Dec
15
2016
Alaskan tourism: 21st century store front
How important are first impressions to you? If you're like most people, they are extremely important. When people come to visit Alaska and are checking out where to stay, where to eat, where have an adventure, the first place they are going to stop is your website. Which leaves one question: what's kind of first impression does your website give?
Tourism is a huge industry in Alaska, bringing in 2 million visitors and almost $2 billion in revenue. Most tourists have limited to no experience in Alaska, and when they want to:Hunt-Fish-Hike-Eat-Shop-Sleep-Drink-Explore-Have fun. Because of this, Alaska web design is extremely important.
The first place almost all people will look is online. They will go from website to website critically judging the “appearance” or “feeling” of each site until they find one that looks good.In fact, in the week leading up to someone booking plans, they will visit on average 38 websites related to whatever they are booking. Reviews are important in where someone chooses to book, but remember:
Your website is your 21st century storefront.
More time on your website, less likely to leave
Look at the following graph, which arose out of a recent Microsoft study on users' behavior on websites:
What the study proves is that the more time someone spends on a website, the less likely they are to leave. The longer users spend on your website, the less time they are spending on competitors websites. Good Alaska web design keeps potential customers on your website and NOT on competitors' websites.
The most perilous time for a website is in the first 10 seconds when:
- users have an initial impression
This is followed by the 10-30 second window when users:
- Initially work with the functionality and content of a site
If a website's design and functionality/content can aptly impress a user for the first 30 seconds, they are likely to spend much more time on the website.
Get ahead of the curve
Let's be real for a moment. Alaska's website design is behind the curve of modern design. I'm not bashing Alaska's web developers here (I am one of them) or businesses who don't drop the cash for an updated website. It's just the way it is.
The importance of moder websites: full screen designs, interactive buttons and media, bright, bold colors, responsive layout, simply hans't aught on with very many businesses.
But tha'ts also an opportunity. When was the last time you updated your website? Compared to your competitors, how does your website stack up? Could you blow them away by updating your own website and making their website look like something out of the stone age? Businesses that have invested money into making quality sites have caught on to the fact that your website, once in place, is free internet marketing if done correctly.
Modern websites in Alaska are ahead of the curve. Just think, pretend you are traveling to Alaska and you check out 2 websites, one dated and one modern - I think we know which one you would investigate further.
Mandala circle by Bulldoggenliebchen