By Dr Bill Haig, Guest Contributer
Part 1 of 2 The Logo and Home Page Credibility Requirement
When
visitors land on a website, the first thing they do is mentally evaluate in an
instant whether they can trust the information on the site enough to continue. Like all information, this is a matter of
whether or not the source of the information can be trusted to overcome
perceptions of risk, uncertainty and even possible identity theft. Trust or no trust happens during the
visitor's initial impressions or "first glance" at a website when
visitor is still unfamiliar with the vendor.
In people
to people interaction, we evaluate the person doing the talking before we
accept the person's message. On a
website, we evaluate the company behind the information. The company is evaluated at "first
glance" during the first three seconds of a website encounter.
But on a
website, the initial period of trust is not based on personal experience with
the vendor. The visitor and vendor do
not have a personal relationship history. The visitor makes a trust evaluation on what information, verbal and
visual, is available. Otherwise, the
vendor is faceless.
What do
visitors look for during this critical period?
Research
indicates that perception is done at "first glance" and on the basis of
whether the company is considered credible or not. Further, visitors look for what is termed
"surface" cues for credibility. Stanford University web credibility researcher, Dr. B.J. Fogg, describes
"surface credibility" as simple inspection of surface traits
non-verbally communicated by visual design.
In people
to people communication this would be how a person looks, his or her dress, or
hairstyle. Whether the person is neat or sloppy. These are "surface credibility"
characteristics. We often hear the phrase, "you don't get
a second chance to make a first good impression."
Why is a
first impression of people important? We
trust or don't trust the credibility of people upon first meeting. This leads to accepting, or not accepting,
what they have to say. The same is true
at the moment of "first glance" at a website, except we look at the
how credible the company logo and home page looks through non-verbal design
elements. In an instant. This is critical for continued website
success. The objective is to turn
visitors into trusting customers who move on after "first glance"
within the website for the purpose of purchasing a product or service.
Wrong imagery. An ambulance company shows its product in Heaven. Why visitors move on.
Website
studies on visitor use conclude that over seventy
per cent of visitors leave at "first glance" if they do not
consider a website credible.
On the
positive side, my PhD research concluded that four times as many visitors will
continue as conversion rate customers if a credibility-based logo is on the company
website at "first glance" compared to a non-credible logo.
My research
supports that of Dr. B.J. Fogg and his Stanford (as
in University) Web Credibility Research, (http://credibility.stanford.edu/guidelines/index.html). Savvy website owners have two easy
opportunities to look credible and boost visitor website trust at "first
glance" to increase conversion rates:
1. Show that there is a real organization
behind the website, as an honest trustworthy company. This is done most effectively with a credibility-based logo design sm representing the company. The credible company logo is usually in
the upper left hand corner of the website. Perception theory in communication persuasion suggests that people
immediately want to know the source of the message which follows. Just like when we often look first for the
name of the person on an envelop or post card.
Similarly,
visitors to a website look at the company logo, or search for the company name
if there is no logo, at "first glance."
Then,
simultaneously,
2. Show
that there is a credible organization behind the website with an appropriately
designed home page. A company website
home page must be designed with the same appropriate credibility traits as in
the company logo. This will also give
consistency in credibility traits important to the company behind the website.
Logos and
home pages are perceived almost simultaneously. People perceive the "whole" before
they perceive the parts. Although the
eye will go immediately to the company logo or name (as a part) after
perceiving the "whole" or overall visual character of the home
page. Thus, the company
credibility-based logo design and the home page design must have a consistency
in credibility design "look." For example, the logo cannot have a
contemporary design and the home page a dated design.
The bottom
line is that the whole visitor perception, logo and home page, must communicate
credibility to assure the visitor continues at this initial web experience ---
at "first glance." These first
impressions are key to trust building and continued visitor conversions to
being a customer.
About Powerlogos Design
and Dr. Bill Haig
Powerlogos Design is the only creative and
research based logo and home page design firm using proven principles in source
credibility in communication persuasion to optimize online marketing. We call this Website Optimization at First
Glancesm. The process we use is termed credibility-based logo designsm and credibility-based website designsm.
Started as an online firm in 2001, Dr. Bill
Haig maintains the philosophy that logo and home page design apply proven
communication persuasion principles enabling clients to have the assurance that
their company logo and home page will be successful at "first
glance." A unique and inexpensive
logo and home page test methodology can be used for further, data based,
assurance.
Powerlogos Design analyizes and plans client
credibility traits before design commences. A questionnaire is provided and a Logo Planning Report is prepared which
includes a verbal description of the design objectives for the new
credibility-based logo and subsequent home page. The company uses top international designers
to interpret the objectives and create the preliminary and final designs. The result is a new logo and home page which
works, done efficiently based on a mutually agreed upon plan, then created by
top designers --- all under the supervision of Dr. Bill Haig.
Dr.Haig is a specialist in source credibility
in communication persuasion principles applied to logo design, website
credibility and online testing. He has
over forty years experience in logo design and recently obtained his PhD
applying his logo knowledge to website credibility and online testing. He developed a unique online logo and home
page testing methodology during three years of university supervised research.
Dr. Haig can be reached at bill@haigbranding.com
Stay tuned for part two of this article!
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