84% of visitors judge companies based on their website.
The Stanford Web Credibility Project found that over 80% of respondents link a company's trustworthiness directly to the design of its website ( Stanford Web Credibility, 2024 ). In concrete terms: if a website looks outdated, its trustworthiness suffers.
First impressions form in milliseconds
Studies by Carleton University show that people form a first opinion about a website in less than 50 milliseconds – based on both visual and functional impressions ( Carleton University, Tuch et al. 2012; Lindgaard et al., 2006) .
Poor usability costs trust and revenue
The Nielsen Norman Group (2022) emphasizes: "An outdated or cluttered web design is perceived as a sign of a lack of professionalism. ( Nielsen Norman Group 2022 ; Elaboratum 2022
Design even influences willingness to pay
A study in the Journal of Internet Commerce (2021) examined how aesthetic elements – colours, hierarchy, layout, whitespace, font type, image arrangement, use of motion – influence users' trust and willingness to pay. The current Design Trends 2025 show which design principles are relevant today.