29 September 2011

83: Site Comfort is UX

"Web credibility is based directly on the overall visual design of a site, specifically noting layout, typography, font size, and color schemes."

--Stanford University Persuasive Technology Lab

Think of a web page as a person.
If a person is not congruent, contradicts himself, and does not seem to be consistent, that person is typically not someone who earns your trust. Every webpage element, the headline, text, image, and the testimonial, must be congruent. The highest performing landing page matches exactly what motivated a customer to come to you in the first place. Congruence includes design, copy, images, colors, logo, and price.


A sense of belonging and being understood is a powerful motivator for people.
After we get past our anxiety and confusion and find the information we need, we still have to deal with affinity or alienation by the website. We want to be recognized for who we are, understood, and valued. These are subtle issues of identity, tribalism, self-esteem, and belonging.


In those first few impressionable secondswhen your guest "steps" into your site—your reputation and identity are evaluated for credibility. Credibility has three components: trustworthiness, expertise, and leadership. You use a soothing voice, tone, and body language to calm a visitor. This comfort level is achieved with graphic design.


As markets become more competitive, design is more of a distinction. People are overwhelmed by unwanted information. Focus your message so it gets through your potential customer's filter.

There is no such thing as a business being exactly the same as its competitor—you are one-of-a-kind.

 

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