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The First Impression

2:40 with Dan Gorgone

Opinions about websites are often made within seconds. An important part of providing a positive first impression is matching the user's expectations to the reality of what they find on the site.

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    [Dan Gorgone] Opinions about websites are often made within seconds.

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    When the page loads, users will subconsciously ask themselves very basic questions each time.

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    Is this where I want to be? Is this what I expected?

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    Does the site look trustworthy? Do I understand where things are?

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    And can I figure out where to go first for what I want?

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    Even visiting familiar sites can yield similar questions.

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    Is everything where it was yesterday? Does everything work the same?

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    Do I know where the new information can be found?

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    And do I understand why something is different?

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    [Guil Hernandez, CSS Teacher, Treehouse] I'd say the first impression is extremely important

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    because you only have a couple seconds to grab a user's attention,

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    and there's a lot of things we can use to do that

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    with proper layout of content, structuring the content properly

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    with affordances, callouts, proper navigation—

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    we don't want them to rely solely on the navigation to get around;

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    we have to provide them with other methods of doing that, especially on mobile apps.

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    So, laying out your content, I think is one of the most important things

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    because when a user lands on your site, they don't immediately want to read all of your content, right?

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    They're looking for reasons to leave the site, to be honest with you.

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    [Gorgone] An important part of providing a positive first impression,

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    is matching the user's expectations to the reality of what they find on the site.

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    Providing a clear site ID, such as the logo in an expected location on the site,

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    usually the top left corner, can set a new user's mind at ease

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    about what else they'll find.

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    Even large companies with world-wide recognition stick to this pattern,

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    placing their logo in the spot where users usually look..

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    Deviating from the norm means taking a chance that users will become uneasy.

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    Many of these same questions are asked when apps are opened for the first time,

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    or for the first time each day.

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    Where's my new content? Do I have any notifications?

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    Has the app been updated? Am I starting from a home screen

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    or from somewhere within the app itself?

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    In either case, as users get acquainted with a site or app,

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    they'll begin to know where other aspects appear.

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    Elements like the main menu and navigation,

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    the use of color and different kinds of text,

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    and interactivity all factor into the user's next decision—

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    whether or not to continue using it.

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    By understanding what your users are looking for,

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    you can provide a positive first impression

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    and welcome them to your site or app

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    instead of encouraging them to leave.

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