First impressions are important in the society we live in today. If you are about to meet your partner's parents for the first time, if you are going for a job interview, or if you're meeting the person of your dreams, first impressions go a long way! Luckily, we often have time to make up for a bad first impression, however, websites don’t have this luxury.
You want your site’s visitors to have a fast loading and user-friendly experience while on your homepage. Your website might be selling something everybody wants, however, if the site's design doesn’t appear to look good, potential customers will probably leave. The site design counts for 94% of how the visitor's first impression is formed. The product you are selling is likely to be available on your competitors’ websites, so making sure your design is on par or better than those you compete with is vital.
A Website Must be Mobile-Friendly
Most web searches nowadays are made with a mobile device. Smartphones and tablets have become extremely popular over the last decade or more, so make sure your website is mobile-friendly is a necessity.
Making your site mobile-friendly is not only important for the website’s visitors so they can easily access the website and navigate through the pages, but it will also affect the site’s ranking on major search engines.
In the past web developers created sites for desktop computers, however, due to the rise of mobile devices, they are forced to rethink their designs so that their websites function with smaller screens. A recent study showed that 85% of people claim that a mobile site should look similar if not better than the design made for a desktop computer.
Many web designers spend long hours making their designs look great, but they must take into consideration other devices that people will view their sites on. Links must be easily clickable, buttons must be working correctly, images must be customized so that it looks and functions great on all devices.
A Website’s Navigation is Critical
Web designers must not underestimate the importance of how the user is supposed to navigate through the website’s pages. Websites that give the visitor too many options can cause confusion. The more choices available on a website the longer it takes for the visitor to make a decision. Maintaining a site that is short, simple, and to the point will prove beneficial.
When a web designer is creating navigation for the site, keeping the options short, and making it as easy as possible to jump from one page to the other is vital. Experts recommend that web designers only have seven navigation options or less.
The easier it is for a visitor to navigate themselves through a website’s pages, the better chance they will stay on the website. If the navigation is not user friendly, the page is more likely to have a high bounce rate. A bounce is when a visitor only visits one page on a website, instead of viewing other pages on the same site.
A Landing Page needs to make a Good First Impression
A landing page is a single page with one main purpose. A typical homepage has lots of different purposes such as links about the website, contact details, blogs, products, and services, etc. So if you are looking for a specific action, for example, if a person has clicked on an ad that sells specific shoes, the link directs them to a landing page that sells those specific shoes rather than the whole clothing website.
If you have created a landing page for your site, and you feel there is room for improvement or perhaps it didn’t appear the way you had hoped, you may have made some mistakes. A poorly designed landing page can hurt your ranking and reduce visitors’ satisfaction.
Visitors that click on a landing page tend to make their mind up very quickly. Google claims that visitors to a webpage will have their minds made up on the site within 17 milliseconds after they click on the link. So if your landing page doesn’t offer the user a good offer, or it is slow to load, or it’s not clear in what it is offering the chances are the visitor will leave the site. It might leave the potential visitor with a bad, long-lasting impression on the site.
Unbounce offers lots of different packages that can help your landing page. The unbounce pricing tends to vary and they also offer free trials so developers can see the benefits before they spend their money.
The Website’s Loading Speed
Page load speed is another very important factor to consider when designing a website. Pages that take a long time to fully load the page’s content tend to have a high bounce rate. Users find sluggish websites frustrating and very few visitors tend to spend a long time on these sites.
Not only will a slow website increase the site’s bounce rate, but it will also affect the site’s ranking on Google. Google recommends that each page takes less than 2.5 seconds to fully load.
Web developers can use these tips to help them improve the speed at which their website loads:
- Optimize images: Sometimes the images used on a webpage can create a delay in the loading of the page. Designers are advised to optimize and resize these images to help the page load faster. There is a wide range of imaging tools available to help you optimize images.
- Change your server: If the server that you are using is slow to respond to your visitor’s request you might want to consider changing your hosting provider. You might also consider upgrading some of the hardware that you are using.
- Consider removing plugins: Plugins are a great tool to allow your visitors to interact with your site however they often take a long time for them to load. Make sure your plugins are up to date as outdated plugins can cause your site to slow down.
- Alter third-party scripts: Often it might not be the coding or content on your site that is causing the delay. A third-party script like a popup ad can cause your website issues. Consider changing your ad provider if this is causing problems.
The faster your website loads, the better for the user and your ranking on major search engines.
Summary
Having a well-designed website can help make or break a company online. The average internet user doesn't take long to make up their mind, so website owners better are prepared to have their site looking great and to the point to make sure they compete with similar sites.
Well designed sites will allow you to boost your Google ranking, allowing you to gain a larger audience and a better chance of gaining more potential customers.
Online Threat Alerts Security Tips
Pay the safest way
Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.
Guard your personal information
In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.
Be careful of the information you share
Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with
Know who you’re dealing with
Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.
Check your accounts
Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.
Don’t believe promises of easy money
If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.
Do not open email from people you don’t know
If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.
Think before you click
If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.
Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond
If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.
Be careful with links and new website addresses
Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.
Secure your personal information
Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.
Stay informed on the latest cyber threats
Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.
Use Strong Passwords
Strong passwords are critical to online security.
Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs
Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.
Update the operating systems on your electronic devices
Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.
What if You Got Scammed?
Stop Contact With The Scammer
Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.
Secure Your Finances
- Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
- Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:
- Equifax
- Experian
- TransUnion
Check Your Computer
If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.
Change Your Account Passwords
Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.
Report The Scam
Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.
Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:
- Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
- Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
- Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.
How To Recognize a Phishing Scam
Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.
Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:
Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might
- say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
- claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
- say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
- include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
- want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
- say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
- offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real
About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)
Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.
By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.
With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.
Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.
Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).