The Ten Second Elevator Speech

Typically most people leave a website within 10 to 20 seconds (over half leave in under 15 seconds) and that leaves very little time to make that first impression.

First ImpressionWebsites effectively have ten seconds to either cause a visitor to leave the site, or invite them to continue on to other pages.

A website is an organization’s virtual reception area, and their introduction and greeting to every visitor.

Most visitors to any website are either familiar with the organization and returning, or they have followed the website link included in their search results.  In either case they are already thinking along the lines of what that organization does and offers.  The next ten seconds are crucial.

A website is an organization’s virtual reception area, and their introduction and greeting to every visitor.

In our experiences we find quick attendance and direction are core elements to a website’s front page, followed closely by simplicity.

  • A front page should greet visitors.
    “Hello.  This is who we are.  Please come in.”.  This allows the visitor to feel comfortable and attended.  Too much information spread across the screen in sidebars and banners is too busy and the equivalent of, “Take a seat.  We’ll get to you in a bit.”.  Visitors who experience a sense of welcome and value are the ones who tend to remain longer and continue further.
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  • A front page should be orderly.
    The reception a visitor receives is enhanced by the offer of assistance.  “Who are you wishing to see?”, “What services are you interested in?”, “To your left we have services that include … and to your right we have support personnel to assist with ….  Please feel free to look around.  We are available for any questions and requests.”  A simple, easily discernible navigation menu and a contact link or button empowers visitors, and reinforces their sense of attendance.  That confidence and value encourages their visit to continue.
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  • A front page should contain no surprises.
    A visitor, once greeted and invited to investigate further, should be able to proceed without interruption.  Even when they choose to leave there should be no obstruction or delay to their decisions.  A receptionist who grabs a visitor by the arm, or organization representatives who step out suddenly from doorways, and require some form of visitor response or action in order to continue is the unexpected pop-up window that tears down visitor empowerment.

A word on pop up windows:
There are arguments on both sides of the issue of using or not using them on a website.  The arguments for using them include generating leads that would likely go undiscovered otherwise, but our opinion and experience is their undermining of visitor confidence is enough reason to not use them.

quick attendance and direction are core elements to a website’s front page, followed closely by simplicity

  • A front page should be built for visitors.
    An organization that knows who they are and what they do are able to attend with relevance to their visitors.  Simplicity is key.  A website heavy in graphics and animation can be perceived as gaudy and interpreted as an organization going to great lengths to explain who they are rather than just being who they are.  Visitors who feel confident in the capabilities of the organization stay longer and investigate further.
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  • A front page should be available.
    On the internet are millions of websites and billions of visitors – it’s a busy place.  Technical glitches happen and at times a website can experience downtime.  This is the equivalent “Back in 15 minutes” sign on the door.  Site visitors are already thinking along the lines of what an organization offers and are probable to return, but if the reception is closed frequently and the sign is untrustworthy or absent, they will lose confidence and move on elsewhere.  Stability is every bit as important as design.

A final thought:
A website is a service to others.  When it is built for others, others will talk about it.

An organization that knows who they are and what they do are able to attend with relevance to their visitors.