If you own a business today then having an appealing and hospitable website is vital to your existence.
Your doors are now open essentially, 24/7. But of course, there is a caveat. There is always a caveat: your virtual handshake must be firm yet welcoming — as users form an opinion of a website within .05 seconds (Sweor).
Put simply, websites have become a major organ of any business. And if you search online for facts about website engagement you will paddle against a statistical tide.
(Teoxane Treatments – Online treatment and practitioner assessment tool for renowned dermal filler and skincare company)
Among other things, they focus on UX (user experience), speed, navigation and of course, design:
94% of the negative feedback given about a website focuses on poor web design (Blue Corona)
Websites that load in over two seconds are abandoned by 47% of visitors (Blue Corona)
36% of visitors click a company’s logo to get to the homepage. (KoMarketing)
Considering this, it has never been more vital to businesses to consider their online presence.
Other side of the fence
Although the majority of us visit websites every day, the mechanics behind them can seem unfathomable and slightly overwhelming.
With this in mind we spoke to Todd Padwick, Creative Director at Function & Form, who, after starting his career in print, advertising and branding, began to understand coding when developing his own portfolio website.
I love that digital is less linear and can offer its audience bespoke journeys that are tailored to their needs.”
– Todd Padwick
(Positive Group – Psychological wellbeing consulting for enterprise level organisations)
Now as a trusted partner of Loftworks, we took a beat to explore his passion for digital and some of the challenges his clients face.
“I love that digital design is a constant evolution that you can continually improve and tinker with whereas with print, once a 50k print run goes out the door, that's it — you move on.
“And we tend to have two types of customers.” He added.
“Those who have experienced working with another agency but were dissatisfied by the results and simply need to replace them (it's sad how often that is the case), or those who are in a pivotal moment in their business and are looking for a partner to help achieve their new goals.”
(CoolPlanet – End-to-end decarbonisation solution for enterprise businesses with net zero goals)
And Todd explained the strategy behind how he engages with them; by being able to position themselves on the other side of the fence.
“Our biggest differentiator is the dedication we put into just listening. We know that no one understands our clients business' more than they do, so we take the time to put ourselves in their shoes and more importantly in the shoes of their audience.
“Combine this with our understanding and research into so many other businesses we are perfectly placed to build brands and online platforms that cut through the noise and compete.” He added.
“Essentially, we believe in collaboration. So, once the project starts, we keep the client involved every step of the way.”
‘Content is king’
The sheer breadth of statistics alone reflect that the constitution of a successful website is multi-faceted.
Todd also points towards the mass of innovations in today’s digital landscape, which now offer such opportunities to be bold and beautiful.
“Content is king. A beautiful website means nothing without great content. The web is more interactive and more visually exciting than ever before.
“I believe the content and web design are two peas in a pod, so this is where we often turn to Loftworks. They allow us to offer our clients stunning animated visuals to elevate what would have lifeless static illustration or graphics – and our clients love us for it.”
Common mistakes
With website development now being such a big player in the success of any business, Todd told us about a few common mistakes that can be made by some when it comes to their websites.
He added that “rushing a website project without taking the time to strategise first, will only cause problems further down the line and will not bring the ROI (return on investment) that they had envisaged.”
While Todd also believes that 'looking for the cheapest option' should be avoided, as if your product and services are worth significant investment then your online presence and brand should be of equal standing.
Over the next few years Todd hopes to build up his 'tight team of in-house designers and developers' so he can continue to hear the success stories from his clients.
“I enjoy hearing about so many exciting business ventures and being a key part of their inception. It's the reason I do what I do.”
So as the digital world continues to grow, businesses can harness its scope like never before. But the gravity of that first impression should never be underestimated — as remember, you may get barely a second to entice people.
Thanks to Todd for his time and you can see more of his work here:
