Why Your Website’s First Impression Makes a Difference
What would you add to your checklist if your first impression wasn’t working during networking events or sales meetings?
- Rehearse elevator pitch?
- Connect with the team on collateral?
- Dig more into the research so you’re better equipped?
A first impression makes a difference in sales. This doesn’t just apply to salespeople, it extends just as much to your digital presence — your website.
A user’s impression of your website is formed within moments, only 0.05 seconds (50 milliseconds) to be exact. In that time, a user has already judged your website, determining if they’ll stay or leave.
The good news? That’s the standard your competitors are working against too, so if your competitors’ websites are losing a potential customer in less than a second, you could just as easily be gaining that customer in the next second.
All website leads, conversions, and new business start the same, with a first impression.
Website Standards to Boost Your First Impression
In 2025, a website should be an asset to your business, having the potential to be a “salesperson that works for you 24/7.” Below are four key standards that greatly improve your website’s first impression and allow your website to bring in new business.
1. Mobile-First Optimization
This isn’t an option anymore, it’s a must. Your customers are visiting your website on their phones and tablets, a trend that only continues to increase based on mobile vs desktop historical data:
In 2020, mobile visits were 81% higher than desktop
In 2023, mobile visits were 313% higher than desktop
Not only are users relying on your website’s mobile optimization, search engines are as well. It’s been 10 years since Google emphasized mobile-friendly websites and it’s been 9 years since Google announced “mobile-first indexing.” This means Google, and other search engines, heavily rank websites higher when they offer better mobile experiences.
A few points to evaluate your website’s mobile-friendly first impression:
- Responsive design: The design, layout, and navigation are easy to view and use on mobile screens of all sizes
- Fast loading speed: Pages consistently load quickly
- Touch-friendly: The text and buttons can be read on smaller screens and clicked on using fingers
2. Navigation
You enter a grocery store, you have a list and 10 minutes. Ready, set, go! …. Wait, shouldn’t the buns be by the bread? Why isn’t the ketchup with the condiments? If the potatoes are not by the vegetables, then where are they?
Pretty soon, that 10 minutes turned into 20 and you’ve looped the grocery store five times, been down aisle #16 four times, and still have items on your list.
Grocery stores are carefully planned and organized so this doesn’t happen. Otherwise, think how many shoppers would get frustrated and leave, or not come at all.
Navigation can be a huge benefit for your website’s first impression (or just the opposite):
- Poor navigation: A customer can’t find what they are looking for causing them to exit
- Good navigation: A customer can easily locate the information or content they want with very few clicks
- Great navigation: A customer is guided through your website following a predicted journey that keeps them happy and increases conversions
Ultimately, the best way to analyze your website’s navigation is simple: the more clicks to find something = the worse the navigation.
3. Visuals and Content
A great navigation can guide a customer to the desired page, but are the visuals and content keeping them there?
80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalized experiences.
Your website should speak to your target audience. This means developing a brand and content that will resonate with them. Below are components that go into developing and maintaining a visual-specific and content-tailored first impression.
Visuals
- Relatable: Resonates with the target customers
- Emotions: Creates an emotional appeal and showcases your values
- High quality: Builds trust and credibility with your brand
Content
- Helpful: Provides a solution to their problems or wants
- Clear: Easy to understand and scan with a concise message
- Storytelling: Shows vs tells the benefits
Pro Tip: Headlines play a huge role in first impressions. A headline is typically the first copy a user will scan on a page, if it doesn’t speak to what the page or content is about (based on what the customer is searching for), then you can risk losing that user.
4. Contact Information
The ultimate goal of your website is to create a conversion, for many companies this means having the customer reach out. A first impression can’t lead to a first point of contact without a clear pathway to contacting you.
How easy is it for a customer to reach out via your website?
This is where all the standards come together:
- Mobile friendly: Can users easily fill out the form on a mobile screen? Or can they simply click the phone number or email address to contact you?
- Navigation: Are the call to actions (CTAs) customized based on the page? Are users able to locate your contact information in one or two clicks?
Content and visuals: Do your visuals and content make it easy to understand how to contact you? And what to expect?
Time to Impress
Your website has the potential to attract new business, convert leads, and be a profitable investment. It all starts with a first impression! So yes, in 0.05 seconds a user will judge your website, but in the same amount of time, you can impress them.
Our team at Evolve Systems makes ‘great first impressions’ our standard. Let’s talk about where your website is at and where we can take it. Schedule a consultation today!
