It takes a lot of work to get users onto your website, so it is crucial to create as positive a first impression as possible once they arrive. Our user interface (UI) team at Kooba specialise at doing exactly this. Here’s our guide to creating the perfect first impression online:
Start with the brand
Before any visual design can begin, it is important to understand the brand assets that are already available. Your colour palette, logo, and imagery will all provide us with limits to design within, and give us guidelines to use at each stage. This ensures that your finished website fits seamlessly with your wider brand, and doesn’t surprise or shock visitors.
Focus above the fold
Your audience will judge your website very quickly (in fact they are most likely to leave in the 10 seconds after they enter), so the top of your homepage is crucial to forming a positive first impression. This area is typically described as “above the fold” and it is important to show your most important information here. We’ll select the imagery, colours, and motion that matters most to your brand, and present them clearly in this banner. The end result should be a page that encourages users to keep scrolling and engaging.
Get moving
User interface designers don’t just create static images, but also pay attention to motion and interaction. Each component of your website can come to life when users hover on it, click it, or scroll past. This addition of movement will make the site feel more responsive and engaging, and will also add to the overall impression delivered by your brand.
Collaborate with developers
An important part of this process involves developers, who turn our designs into a functioning site. At Kooba, we work with our Frontend team throughout the design process, so they can advise on each component we produce. Some animations and interactions can reduce performance if implemented incorrectly, so this oversight is important to ensure the development phase is as efficient as possible.
Experiment with copy
The text across your website can make a real difference to how your brand is perceived. By prioritising your core brand message you can ensure that each user quickly understands what your business does and how you help your customers. Try out different taglines and CTAs across your site and see which resonates most with your audience. Of course, with a user-friendly CMS, you can do this easily even after you launch the website.
Keep it accessible
Finally you should make sure your site is as accessible as possible! Approximately 20% of the population live with a disability, and the last thing you want is to exclude these potentially valuable users. Keep colour contrast high, make sure copy is clear, and ensure that illustrations and animations are clearly labelled within the website’s code. You can see our full guide to accessibility here.
To improve your own website’s first impression, just get in touch with our UI team today, we’d love to speak with you!
