The 5-Second Rule: Does Your Website Pass the Test?
You’ve heard of the 5-Second Rule, right? The one that says if you drop a piece of food on the floor, you have 5 seconds to pick it up before it becomes too contaminated to eat?
Actually, that one’s probably a myth. (Sorry.) But this 5-Second Rule isn’t:
Your customers should know within the first 5 seconds of visiting your website what you do, why they should care, and how to take action.
Yep, 5 measly seconds. With today’s short attention spans, that’s all the time you have to initially engage your target audience so they stay on your website and not go back to the Google search results to find something else.
Take a look at your current website’s homepage and ask yourself:
Does the copy at the top clearly describe what you do?
Does the copy at the top clearly communicate your value proposition?
Does the copy at the top contain a clear call-to-action?
Notice how I said “the copy at the top.” Since you only have 5 seconds to engage your audience, it’s important that the copy “above the fold” (what is shown on the screen before the user scrolls) clearly communicates all of the above.
That’s no easy feat. Which is why your website copy needs to be super clear and concise instead of trying to be too clever. (See my last blog post for more on clear vs. clever copy).
Do these websites pass the 5-Second Test?
I glanced at a couple websites to see if they passed the 5-Second Test with me. Here are the results.
Cedar.com
Cedar.com is a very well-designed and well-written website. I love the branding and bold imagery. I also love the multiple link buttons that give the user an option to learn more or get a demo.
However, it didn’t pass the 5-Second Test for a few key reasons:
The logo and name convey a tree or the outdoors, though this product has nothing to do with either.
The headline is clever, but not clear enough. Is this a charity? An environmental charity, perhaps, considering the logo?
The subhead is also not clear enough. “Financial engagement platform” is very broad. And this is the first time that anything about healthcare is mentioned. The logo, top menu, banner image, and headline don’t indicate this is a healthcare product.
But wait – if you scroll down just a bit, you’ll see this:
Oh, I see now! Cedar is a patient billing service for doctors. Within 5 seconds of reading this headline, I knew exactly what the product was about, its target audience, and its value proposition.
THIS copy should be at the top. Unfortunately, with the current header copy, their target audience (doctors) may not think this service is something for them at first glance, and then promptly leave the page. A simple change in hierarchy may make a big difference in engagement rates.
5-Second Test Score: D
Podium.com
Podium.com has a very clean look and clear copy. I can immediately tell by the headline that it provides messaging tools for local business. Because that’s exactly what it says. They just get right to the point without trying to be clever.
The subhead clarifies further by mentioning texting and how it can bring value to their business. My only suggestion here would be to make this more of a “you” value statement, like “Improve your customer engagement through our easy-to-use text messaging platform.” But otherwise, it passes the 5-Second Test.
Finally, it contains a very clear call-to-action of “Watch Demo” that’s in two places – the header image and the top menu. There’s no mistake what Podium.com wants their audience to do.
Within 5 seconds, I was curious enough to scroll down the page to learn more. When I did, I got further clarification of their product thanks to an animated demo of their messaging platform:
I love how they show you what it looks like right off the bat while clarifying the message in the header.
5-Second Test Score: A
Does your website pass the 5-Second Test?
Running a 5-Second Test on your website can help you optimize the copy and design to provide a better user experience and ultimately improve your conversion rate.
The best way to do this is by showing your website to a test group comprised of those in your target audience. If you don’t have an appropriate test group to reach out to, UsabilityHub can help you facilitate a 5-Second Test with actionable results.
After you analyze the results of your first test, you can make appropriate adjustments to your website’s copy and design. Then, test again to see if your changes improved results. If not, keep testing and keep optimizing!
