So we’ve already established (in my last post) that the internet could use to warm up a little. Since the internet is really just a bunch of websites, maybe it’s the websites that need to get a little warmer-feeling. In fact, I would argue that every company with a website needs to seriously consider what steps they could take to make the internet, specifically their little corner of the internet, a cozier and more personal place. Because I would argue that the “warmer” a website, the safer it makes people feel, and the more likely they will be to use that business.
One of the biggest ways to warm up a website is to make visitors almost forget that they’re on a website by making it so personal that it feels like real life. They need to feel like they’re working with real human beings, like themselves, rather than a computer. No matter what the age of the person is, most people probably still get a tiny bit of anxiety when they put their personal information into a form on a website. They wonder, “who are these people? What are they going to do with my information?” Granted, if you’ve done it enough times and nothing bad has happened (a.k.a. you’ve never had your identity stolen, etc.) then you might not have that nervous feeling anymore. But I would be willing to bet that most people have it, even if it’s just slightly.
Most businesses understand that they need to go to great lengths to make people feel safe and secure. Trust is arguably the most important building block to any good business relationship. This is easy to see played out in face-to-face interactions, and even phone calls. Now who’s to say this kind of trusting relationship can’t also exist over the internet?
Another way to make a website feel “warmer” is by making it incredibly easy to use. This makes people feel, again, comfortable and safe when they’re using it. For example, think about Google. When you go to google.com, you immediately know exactly what to do. And I bet that even the first time you went there, you figured it out in a matter of seconds. That ease of use and feeling of familiarity probably made you feel, at least on a subconscious level, very safe. Now think about the opposite experience. Think of the last time you went to a site that was really confusing and complicated, where you had no idea where to go or what to do. It’s actually kind of stressful, right?
If your experience of the internet was mostly with websites that were easy to use and understand, then you would probably think of the internet as a fairly warm and inviting place–and if your experience was mostly with the other kind of website that I mentioned above, then you would think the opposite. To take it a step further, the feelings you have about a company are most likely mirrored by the feelings you get when you’re visiting their website. Is it a courteous, approachable, honest company, or are they disorganized and unfriendly? You have already built an impression after visiting a company’s website and could definitely answer the above questions as a result.
Here at FreshySites, we specialize in building beautiful, clean, and most of all, warm websites. They are easy to use and friendly-feeling. If you’d like to see some examples of what I mean, here are a few FreshySites websites to check out:
- http://basilicodeli.com/
- http://rubyjewelers.com/
- http://insightarchery.com/
- http://parkwaywinespirits.com/
Or you can browse through the rest of our work here.
If you’d like to find out how you can warm up your website, and watch your business benefit as a result, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help.
