: Do first impressions really count? So, i am currently writing something up for a college class. Problem is everything is hypothetical. I need some proof. I believe a first impression on a website

@Kimberly868

A slightly different take on the first impressions. In the UK there have been quite a few stories of "fake" websites selling products/services which are either of incredibly poor quality or don't sell you anything at all.

The royal wedding later this month and 2012 Olympics means the stories are beginning to crop up again.

To bring this round to your question directly, the media in the UK say a few things with regards to first impressions and a site legitimacy - things like a UK based telephone number clearly displayed, a contact address. https being used when inputting credit card details etc.

I think these general principles can be applied here. The general UK public are being essentially told to look for certain things before even considering buying a product/service via a website.

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@Cody1181609

It's a matter of common sense. Its basic human trait that man build their attitude to something/someone in the first interaction they have. There are several factors that lead to this so-called first impression. It's not always look. Its sometime a complex combination of the user experience in interacting with the site or the content itself. For a person who looking for information, what is more important is not design or look, but information itself.

Some of the areas that can help in getting good impression are:


User Experience.
Accessibility
Usability.
Design
Speed.
Content Worthiness


See also:


21 things that influence in first
impression - Vandelay Design
First Impression through design -
UIE
A study published in BBC
First Impression Count

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