to believe we have a problem and THEY have the solution. I work in design and many people thank me because I never use that word. “I’m available to the customer’s orders” is what I say and that’s what they want to hear!
Anna
Excellent information, I really can use some of them. Thanks for sharing. Anna :)
dr john
I couldn’t find this poll on the web site referred to, but a web poll offers users certain answers to choose from, and I notice that as the figures add up to 100%, the three reasons mentioned have to be the only choices offered. With only three to choose from, the poll is not reliable. Also, as it was an online poll, then only those who visit that site can answer it! So the survey sample is very biased, possibly limited to web designers seeking copywriters. And web designers like nice visuals.
i had a reference to a recent survey (by HP I think, but unfortunately I can’t find it now) that covered several thousand people, not web designers, and it had about six or eight reasons offered (a more reliable survey in other words) and visual design was the reason given least often.
So basically don’t trust online polls on sites most likely to be visited by web designers (a bit like being daft enough to believe that the web stats for browser usage reported from a web design forum are representative of the general public’s browser usage)
Keith D
Useful info.
Load time is a real turn off! Flash sites, which take forever to load always infuriate me… even though someone has taken weeks to produce the site… I just move on to the next site.
Good visuals can hold you spelbound, all you want to do is stare at a really good looking site. But if looks amateur with a few graphics strewn about…
And so to the copy… info with humour is what I like to read, or just great info, like this site.
Probably bears out what most of us think, but it’s nice to see it in figures.
Sam
This is really a nice article. I like to inform you that in a good web design is a good performance of a web marketing. Going on. Thanks for sharing this article.
Rashad
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Sohan
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theothermatt
@Dr John
Spot on. This is poor research methodology, pure and simple.
The consequent assumption (dressed up as a “conclusion” because that sounds more authoritative) that web audiences are becoming more sophisticated in their appreciation of nice visual design probably stands up to scrutiny. It’s not a massively contentious claim, but then neither is it a particularly useful one.
Kayla
Interesting poll. Just proves how much design really means. I think poor design loses a lot of trust between the webmaster and visitor– which can obviously hurt sales, or whatever the purpose of the website is.
Michel webdesign
I find the worse element in bad websites, the fact that a bad designed website is not logical builded. When you design a website (visually and technically) always keep the end user in mind! This is so important. If you apply this rule, i tell you, alot of websites could be redesigned with a new webdesign….
Richard
This has real merit, which any web designer, developer, web copywriter or usability specialist can benefit from. It outlines areas of dissatisfaction among web users. I personally agree with the conclusion: “Internet professionals would better serve Internet users by collaborating and delivering simple, fast, useful and convenient websites.” Arguing that would advocate we disregard our peers and design, develop and write convoluted, time-consuming, useless and inconvenient websites. And we all hopefully recognize that the world wide web already has enough of those.
Elizabeth K. Barone
I’m noticing that more and more of my clients are very aesthetically involved. Gone are the days when every design I came up with wowed every client. I’ve noticed that they are more often more choosy about the design and have many suggestions of their own.
Each of the points in this article should be considered, whether you are a web designer, web copy writer, or business proprietor. Thanks for posting this!
Chris Hill
This article’s points rock. I agree with Elizabeth in that designers, writers and programmers should take something away from this article and consistently practice good design. It’s actually encouraging that clients are becoming more aware of the value of good design as professionals might not have to compete with amateurs much longer. I’ve started noticing that myself. Sure you can get a hacker to put together a logo for $30, but to do it right, it takes much knowledge and time, and therefore costs much more. Some web design clients are starting to get that. The same goes for a website. Thanks for sharing this info on web content!
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Howard Davidson
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Fay
Many solid points made surrounding web content, and how everyone, including designers and writers, can contribute to friendlier and more useful websites. I think many of us get in ruts here and there and need to read articles like this to rethink how and why we do things.
Carlos
I admit I’m guilty of not considering web copy to be important. I have never worked with a web copywriter, but figure its about time if I want to improve my portfolio and start getting bigger and better clients. I suppose I’ve had me head wrapped up in aesthetics too long. Thanks for the advice.
David Rice
It’s a good reminder not to forget about or discredit all elements of a good website, including design, navigation, usability, copy writing, code and so on. Thanks
Carl - Web Courses Bangkok
Thing is all these values are for people with normal browsing expereiences, what about people with screen readers…wonder what they put first :)
Medical Webexperts
A very effective and quite simple way to optimize the website for easier marketing and publicity. Tags play an important role in optimizing your website to be easily searched by the internet search spiders. There has been lot of advancements in the search engine algorithms that needs you to be precise while creating title tags. This is one of those crucial aspects which are overlooked by many while designing a website for their business and other corporate purposes. In the latest advancements of the search engine spiders, search engine optimization has not left by mere re occurring your desired keywords, It is highly required that your website design and content should serve as an enticement to the web spiders. It’s of no use to have a site which doesn’t comply with the standards of search spiders. I got my medical website reconstructed from a web designer and marketing company named medicalwebexperts.com. They reconstruct every page making it compliant with search engine algorithms. After a few months of time, the impact was definitely distinctive in my income. I have got a steady increase in the patients, which was a direct result of reconstructing and (re)marketing my old obsolete site.
Attitude Graphic Design
Brilliant article – creating the right environment for your target audience is key to keeping them on the site…
Ofer
So right the say that surfers are becoming more fashionable about web design.
It took me a long time to figure this out :)
Don
To me, if you have choices and most of us do, if two sites offer basically the same content/functionality I will visit the one that looks better.
kittuk
nice article..thnx for d statistics..
Matthew Hunt
It’s clear that there is a need to optimize the speed of sites. It’s not all about flash intros. Sites can load slow for many reasons. Too many image requests and background image requests, heavy javascript, or large transparent png files. Yslow is a tool we use to test the performance of a website. It works quite well. http://developer.yahoo.com/yslow/
Ofer
Matthew Hunt , Great tip. I installed Ysllow and it works great, found some performance issues in my own web pages.
Thanks.
GK
Excellent reminder that designers need to consider all aspects of web content. Awesome job, guys!
Bekka
At our studio we put an emphasis on having great content, it’s important for SEO and for users, if your site looks great, but has poor grammar and spelling, visitors are going to bounce.
Edgar Leijs
Great design can’t exist without good programming can’t exist without proper semantics can’t exist without great content can’t exist without not knowing who your visitors are…. it’s the big picture I guess…
Web dizajn sajtotekar
Users place more weight on design, but which users? Web designing process is a medal with two faces.
Enterprises wants to hide as much valuable informations as possible, from their potential customers and competitors, and so they put great emphasis on big pictures, big flash movies with little content and with poor web design.
Opposite are customers who wants goods and services, presented with good web design and good copy on web site.
But enterprises gives money to web designers for creating web sites. We web designers know very well that useful web design means – arranging and optimizing all elements on web page.
But people aren’t robots, they have commercial organizations and business secrets which want to hide from competitors.
Thanks for great article, but we live on planet Earth not on Mars.
DR
WDS, I might be lacking sleep, but what’s your point? This article makes perfectly valid points, regardless whether you’re a visitor, designer or business owner.
Michelle
Hey I really liked this post.
Being designer I always try stressing on the fact that we aren’t designing stuff for us but for people. So that they get what they are looking for.
But even then not many people design keeping that in mind. Result of that being we have extremely beautiful designs that take loads of time to load.
I work on both a Mac and a PC. Reason being as a designer Mac is the ideal machine to work on..but then again majority of the people use a PC.
I am a freelancer so I try and see to it that my designs are simple CSS based fast loading and looks beautiful in both my Mac and PC.
I guess with simplicity and good usage of space and fonts any design can be made more visually appealing.
Thanks again for posting something like this! A breathe of fresh air.
Markus
I agree with Michelle. This web content article was refreshing and useful too!
Jeremy
Interesting stats and even more interesting perspectives and insights surrounding web design, web copy and websites in general. It’s a reminder that web designers need to value what others can contribute to the design process and product.
Stu Collett
Great article, really interesting.
Thanks!
Timothy Read
I like the “True Beauty Comes From Within” . Spot on.
Carl
I like the article, but would love to read more about web content and how it relates to design. Gracias!!
Kevin
Very insightful article! Good web designers need to pay heed to info such as this. It’ll make a better Web. :)
Website Design
Great Artilce!
TND webdesign
This is really good to know! Let’s all put as much weight on design as we can ok? :-)
Jackson
Not to be the nagging nancy, but 258 participants hardly seems like a statistically significant number. Show me a poll of 100,000 web users and I’ll perk up and listen.
Kelly
Interesting article with solid points on improving websites with all possible elements, going beyond design.
Stevie
According to this study and the points made, web writers are as important to designers and developers. Makes perfect sense. I’m going to start paying more attention to the value web copywriters can bring to my sites. I’ll just need to get clients to dig deeper into their pockets. :)
Empire Elements
These above points are the true essence to promote a successful online business.
Though the points are really basic but are the cornerstone of a successful business campaign.
Angela
Sims Website Designs
I’m surprised that navigation isn’t mentioned….I always want to find the information I’m looking for as quickly as possible…
William Tin
I think web writer and designer (and programmer) all have to have teamwork in mind from start of website project. Otherwise objectives do not get achieved. When we fight for our own territory or selfish objective, we develop faulty product for the business.
Rachel (joliejolie)
great post!
Norik
True but sadly hard to pitch this to clients who love to get to this conclusion after burning few $ on a poor design and ending up getting nothing over investment.
Jen Ohs
Great article, but I have to agree with Jackson on this. 258 participants isn’t even a drop in the bucket and not statistically valuable. Nonetheless, I’ll be referencing it to help my case with prospects – is that considered unethical?
web designers
“Today, however, most people want to get information and complete tasks in as little time and with as few clicks as possible, so they can get on with their busy lives.”
This is so true, I don’t know how many times I’ve gone to a site trying to find something specific and these walls of flash intros keep getting in the way! I hope more people will take into consideration what the consumer is looking for and design beautiful, yet efficient sites.
I also wanted to let you know, you guys were featured here: http://www.webdesigndev.com/inspiration/17-dazzling-hand-drawn-website-designs
keidi
I Hate slow load time.
Hooman Asgari
I completely agree with the results of the poll, I have experienced with my own website, during the time my site was hosted by a free host i had few users who registered in my site, that host was really slow and it had many down times, but when I moved the site to a new host which has a better speed and 99.9% uptime now I have lots of registeration these days and they are becoming more and more each day, this is the main reason for turn-offs, my registered users increased even more as soon as I redesigned my website.
acı cehre
I hope more people will take into consideration what the consumer is looking for and design beautiful, yet efficient sites.
Raymond
I like the fact that this article points out both designers and web copywriters need to pull weight, along with usability experts and programmers, to give the market highly effective and desired websites. Excellent reference and insight for any website designer or writer. Thanks.
cennet
Thanks What’s the problem here? Google could bury the meager profit number from even the biggest media conglomerates.
cennetevi
Thank =)=)=) you http://www.cennet.gen.tr webdesignerwall Thanks
Designgeek
Hmmm…so web copy is slipping to design? I think both are integral. Interesting and thought-provoking article!!
Brandon Hill
he he…web copy writers take note, web designers are the kings of the web! I jest. Actually the article makes it clear that everyone working on a web (designer, copywriter, programmer etc) all play a critical role. What’s that cheesy saying…there’s no “I” in team!? ;)
unibet
Great analysis made by a web designer, so informative and interesting, thanks for that good resource, well done !
jini
I got the chance to read this article recently. Very True, “Web design is not a one man show nowadays”… Well, that’s a “Professional Integration?!!” :).
Delmer Steer
I think it is amazing, nevertheless…awesome. But I am unsure if it is acceptable to Google design standards if weare thinking on traffic and positioning.
keici
I agree with this result. Design is the magic thing in B promotion.
bagsin
I hope more people will take into consideration what the consumer is looking for and design beautiful.
Garry
When it comes to speed on websites, everyone has a responsibility, including web copywriters who can provide neat, concise web copy. Don’t always point to designers and developers.
Web Design Mumbai
absolutely brilliant post……….. very encouraging for web designers like me :)
Mike
Hmmm…so web copy is slipping to design?
Jess
I’m actually surprised Usability isn’t a major factor in here. I dont care how “beautiful” a site is, if I can find what I’m looking for, I leave quickly.
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JMC Website Design Blackpool
I think the way a website looks still needs to be explained to businesses, they need to be educated on the benefits of a nice looking website. Especially those who already have a diy website which looks awful. They’re harder to ‘turn’ when they’ve become attached to their own handywork.
vincentdresses
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Victoria Blount
These are really interesting statistics, it just proves that aesthetics are so important when it comes to web design and relating to an audience.
Web Design
cool article thank you
I.T MONTREAL
Cool, and interesting poll collection…24% of people are driven away from poor visual effects is still a relatively large number. Thats 24% that your business could have benefited from a potential customer. 51% of people were driven away by slow loading time would seem the most obvious and is still an important aspect to fix as this is the killer for a poorly done website. Still, designing a page to the visitors satisfactory needs can be challenging. This is why it is important to keep up to date on modern web trends and design tweaks that bring appeal to a website. Afterall, the results from the poll show it all. The costumers know what they want; we are advised and just have to adjust ourselves to the sometimes picky but sophisticated breed of online users.
WebProject | Web Design | Web Development|
Great Post !
I enjoyed reading it…
| Web Design | Web Development | WebProject |
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