In the digital world, your website is your first impression. And according to a recent study, 94% of users say design is the reason they don’t trust a website. Not your prices. Not your testimonials. Not even your years of experience. Just the way your site looks and feels—within seconds.
If that number stops you in your tracks, it should.
At Harper Lane Productions, we work with businesses who are great at what they do—but who are losing leads and trust because their digital presence doesn’t reflect it. Let’s break down why design is so much more than aesthetics—and what it says about your business.
Trust Starts with the Look—Not the Pitch
You might have a great offer. You might even have a strong reputation. But if someone lands on your website and the layout is dated, the fonts are inconsistent, or the navigation is clunky, they’re likely to bounce before they read a word of your content.
Design is credibility. It communicates, within seconds, whether you take your business seriously—and whether they should take you seriously too.
The Red Flags That Erode Trust
Poor design doesn’t just “look off”—it signals disorganization and lack of care. Here are a few common trust killers we see:
- Outdated themes or page builders
- Stock images that feel generic or irrelevant
- Inconsistent fonts and clashing colors
- Slow load times, especially on mobile
- Broken links or hard-to-find navigation
If your site hasn’t been updated in years, or if it was built quickly without strategy, your visitors will feel it. And they won’t stick around.
You Don’t Need a Flashy Site—You Need a Credible One
A high-performing website doesn’t have to be trendy. It has to be clean, clear, and user-focused. When design supports the message instead of distracting from it, your content—and your offer—can actually do its job.
A well-designed site should:
- Reflect your brand’s voice and values
- Be easy to navigate on all devices
- Load quickly and perform smoothly
- Make it easy to contact you or convert
Design isn’t about bells and whistles. It’s about trust, clarity, and ease. If your site makes a user hesitate, you’ve likely already lost the sale.
What Does Your Website Say About You?
Think about your own browsing habits. If you land on a website that looks disorganized, out of date, or hard to navigate—do you trust the business behind it?
Now flip the lens.
Your website is often the first (and sometimes only) place a potential client interacts with your brand. If it looks neglected, visitors will assume the same about the rest of your business—even if that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Harper Lane Productions: Building Websites That Build Trust
At Harper Lane Productions, we help service-based businesses and local brands level up their digital presence with websites that reflect their quality, professionalism, and credibility.
We design with intention:
- Clean, responsive layouts
- Fast, mobile-friendly performance
- Clear messaging aligned with your brand
- Visual cohesion across your entire marketing ecosystem
Because if your website doesn’t feel trustworthy, your marketing efforts will always be working twice as hard.
