“Numbers don’t lie.”
We’ve all heard various versions of this saying at a different point in our lives. And it’s true – statistics can help us to recognize long-term trends, uncover hidden truths, and better understand the challenges and issues that are most relevant in our businesses.
This is particularly true in the web design and online marketing industry, where a few revealing stats can change the way business owners and executives think about their companies and campaigns. Of course, it can be difficult to keep up with all the different numbers and studies floating around out there. So today, we want to share a dozen figures that we consider to be particularly surprising and/or poignant.
We aren’t just going to give you ratios and percentages, either; we’re going to give you some quick insights into what they mean for your company. Let’s dive into 12 surprising stats about web design, along with what they mean for your business…
#1 55% of Visitors Will Spend Less Than 15 Seconds on Your Website (HubSpot)
You already knew you only have a small window to impress someone who arrives at your website for the first time. What you might not have realized is just how small the margin for error is.
In truth, what’s most surprising about this figure is that it’s as high as it is to begin with. Searchers and customers just don’t have the attention spans we used to, especially with your closest competitors just a click away online. Your site needs to quickly convey credibility and value while explaining exactly what you do. Otherwise, visitors will take their attention elsewhere.
#2 More Than One-Third of Website Visitors Will Leave an Ugly Page (Adobe)
It’s no secret that humans prefer attractive things to unattractive ones. However, what’s surprising is how quickly they’ll abandon a web page – even if it might have useful information – simply based on aesthetics.
Really, there are couple of factors at play here. The first is that web searchers may often feel as if they can find what they’re looking for elsewhere, without the trouble of digging through an ugly page. Additionally, an unattractive layout signals to them that the business isn’t credible or trustworthy.
#3 64% of Your Customers Want to Find Contact Information on Your Home Page (KO Marketing)
It’s easy to forget in the digital age, but some of your customers really aren’t looking for all of their answers to be given to them online. Instead, they might want to find a resource that will lead them in the right direction and then ask a specific question through email, or over the phone.
The interesting inverse to this statistic is that large numbers of would-be customers will actually leave your website if they don’t find the contact information they need. Make it easy for buyers to work with you by providing them with phone numbers, contact forms, or online chats.
#4 15% of Google’s Daily Searches are Unique (Google)
It’s no secret that business owners are constantly jostling with each other to gain the top search engine positions on Google for popular phrases. What a lot of marketers forget, though, is that the long tail of search is very long indeed. In fact, more than one out of every 10 Google searches, on average, is for a completely original string.
This just goes to show that buyers are getting very specific when it comes to finding what they want on the internet. They aren’t willing to dig through page after page of results, so the content on your site should make it easy for them to differentiate you from your competitors.
#5 Websites With 50-100 Pages of Content Get 48% More Traffic
This statistic is indirectly related to the last one we shared. As searches get more and more specific, Google and the other search engines have to rely increasingly on long-tail matching and contextual relationships between pages and content blocks. That means “bigger” websites with lots of relevant and unique ideas are going to attract more traffic.
Every blog post, product page, and other item you add to your website counts as a unique page in Google’s eyes. Put a lot of them together and you don’t just increase your search position, but also make your site more valuable to real-life visitors.
#6 78% of Users Say Social Media Affects Their Purchasing Decisions (Forbes)
Although some online marketing gurus claim that social media is replacing search engines, we think it’s closer to the truth to say they are supplementing them. That is, people tend to look for information on Google, but turn to sites like Facebook and LinkedIn for referrals and recommendations.
That means marketers can no longer afford to simply concentrate on optimizing their sites for keywords. A good long-term strategy has to include a strong social media presence, as well.
#7 72% of Buyers are Influenced by Personal Content (Marketing Charts)
Who you think buyers tend to trust more, companies that want to sell them something, or other customers (like themselves) who leave third-party reviews? It’s not hard to understand why verifiable testimonials and feedback are such an important part of building a durable online reputation.
You should do everything you can to encourage fans and customers to say good things about you on social media and throughout the web. Other customers who haven’t bought from you yet are highly influenced by personal feedback, particularly if they know it comes from someone outside your company.
#8 Content Marketing Boosts Lead Generation by Over 300% While Cutting Costs by Half (HubSpot)
Content marketing can take a lot of forms, from blogging and online videos to infographics, press releases, and more. What each of these channels does, though, is bring buyers in your direction through inbound lead generation. That’s both cheaper and more effective than traditional advertising has been for a long time.
If you don’t already have inbound sales funnels in place, now is the time to get busy creating them. It takes time, effort, and resources to get your content marketing plan up-and-running, but the long-term payoff is worth it.
#9 There are Currently 235+ Million Mobile Users in the US (Statista)
Some business owners are living in denial about mobile internet usage, but once again the numbers don’t lie. People accessing the web through phones and tablets became the majority a few years ago, and they now represent an overwhelming one.
Granted, some of your mobile customers also use traditional desktop and laptop computers, but they are increasingly preferring smaller screens. If your website isn’t built for them, it’s going to cost you money.
#10 8 Out of Every 10 Visitors Will Leave a Website if it Doesn’t Load Properly on Their Device (Adobe)
This builds on the last point, and it shouldn’t be surprising. If a customer arrives at your website and finds they can’t access your content because it hasn’t been optimized for mobile devices, they’re going to take their money elsewhere.
What’s slightly shocking is that roughly 20% of visitors will hang around on a non-mobile friendly website. We are willing to bet that if this survey is duplicated in another year or two, that percentage will have shrunk to almost nothing.
#11 One Second is Worth a 25% Improvement in Mobile Engagement (Soasta)
Website loading speed is becoming a bigger factor in all areas of engagement, but the numbers are particularly striking when it comes to mobile users. The difference between having your pages come up in three seconds, for instance, to four can mean losing a quarter of your visitors.
Having your website load quickly is a function of programming, optimized content, and premium web hosting. If all of these factors aren’t working in your favor, you’re missing out on opportunities because your pages are too slow.
#12 Having a Responsive Website Can Boost Email Newsletter Open Rates by 300% (Mailchimp)
Even email – an ancient technology by online marketing standards – is being affected by mobile compatibility. That’s because users eventually have to click through to your website if they want to view your products, make a purchase, or otherwise interact with your company.
Once again, it’s worth pointing out that most of your customers and prospects are going to be opening emails and visiting your pages through a phone or tablet. Being ready for that traffic is a key to boosting response rates on email, not to mention pay-per-click advertising, social media, etc.
What Does it All Mean?
While we love the dozen statistics we pulled out for this article, the truth is we could have easily included a dozen more. And, you can bet that even more data on web design and internet marketing is being produced right now.
You don’t need more numbers to see the writing on the wall, though. As we move into 2018 and beyond, it’s clear that having a functional website with lots of content is crucial to the success of your company. You need a strong social media presence, and customers leaving good reviews for your products and services online. It’s critical that your site be mobile-friendly, and set up for fast loading and delivery.
If you aren’t ready for these trends, or your website isn’t set up to take advantage, now is the perfect time to schedule a consultation with a member of our team. Call or email us today to see how we can help!