Research Summary: Whether you’re a consumer or business owner, websites are no doubt a part of your daily life. The fact is that the internet is flooded with countless websites, which can make it difficult to stand out from the crowd.
However, websites are nonetheless important. With the right design, products, and SEO tactics, companies can succeed in ways they never thought possible with a website.
Luckily, we’ve investigated all of the essential facts about websites. According to our extensive research:
-
75% of people judge a company’s credibility based on its website.
-
94% of site first impressions are design-related.
-
It only takes 50 milliseconds to form an opinion of a website.
-
38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content/layout is unattractive.
-
Poor UX leads to 76% of users switching to competitors.
For further analysis, we broke down the data in the following ways:
Behavior | Opinion | Mobile | Bad Website
General Website Statistics
To start, here are some general and interesting facts about websites. According to our research:
-
71% of small businesses have a website.
And, it’s not hard to understand why, as 18% of all retail sales worldwide now happen online. Plus, even if a business doesn’t sell online products, websites can still aid in sales and discovery.
-
Around 70% of website traffic starts with Google.
That means that Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is crucial for any website, as the majority of customers will find the website through search engines. After all, SEO is directly connected to search engine search queries, which in itself accounts for 40% of website traffic.
Website User Behavior Statistics
The success of a website is dictated by how well it caters to its user base. Additionally, having a website design that appeals to a broad user base is incredibly valuable. With that in mind, we’ve gathered all of the most useful website user statistics:
-
The average US internet user visits 130 web pages per day.
That equates to 910 web pages per week and up to 4,000 per month. Knowing that there is a lot of opportunity for users (at least US users) to find your website.
-
It takes only 10 seconds for a visitor to decide whether to stay or leave a site.
While it takes only 50 milliseconds for someone to form an opinion of a website, you get a ‘generous’ 10 seconds before that user will decide whether to stay or leave. This highlights just how important the home page of a website is, aesthetically and functionally.
-
Users spend 88% more time browsing web pages with video content.
Users will spend the most time on web pages with video content than any other feature. That means that quality videos about your brand, products, or any other relevant topics will keep users on your website.
-
Almost 40% of users will disengage from a slow website.
In fact, slow websites are such a huge problem that conversions will drop 20% per second of site load time. Most users expect no more than 2 seconds of load time, so it’s vital to keep your website running quickly and smoothly.
Website User Opinion Statistics
Many website users aren’t shy about sharing their opinions, but these preferences can also be used to tailor the optimal user experience. To find out more about user opinions, here are some insights our research uncovered:
-
83% of internet users across all devices consider a seamless experience vital.
This fact highlights just how important it is to make sure your website is clear and easy to read on PC, mobile, and any other devices your users might be using.
-
97% of people rely on website design for buying decisions.
With 20% of respondents saying that website design has a “great deal of influence” over their purchasing decisions.
-
85% of customers check a business online before making a purchase.
Customers like to research a business before they feel comfortable making a purchase. This is even true for customers who want to buy in-store, as 76% will look up a business’ website before heading to a physical location.
Mobile Website Statistics
Given that 54% of Americans use their smartphones to shop online, it’s important to understand how to cater to mobile users. Here are some prominent mobile website trends, according to our research:
-
57% of users won’t recommend a site with a poor mobile experience.
Prioritizing mobile experience is crucial for holding onto users. This includes things like ensuring your formatting is smooth and doesn’t break on mobile, as well as implementing something like a streamlined scrolling feature.
-
61% of U.S. website traffic comes from mobile devices, as of 2020.
Smartphones have really taken over, as most website traffic now comes from mobile devices. On the other hand, only 35.7% of visits come from desktops.
-
Consumers have 2X more interactions with mobile brands than on desktop.
In fact, this holds true for any other form of media as well; whether it’s TV, in-store, or desktop, customers will interact far more with brands on their phones. This highlights the ever-growing importance of apps.
-
72.9% of e-commerce revenue comes from mobile.
That’s a whopping 39.1% increase from 2016 when mobile made up just over half of e-commerce revenue. With this trend in mind, we’ll likely see mobile continue to become even more important in the future.
The Cost of a Bad Website
A bad website can sink an entire company or small business. After all, the internet is vast, and if users either can’t find your website or choose to log off, you’re in a heap of trouble. For example, our research shows that:
-
Slow websites cost businesses up to $6.8 billion annually.
While the amount lost depends on the size of the company/business, the truth is that slow websites are very costly. Under this estimation, businesses lose over $18.6 million to slow websites daily.
-
63% of online customers won’t return to a website after one bad experience.
For the majority of users, one bad experience is all that it takes. For context, if you had 500 people visit your website, 315 of them could be turned away by just one bad experience.
-
84.6% of web designers believe crowded web design is the most common mistake found on websites.
While incorporating images, color, video, and other visual elements are important for grabbing and maintaining user interest, these elements shouldn’t be overdone. A certain level of streamlining is also important so users don’t get overwhelmed and can navigate the site.
-
73.1% of web designers believe unresponsive design increases bounce rate.
Users don’t like websites that are buggy or slow to load. After all, these can see upwards of 40% of their users tune out.
Website Statistics FAQ
-
Yes, websites are still relevant in 2022. As long as your website is mobile-friendly, having one is a great investment. That’s because websites are more accessible through all devices when compared to apps. Not to mention the fact that prioritizing SEO can guide Google searchers directly to your brand.
Plus, 18% of all retail sales worldwide now happen online, meaning that you’ll open yourself up to many more users/customers by having a website.
-
Why is having a website important?
Having a website is important for legitimacy and branding. For example, 75% of people judge a company’s credibility based on its website. This will affect whether or not customers choose to buy from and interact with your businesses, regardless of whether or not you have a physical location.
Websites are also great for branding, as they allow you to introduce users to your logo, mission statement, and products from the convenience of their phone or computer.
-
What percentage of business is done online?
29.7% of American business is done online. Worldwide, that number is 18%.
For Americans, though, online business has been growing steadily for the past twenty years. For example, just ten years ago, in 2012, only 19.3% of business was conducted online, and 20 years ago, in 2002, that number was merely 9%.
This means that starting a website now is a great opportunity to capture a large subset of the market.
Conclusion
Websites are crucial platforms that allow companies to gain legitimacy, improve branding, and expose new users to their products. After all, a majority of users judge a company’s credibility based on its website.
However, that credibility isn’t always easy to come by. Due to the sheer volume of websites on the internet, users can make extremely quick and harsh judgment calls when deciding whether or not to give a website the time of day. On average, it only takes 50 milliseconds for them to form an opinion of a website.
Luckily, listening to users and web designers can prevent your website from falling into the shadows. And with optimal design, products, and SEO tactics, company websites can be hugely successful.
References
-
MightyFine. “Understanding the Value of Good Web Design.” Accessed on September 5th, 2022.
-
FastSpring. “First Impressions Matter When it Comes to Your Website.” Accessed on September 5th, 2022.
-
Taylor & Francis Online. “Attention web designers: You have 50 milliseconds to make a good first impression!” Accessed on September 5th, 2022.
-
Net MarketShare. “Search Engine Market Share.” Accessed on September 5th, 2022.
-
Nielsen Norman Group. “How Long Do Users Stay on Web Pages?” Accessed on September 5th, 2022.
-
Strother Communications Group. “B2B Simplified.” Accessed on September 5th, 2022.
-
NeilPatel. “How Loading Time Affects Your Bottom Line.” Accessed on September 5th, 2022.
-
Talkative. “The Ultimate Guide to Providing a Seamless Customer Experience.” Accessed on September 5th, 2022.
-
HubSpot. “Research Shows Websites Influence 97% of Clients’ Purchasing Decisions.” Accessed on September 5th, 2022.
-
Cision. “76% of Consumers Look at Online Presence Before Physically Visiting a Business.” Accessed on September 5th, 2022.
-
Adstriangle. “Why Mobile Friendly Website is Important than Ever: Ignore at Your Own Risk.” Accessed on September 5th, 2022.
-
Perficient. “Mobile vs. Desktop Usage in 2020.” Accessed on September 5th, 2022.
-
Think with Google. “How to make every mobile moment a brand-builder.” Accessed on September 5th, 2022.
-
Oberlo. “Mobile Commerce Sales in 2022.” Accessed on September 5th, 2022.
-
Anita Toth. “They won’t be back. 63% of customers leave after one poor customer experience.” Accessed on September 5th, 2022.
Author
Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications. Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.
