How do we interact with website content? How are small business owners represented on their websites? Consumers can interact with many small businesses online, so how does your business stand out? If small businesses are competing against each other on the visual presentation of their websites, then the question becomes: how does a business create a competitive website?
The Effect of Engaging Website Layout
The more engaging a website is for its users, the more competitive it is. In an article written by the Harvard Business Review (HBR), How to Design Product Pages that Increase Online Sales, this concept is explained in greater detail using Amazon’s research as an example.Â
In their research, Amazon experimented with different website layouts of the same products by showing them to various customers. They found that
entertainment exerts the strongest effects on customer purchase, followed by the informative, social, and sensory aspects of the customer experience. [1]
This example demonstrates how effective website structure, in combination with image sequences, can increase sales on a larger scale. The way websites present content is therefore one of the critical factors that influence a customer’s perception of a product or service.
Websites and Visual Story Telling
Why does website structure, in combination with visuals, have such a powerful influence on consumers? Human brains naturally process images and create meanings based on the order of imagery.[2]Â This phenomenon was first introduced by Russian filmmaker, Lev Kuleshov, and later named as the “Kuleshov Effect”. During his experiment he showed the following image sequences to people, and depending on the second image, people had a different perception of what the actor was thinking about.
What imagery is the best to use for your website?Â
You have probably read the popular recommendation, “use imagery of people on your website”. We can develop engaging websites by applying the “Kuleshov Effect” when combining images of people with the products and services your business has to offer. Small businesses need to carefully select the right images for their websites to effectively engage their consumers through cognitive association.
How to choose an appropriate structure for your website?
For website structure, there is no such thing as a simple or complex website. Just as humans have faces, pages have interfaces a website becomes more responsive and can communicate its own personality better to visitors.
How to choose the overall feel for your website?Â
Developing a website is a creative process, and only you can decide what kind of feel and user experience you want for your website. Try to answer these questions: What kind of personality does your business have? What effects would engage a user and make them want to stay on the page and keep exploring?
To learn more about How to Start Creating Engaging Content for Today’s Consumers check out the following article or if you have any other questions don’t hesitate to contact us.
There are multiple ways in which you, as a small business owner, can start developing your web presence.
Here are some of the resources we found useful:
- If you are interested in learning more about the Psychology of Online Persuasion, check out the following : Webs of Influence: The Psychology of Online Persuasion.
- The book Taking a Bite out of the Apple: A graphic designer’s tale (Hearing Others’ Voices) by Rob Janoff explains the role of graphic design and branding in today’s business environment.
If you are not comfortable developing your website on your own, then choose the right website developer to do it for you.Â
Remember, your website is a virtual YOU!
Vission Technology Inc. is one of the only teams in the Greater Vancouver Area that provides Marketing and Web Development Services in addition to Managed IT services. Web Development Services entail Vission Technology Inc. assisting small business owners in helping to establish an impactful digital presence at any stage of their business. Vission Technology Inc. can be involved at any stage of the creation of a digital footprint starting from content creation to server hosting. With its excellent project management skills and years of experience, Vission’s services span every part of the Greater Vancouver Area (Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby, New Westminster, Delta, Coquitlam, and Langley).
[1]Â https://hbr.org/2019/11/how-to-design-product-pages-that-increase-online-sales
[2]Â https://www.jstor.org/stable/1225144?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
[image1] http://www.elementsofcinema.com/editing/kuleshov-effect.html
[image2] https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2011/07/responsive-web-design-techniques-tools-and-design-strategies/