First impressions really do count, especially for web sites according to the Behavior and Information Technology journal. According to a study they’ve just released, a web user makes up his or her mind, thumbs up or thumbs down, within less than a twentieth of a second.
This could explain a lot of pages that mysteriously have high “Bounce Rates.” While the researchers couldn’t seem to pinpoint the reasons for poor or positive ratings by these viewers, they were able to determine that the results weren’t random. They flashed some of the sites on screen more than once and they consistently got, well, consistent ratings.
The lesson learned? If a page has a high bounce rate, try changing it’s look.
I'm Texx Smith, an experienced freelance project manager and web designer. I've been innovating for my clients since 1995 by myself and with small teams.