The Halo Effect - How First Impressions Impact Your Business
Wild-Webs, Inc. January 8, 2007
When a potential customer visits your website they immediately form an opinion of your organization. Their first impression - whether accurate or not - is the basis of their next move. Will they stay and find out more about your company, or will they move on to a competitor?
In psychological terms, we form a "bias" based on first impressions. That bias, impacts subsequent opinions. This process is known as the Halo Effect. A common application of the Halo Effect is where marketers use celebrities to endorse products. If we view the celebrity favorably, these feelings carry over to the product they endorse.
Likewise, a negative first impression, impacts subsequent experiences.
If your website is poorly designed (and creates a negative first impression), and your competitor's website is professional, but both sites contain essentially the same content, customers will tend to favor your competitor's website, services and products. The customer's positive first impression biases their perception of the rest of the website, and ultimately may determine whether you or your competitor gets their business.
Many companies underestimate the impact that the first impression has on their business. As most successful marketers know, it's not always the best product that wins, but the company that puts their best foot forward.
internet web site design|custom web site design|web site design kansas city
If you are ready to develop a
professional website for your
company, create an effective
office intranet, or have custom
application development needs,
call Wild-Webs at 913-780-3400.
