Return on Engagement, 2nd Edition

Chapter NineCreating Usable Designs

Good design is one of the most important ways to instill confidence in online visitors. Your site, your blog, mobile apps, and customization of social media profiles should all adhere to professional design standards that communicate credibility, reliability, expertise and consistency across media types and platforms. You have a split second to make a good first impression and few things will drive a potential new customer away from your site faster than bad design.

“A successful ambassador or salesperson will arrive with excellent references and present a sparkling, well-dressed appearance,” Loveday and Niehaus note in their book Web Design for ROI. “A landing page can do the same through design, function, ...