You have only one chance to make an outstanding first Webpression.
Wait, what is Webpression?
So glad you asked.
Webpression is defined as “The judgment one makes when viewing a website for the first time”.
Actually I just made that up.
Well according to stats, studies, surveys, tests, as well as Ivy League researchers, high ranking officials, global think tanks, and a whole list of other smart people, you have a fraction of a millisecond to make a great first impression……..or something like that.
Truth be told, without any stats, research or experts to confirm this, we probably all agree you only have a few seconds to make an outstanding first impression.
Especially when it comes to your website.
Do we really need a scientific study or marketing expert to explain the importance of making an outstanding first impression?
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, impression is defined as “an idea or opinion of what someone or something is like“.
It doesn’t matter if we like it or not, we are judged and sized up the second each of us walks through a door.
As an old bald guy, I am labeled the second I walk through the door. I am never confused for Tom Holland, Niall Horan or some other teenage heartthrob (even when I was young for that matter).
Well, the same goes for your website.
So an important question to ask: When a brand new prospect or a potential customer lands on your website, do you make a strong first Webpression?
Let’s dig deeper.
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Steps to Make an Outstanding First Webpression
A strong Webpression means you grabbed a potential customer’s attention right off the bat.
In other words, love at first sight.
You had them at “Hello” (thank you, Jerry McGuire).
I am NOT a web designer, so it is easy to be a critic.
When you go to a website either as a consumer or as a business buyer, how long does it take you to decide if this site captures your attention?
Typically within several seconds, you have determined whether this site can solve your problem or not.
What is the first thing that catches your eye? What triggers your first Webpression?
Especially as a manufacturer looking for a new vendor or supplier.
Think back to the last website that you made a purchase on or one that left you with a strong first Webpression.
What characteristics did that website possess that you found appealing?
Think of the trust factors that the website possessed which converted you into a captivated customer.
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TRUST
A critical first step to make an outstanding first Webpression, establish trust.
Think about the characteristics that you value strongly when seeking a new vendor or supplier.
Do you look for the esthetics? Quality products? Price? Content? Videos? Social media activity?
Conducting research on an industrial product requires a different set of requirements as opposed to shopping for consumer goods.
Industrial products commonly require technical information such as drawings, specs, or a datasheet.
Manufacturers need to help educate as well as provide all necessary product and company information.
As a manufacturer, your website is your company representative. It is the face of your business.
Your website serves as much more than just an online business card. It is your 24 hour sales representative.
Your website is the FIRST piece of information that a potential customer views. The first item of engagement.
Therefore, your website needs to be an absolute top priority.
Furthermore, finding a quality web designer that you trust is also critical.
Partner with a web designer who will create a website that represents you and your company extremely well.
One who gets the company culture. Understands and clearly describes your expertise.
A web designer deeply dedicated and committed to creating that outstanding first Webpression that you desire and deserve.
Your website needs to express that YOU are a company that gets the job done. Done well.
That you possess the ability to solve the prospect’s problem. You resolve issues and create opportunities.
A website that shows your dedication to making your clients money. Thus happy.
Related Article: Business Mission Statement: “BECOME THE BLANKIE”
MODERN WEBPRESSION
Does your website look boring or does it deliver value?
Did you have your niece or nephew put up your site in 2005? While he or she was in college needing one more credit to complete an internship in order to graduate on time?
Your website needs to look modern as well as truly represent how you view your company to make an outstanding first Webpression.
More importantly, create a modern look that captures the attention and excitement of a new prospect.
Think about this: if you are searching for a new vendor or supplier and they possess an awful website that is outdated, what does that say about the company?
Doesn’t a neglected website create concerns about other areas of the company? Are they reliable? Dependable?
However, do you need a sleek cutting edge looking site if your company is not sleek and cutting edge?
If you are targeting baby boomers, odds are you do not need the same look and feel like a hip clothing store targeting teenagers.
So who is your customer?
In the same regard, can you define or describe your ideal buyer? Have you conducted a persona exercise?
Create a website that resonates with your targeted ideal buyer.
To make a great first Webpression, take a hard look at your website and consider each of these factors below:
- Company Logo
- Contact info – easy to find
- Search box
- List your products and capabilities
- Create valuable content: blogging, articles, updated company info, company awards
- Social media activity
- List staff and key employees
- Clearly and concisely explain what you do
- KISS – Keep It Super Simple to navigate and explore your website
- Visually pleasing to YOUR target audience
Related Article: Top 13 Reasons Why Manufacturers Struggle with eCommerce
CLEAR CALL-TO-ACTION
What is it that you want a customer to do when they land on your website?
What action should they take? How can they quickly and easily engage with you?
More importantly, why should they connect with you? They are BUSY. Time is precious.
To make an outstanding first Webpression, your website needs to offer a clear call-to-action.
Determine the action you want them to take that additionally helps solve their problem as quickly as possible.
For example, below includes a landing page for Wire Harness Manufacturer, Falconer Electronics.
This particular page provides a clear and concise call-to-action.
Actually they offer two options:
Option 1
The option on the left offers the opportunity for a potential buyer to click on a powerful software tool that the company created called the Wire Harness Estimator.
This software tool allows a prospect to build or configure their own Wire Harness Assembly.
The program literally takes 60 seconds for a customer to configure a Wire Harness.
The goal is to make it as easy as possible to connect and engage with the customer.
Solve their problems with speed and simplicity.
Option 2
Option 2 allows the customer to submit a CAD drawing.
This call-to-action also makes it as easy as possible for a customer to submit the proper product information.
A large green box stating “Submit Drawing” cannot get much easier.
The problem that the prospect is facing in this case: They need a quote as quickly as possible.
Falconer Electronics solves that problem by offering two simplistic options.
Click Here to View the Falconer Electronics Wire Harness Landing Page
LANDING PAGE WEBPRESSION
The next step in making an outstanding first Webpression: Landing pages.
Do you guide a potential customer to the proper landing pages?
If you are using Google Ads, does the landing page match the particular keyword that you are targeting?
Think about how frustrating it is for you to search for a specific part or component that is tough to find.
Finally, you discover a search result on Google stating the exact rare part that you need. You click the link and it takes to a home page.
Even worse, you land on an ERROR page or NO LONGER FOUND.
Don’t be “That Guy”.
Consistently check to make sure that your landing pages are current. Going to the right spot.
Guide your customer to the appropriate landing page the answers a question or explains your core capabilities.
Think about the buyer on the other end and their search process.
They type a keyword (your core capability) into Google.
You want them to land on a page quickly and preciously which helps that individual.
Show your expertise and that you can solve their problem with a well executed landing page.
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NAVIGATION
Website navigation serves as another important factor in making that outstanding first Webpression.
Does your website make sense?
This can be especially challenging for a manufacturer or industrial company.
Those in retail constantly think of customer flow with foot traffic. The direction and navigation of the store.
Where to place products? At the front of the store or back? Product displays. Visual appeal.
In the B2B world, manufacturers and industrial companies typically think of efficiency, quality, and safety.
They want to impress when giving a plant tour but they do not have to worry about dozens or hundreds of consumers walking through the door.
That’s the key. Allow the user to navigate through your website as if on a plant tour.
What would you show a potential new customer if they visited your physical site as well as your website?
A new piece of machinery? A production line where the product flows quickly and efficiently through your facility?
Bring your facility to the user.
To deliver that outstanding first Webpression, create an easy flow of your website allowing customers to find the information important to them as quickly as possible.
Help them make a buying decision smoothly and efficiently.
Show off your…..
- Experience and expertise
- Key employees
- Machinery
- Equipment
- Case studies
- Testimonials
Sure, You Can Find that in Aisle 210999
To continue the importance of Navigation when striving to make an outstanding first Webpression, consider this thought…
Don’t you just love walking into a massive retail box store and you ask the clerk where to find an item and they point far out into the distance and say, “Check Aisle 210999”?
Miles and miles away. Into some faraway land.
You don’t need binoculars. What you need is a high power telescope at this point as well as a NASA tracking system.
You make sure you have your cell phone in case of an emergency on the way.
More importantly, you check your pockets to see by chance if you brought a snack for this long trip.
Especially if you get lost.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could use SIRI, Google Maps or GPS when trying to find a tiny part in these monster stores?
Can’t the clerk just drop everything that they are doing at that very moment to hold our hands on this intimidating trek?
Climbing Mount Everest seems easier. At least there you can see your destination.
Anyway, once again, don’t be “that guy”.
To make an outstanding first Webpression, be efficient. Respectful of your customer’s time.
Help them find the product they need as quickly as possible.
Hold their hand.
Mobile-Friendly Webpression
A mobile-friendly website stands as another critical factor with making an outstanding first Webpression.
A high-level scientific researcher performed an intense study and reported that people use their mobile devices……a lot.
Alright, I made that up too.
Yet, just look around. In a coffee shop. A traffic light. A restaurant.
Just look around your living room for that matter.
Isn’t it hysterical if you look at your family and everyone’s attention is buried into a mobile device?
Check out a high school or college football game. That’s even more fascinating seeing the number of people staring at their device instead of the game in front of them. (Confession: I missed a goal at a hockey game last night while checking the score of an NFL playoff football game on my iPhone – GUILTY AS CHARGED, YOUR HONOR).
Mobile search looks to continue its explosive growth. At least for the near future until the next technology replaces it.
It is imperative that your website looks appealing and functions smoothly on a mobile device.
Even as industrial suppliers or manufacturers who think their buyers are all sitting at a desk browsing their PC.
Engineers, new product developers, and procurement specialists are using mobile devices.
They could be on a job site, on the production floor, or otherwise at a restaurant discussing a new project.
Regardless, with every website change or improvement, make sure you are viewing changes on mobile.
Just keep singing, “Going Mobile” (for any Who fans out there – remember, I’m old).
SPEED
Speed wins.
Especially on your quest to make an outstanding first Webpression.
I know, you are thinking, “thank you Captain Obvious.”
Yet, the faster your website the better. Much better.
Again, you have just a few seconds to make that great first impression (in case I haven’t hammered this point enough).
This includes a website that moves quickly.
Think about it. How long are you willing to wait for a webpage to load? I imagine not very long.
Moz, the SEO expert firm, defines Page Speed as “a measurement of how fast the content on your page loads“.
Keep in mind, there are no website traffic officers policing the internet, handing out speeding tickets.
Customers who find your website crawling and moving slow are probably gone. Most likely, for good.
You want your site to move FAST, FAST, FAST.
Speed definitely matters. From a user standpoint as well as from Google’s perspective with SEO.
SEO guru, Neil Patel offers outstanding insight on Page Speed in this helpful article below:
Speed Is A Killer – Why Decreasing Page Load Time Can Drastically Increase Conversions
Measure Your Webpression ROI
Finally, how do you measure the Webpression of your website?
A few benchmarks to help determine if you are indeed making an outstanding first Webpression:
- Phone calls
- Email inquires
- Sales leads
- Conversions
- Requests for Quote
- Purchased products on your eCommerce store
Keep testing. Keep growing.
It’s an incredibly competitive global market out there.
Deliver an amazing user experience for potential customers that they find impactful and helpful.
Take full advantage of that one chance to make an outstanding first Webpression.
Wrapping It Up
Thank you for taking the time to read this post on making an outstanding first Webpression.
For additional info, check out these helpful posts:
- Top 13 Reasons Why Manufacturers Struggle with eCommerce
- 19 Tips for Curing “I Hate Change” (Plus a Healthy Dose of eCommerce)
- “Turn the Ship Around! A True Story of Turning Followers Into Leaders”
