5 Things I Notice First on a Business Website

<h1>5 Things I Notice First on a Business Website</h1> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p class="PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer" data-start="249" data-end="324">When I land on a business website, I&rsquo;m rarely looking at the colours first.</p> <p data-start="326" data-end="350">I&rsquo;m looking for signals.</p> <p data-start="352" data-end="546">Can I understand what this business does? Do I know who it is for? Is there an obvious reason to keep reading? Does anything make me trust them? And if I&rsquo;m interested, do I know what to do next?</p> <p data-start="548" data-end="616">A website can look expensive and still fail all five of those tests.</p> <p data-start="618" data-end="661">Here are the first things I usually notice.</p> <h3 data-section-id="1oduqeh" data-start="663" data-end="717">1. Can I understand the business in a few seconds?</h3> <p data-start="719" data-end="762">The opening section has one job: orient me.</p> <p data-start="764" data-end="899">I shouldn&rsquo;t have to scroll through three sections, decode industry language or watch a video before I understand what is being offered.</p> <p data-start="901" data-end="909">Compare:</p> <p data-start="911" data-end="974"><strong data-start="911" data-end="974">&ldquo;Unlocking transformative solutions for a better tomorrow.&rdquo;</strong></p> <p data-start="976" data-end="981">with:</p> <p data-start="983" data-end="1040"><strong data-start="983" data-end="1040">&ldquo;Accounting and tax support for UK small businesses.&rdquo;</strong></p> <p data-start="1042" data-end="1100">The second may sound less impressive, but it works harder.</p> <p data-start="1102" data-end="1126">Clarity earns attention.</p> <p data-start="1128" data-end="1159">Cleverness can come afterwards.</p> <h3 data-section-id="2vdt00" data-start="1161" data-end="1221">2. Is the website speaking to the customer or to itself?</h3> <p data-start="1223" data-end="1285">A common mistake is building the homepage around the business:</p> <blockquote data-start="1287" data-end="1388"> <p data-start="1289" data-end="1388">We were founded in 2014. We are passionate about excellence. We offer innovative solutions.</p> </blockquote> <p data-start="1390" data-end="1427">Some of that information has a place.</p> <p data-start="1429" data-end="1483">But the visitor is usually asking something different:</p> <p data-start="1485" data-end="1514"><strong data-start="1485" data-end="1514">Can you solve my problem?</strong></p> <p data-start="1516" data-end="1604">The strongest websites connect what the company does to what the visitor actually wants.</p> <p data-start="1606" data-end="1629">Instead of only saying:</p> <blockquote data-start="1631" data-end="1660"> <p data-start="1633" data-end="1660">We offer personal training.</p> </blockquote> <p data-start="1662" data-end="1676">You might say:</p> <blockquote data-start="1678" data-end="1739"> <p data-start="1680" data-end="1739">Build strength without spending six days a week in the gym.</p> </blockquote> <p data-start="1741" data-end="1776">Same service. Much more meaningful.</p> <h3 data-section-id="gtirzu" data-start="1778" data-end="1822">3. Where is my attention being directed?</h3> <p data-start="1824" data-end="1899">Every website has a hierarchy, whether it was deliberately designed or not.</p> <p data-start="1901" data-end="2027">Big headings attract attention. Bright buttons attract attention. Images attract attention. Movement attracts attention.</p> <p data-start="2029" data-end="2100">The question is whether those things are pointing towards what matters.</p> <p data-start="2102" data-end="2121">Sometimes I&rsquo;ll see:</p> <ul data-start="2123" data-end="2303"> <li data-section-id="wm1v7e" data-start="2123" data-end="2163">four different buttons above the fold;</li> <li data-section-id="1qzomyv" data-start="2164" data-end="2190">an autoplaying carousel;</li> <li data-section-id="1x0vvxs" data-start="2191" data-end="2221">several promotional banners;</li> <li data-section-id="1suvr55" data-start="2222" data-end="2243">a newsletter popup;</li> <li data-section-id="1na7pkw" data-start="2244" data-end="2264">chat notification;</li> <li data-section-id="1a6a4c0" data-start="2265" data-end="2280">social icons;</li> <li data-section-id="8lirjx" data-start="2281" data-end="2303">a large stock image.</li> </ul> <p data-start="2305" data-end="2340">Everything is asking for attention.</p> <p data-start="2342" data-end="2358">So nothing wins.</p> <p data-start="2360" data-end="2469">Good design isn&rsquo;t only about adding visual interest. Sometimes it is deciding what <strong data-start="2443" data-end="2450">not</strong> to make prominent.</p> <h3 data-section-id="57pj07" data-start="2471" data-end="2502">4. Why should I trust this?</h3> <p data-start="2504" data-end="2559">People don&rsquo;t arrive on most websites already convinced.</p> <p data-start="2561" data-end="2590">They&rsquo;re looking for evidence.</p> <p data-start="2592" data-end="2606">That might be:</p> <ul data-start="2608" data-end="2831"> <li data-section-id="1vcm1zy" data-start="2608" data-end="2627">customer reviews;</li> <li data-section-id="15c0797" data-start="2628" data-end="2651">recognisable clients;</li> <li data-section-id="qodguy" data-start="2652" data-end="2671">real photographs;</li> <li data-section-id="185rjny" data-start="2672" data-end="2687">case studies;</li> <li data-section-id="qj5o4p" data-start="2688" data-end="2698">results;</li> <li data-section-id="19y95qp" data-start="2699" data-end="2716">qualifications;</li> <li data-section-id="qqkw02" data-start="2717" data-end="2733">clear pricing;</li> <li data-section-id="13b11wj" data-start="2734" data-end="2758">detailed explanations;</li> <li data-section-id="1tjzz96" data-start="2759" data-end="2772">guarantees;</li> <li data-section-id="5uvevi" data-start="2773" data-end="2831">evidence that there are real people behind the business.</li> </ul> <p data-start="2833" data-end="2933">One of the easiest mistakes to make is putting all the trust signals near the bottom of the website.</p> <p data-start="2935" data-end="3031">If trust is required before someone takes the next step, it needs to appear before the decision.</p> <h3 data-section-id="48c7a6" data-start="3033" data-end="3058">5. What happens next?</h3> <p data-start="3060" data-end="3107">A visitor can like the website and still leave.</p> <p data-start="3109" data-end="3113">Why?</p> <p data-start="3115" data-end="3164">Because interest and action are different things.</p> <p data-start="3166" data-end="3239">Once someone understands the offer, there should be an obvious next step.</p> <p data-start="3241" data-end="3353"><strong data-start="3241" data-end="3257">Book a call.</strong> <strong data-start="3260" data-end="3276">Get a quote.</strong> <strong data-start="3279" data-end="3305">Start your assessment.</strong> <strong data-start="3308" data-end="3332">Shop the collection.</strong> <strong data-start="3335" data-end="3353">See the plans.</strong></p> <p data-start="3355" data-end="3493">The CTA should feel like the natural continuation of the page, not something randomly added because websites are supposed to have buttons.</p> <h3 data-section-id="1pku1m7" data-start="3495" data-end="3515">The bigger point</h3> <p data-start="3517" data-end="3565">When I look at a website, I&rsquo;m not really asking:</p> <p data-start="3567" data-end="3593"><strong data-start="3567" data-end="3593">&ldquo;Does this look good?&rdquo;</strong></p> <p data-start="3595" data-end="3606">I&rsquo;m asking:</p> <p data-start="3608" data-end="3681"><strong data-start="3608" data-end="3681">&ldquo;Does this make the business easier to understand, trust and choose?&rdquo;</strong></p> <p data-start="3683" data-end="3718">Those are very different questions.</p> <p data-start="3720" data-end="3791">And in most cases, the biggest improvements are not dramatic redesigns.</p> <p data-start="3793" data-end="3873">They&rsquo;re clearer words, better priorities, stronger proof and fewer distractions.</p> <p data-start="3875" data-end="3905">That is usually where I start.</p>