35+ Website Design Industry Statistics: All You Need to Know in 2023

As the rest of the world tries to make a mark in the online industry, establishing a name and standing out is more complicated than ever. 

As of 2023, about 66% of all businesses promote online, and as more customers opt to find new products and services through the internet, this number is bound to rise. 

The key to setting your business apart from this crowd is website design. 

Get those customers hooked from the get-go with impeccable website organization and navigation and a top-notch user system, and you’ve got yourself a solid starting point. 

To know more about the web designing industry, check out the recent statistics surrounding its usage and impact. 

Website Design Industry Statistics for 2023

There are 27 million website developers worldwide as of 2023. With the current demand for this profession, the total count is expected to increase to 28.7 million by 2024. 

Here are some exciting and carefully selected website design industry statistics for 2023.

1. A website’s credibility is 75% influenced by its design.

(Web FX)

With as many as 50 billion web pages indexed by search engines, it’s hard to stand out without a well-designed website.

Moreover, customers form negative assumptions about poorly designed websites. A well-designed brings several advantages to your brand, such as:

• Increased brand credibility
• Enhanced trust
• Establishes your uniqueness over competitors

Website design is so important that customers can conclude a business’ legitimacy simply by glancing over its website.

Any actual business that decides to promote online would likely invest money to make themselves presentable—helping customers determine scam sites and products from legitimate ones. 

2. Slow-loading websites lead to annual sales losses of up to $2.6 billion.

(Forbes)

Visitors find slow page loads annoying and can also cost you money.

Website design industry stats reveal that 53% of mobile users will leave a page if it takes more than 3 seconds to load.

This can be influenced by internet speed and device type. However, web developers can limit external factors' impact by ensuring things run smoothly internally. Slow-loading websites can cost businesses roughly $2.6 billion annually. 

3. Users spend an average of 5.94 seconds looking at a website's main image.

(SWEOR)

To make a lasting impression, websites must have an appealing, simple, yet well-detailed main image that communicates the brand effectively at a glance. 

Always remember that branding is crucial. After all, building brand awareness is 89% of marketers' main objective.

Figures and images are among the most eye-catching pieces on your website, so you have to make them count. You can make a good impression on visitors by ensuring those images reflect your brand’s purpose, goals, and vision. 

4. 88% of online consumers will not return to a website following a bad experience.

(SWEOR)

An attractive website could lead to better business. Website data show that even for well-designed websites, only some visitors are patient enough to give their content a chance.

Business owners must focus on making the whole experience suitable for customers—from web design, customer support, and the ordering process to the actual product or service. 

5. About 92.4% of internet users prefer using their phones.

(Data Reportal)

As of 2022, there are 5 billion internet users globally. Of these, 72.6% of smartphone owners will access the internet via these mobile devices.

You must consider your website’s design when presented on mobile devices. 

With the rising number of mobile users, mobile optimization is the logical next step in web designing. 

6. On average, users spend 5.59 seconds on a website's written content.

(SWEOR)

In 2022, the world churned out 94 zettabytes of data, many of which came as written content.

Written content is enough to convey a brand's positive image. However, remember that the internet audience pays the most attention to reads that are 7 minutes long.

Web design statistics show that revealing content step-by-step is more effective than flooding people with content. 

A step-by-step approach means the user can find more valuable material by exploring the website if needed—a useful tip to promote more page clicks and prevent an increasing bounce rate. 

Suppose your website’s content is best presented through text. In that case, there are many strategies to consider regarding web design to help keep visitors’ attention and pique interest. 

7. 88% of users stay longer on web pages with videos.

(Web FX)

Videos have been proven to get people's attention better than images and texts. A recent survey says that 79% of shoppers prefer watching a video over reading about a product.

Overall, videos increase customers' engagement with a website page and can influence purchasing decisions.

8. 85% of shoppers say that color is a primary factor that affects their purchasing decisions.

(Crazy Egg)

Reports further show that 66% of customers claim they will only buy products that come in their color of interest. 

People are naturally sentimental about colors. Therefore, a website must have the perfect colors to suit different images on a page.

9. 54% of users prefer personal online experiences.

(Global Web Index)

The 2022 website design statistics have shown that consumers prefer tailored online experiences.

Website design industry stats have also shown that 93% of companies have seen a boost in conversion after applying personalization.

To personalize your customer's online experience, you can tailor your content to individuals based on their location, birthday, and browsing history.

General Website Design Statistics

While fancy website design is visually appealing, it has many advantages beyond the surface level. Investing in a professional-looking website saves time and money for businesses of all sizes.

Aside from helping you gain loyal customers, a good website designer can help create a website optimized for conversions, leading to more sales for a business.

Here are the most crucial website design facts you need to know.

10. 48% of website visitors judge its credibility through design. 

(SWEOR)

Almost half of all website visitors place that much weight on web design. 

Your website will reflect the impact on your target audience—it is the image you project for all to see. 

People will know you through it and judge your company by the quality of your website.

11. 8 out of 10 consumers would only engage with content that could display better on their device.

(SWEOR)

There are so many reasons to invest in your website. Content formatting that looks good on every device will be highly appreciated by 80% of users.

In 2023, mobile devices will be king, and 83% of mobile consumers anticipate a faultless experience when visiting any website on mobile devices.

Optimizing your website’s design for mobile simply increases the chances of reaching more people. 

12. Consumer online reviews are trusted as much as personal recommendations by 88%.

(Invesp)

Reviews are great for persuading people about product quality because 90% of customers globally rely on them when finding new businesses.

Everybody consults ratings and reviews before investing money, so countless opportunities here exist.

Keep in mind that a good reputation comes with good reviews.

13. 68% of the companies that developed a mobile-first website saw increased sales.

(SAG ipl)

Google enabled mobile-first indexing in 2016. Since then, websites' "lives" have changed significantly.

Those that adapt quickly are rewarded with the day's most incredible prizes.

Search engines prioritize mobile-first websites, it’s the perfect place to start with web designing if you want to reach more users. 

14. There were about 200 million active websites in 2022. 

(Siteefy)

There are almost 2 billion websites globally, and about 43.2% of these sites are running on WordPress.

• In 2022, there were 5.3 billion unique mobile users in the world.
• The smartphone penetration rate will be 85% by 2023. 

Also, nearly 67.9% of digital ad spending in 2022 comes from mobile.

The growing online and web design industry are proof of the increasing online presence among businesses and communities. 

15. Do-it-yourself platforms for web development in the cloud are currently worth $24 billion in the US. 

(Web FX)

They also experience a 4.9% annual growth.

Website builder platforms are a great way to start afresh. You can invest your time and save some money. Some of the top website builders on the market are:

• Wix
• Shopify
• Webflow
• Weebly
• WordPress
• Hostinger

Prices vary greatly depending on certain features, though everyone can have an excellent website for their budget.

As the online community becomes a place of unlimited opportunities for small businesses, do-it-yourself web-building platforms allow users to put themselves on the map for a much lower price (if not free). 

16. 62% of companies increased their sales by designing responsive website mobile platforms.

(SAG ipl)

Google evaluates the quality of your responsive design before deciding where to rank your website. It is one of your to-do list's most crucial web development elements.

Besides, websites are supposed to be a platform for visitors to get to know your brand without having an actual human to guide them. So making it to be responsive on its own is a must.  

17. Mobile ad spending will amount to $240 billion by 2022.

(HubSpot)

2020 was the year website designers focused on perfecting the art of mobile-friendly website design. This is what enables mobile marketing as well. 

That same year, 55% of website traffic came from mobile—proving their efforts paid off.

Mobile ads accounted for 70% of all digital ad revenue in 2020. More than that, mobile ad spending worldwide amounted to $199 billion. This value is set to increase by $41 billion in 2022.

Mobile officially takes over the market after years of investment and growth. A recent survey shows that 35% of US consumers use mobile devices for internet shopping.

Any business owner planning to conquer the world of online advertising should consider adapting their websites to mobile viewing. After all, search engines give merit to mobile websites and good UX.

18. 73% of companies are investing in design to differentiate their brands.

(Web FX)

Personalization is necessary to be unique and attract a vast audience. Pay attention to the importance of website design and create your miracle.

Anyone can use websites to sell their product. 

However, customers are looking for that extra experience to solidify their preference between brands—make sure your brand has that extra touch. 

19. 94% of customers say lousy design leads to distrust of websites.

(Clique)

It’s a fact that first impressions matter. If you plan to sell your business online, you want to make a good impression to encourage customers to trust you. 

An easy way to establish credibility is by creating a conducive and neat design that gives off the feel of professionalism. 

Fair enough because pretty things have always attracted many people, and it's only natural.

20. 46% of users trust online reviews as if they were personal recommendations.

(Bright Local)

It is a great idea to include customers' opinions on your homepage. That way, you will brag about the excellent quality of your product or service and attract even more attention to it.

This is also a sign to ensure the inclusion of product review sections in your website to establish credibility. 

Reviews show that many customers have enjoyed and trusted your product or service—making potential customers likelier to trust you, too. 

21. 36% of website visitors use the logo to reach homepages on websites.

(Web Alive)

Everything that has to do with website development deserves attention. According to the convention, the company's logo goes at the top left corner, where visitors will look for it. Every detail needs to be more significant.

Following this convention is ensuring that your logo will lead to your homepage—a simple but unspoken pattern for web designing. 

22. 68% of consumers say they have higher expectations for businesses' digital capabilities since COVID-19.

(Salesforce)

This means that this is the time for businesses to experiment with new and interactive technologies that will keep consumers engaged. 

However, it is still vital to nail the basics—a solid website foundation and a mobile-friendly website design.

23. 82% of customers trust a company after reading customer content.

(SAG ipl)

People almost always need a second opinion before making a purchase. Nowadays, they use their smartphones to search for items and the best prices, even while shopping in a physical store.

Researching before purchasing has become a modern necessity.

This statistic proves the importance of creating a solid online presence to keep your customers informed. Any business confident in its product and service won’t have a second thought about publicizing customer content like reviews and testaments. 

Speed and Mobile Statistics

Creativity is paramount if businesses need their clients to remain on their websites. 

Your website must look sophisticated yet accessible for your audience to respect your business and return for more. Yes, this may seem impossible, but it is much easier than it looks.

One other thing that should always be considered, too, is speed. 

Web designers need to make sure the elements used are light and easily accessible to make them available to the general public—this means avoiding features that need specific software to load. 

24. Speed is among the top indicators of page ranks by Google. 

(MOZ)

Speeding up your websites is especially important. Faster sites make users happy.

If you are a website owner, here are some free tools to help you analyze speed:

• Page Speed refers to the time websites load and render a full content page. 
• Web Page Test refers to the assessment of a website’s functionality, usability, and general performance. 
• Yslow is a Yahoo-made browser extension that helps filter websites according to user input criteria. 

If there is no particular problem, but your website could be faster, business owners must consider changing their hosting provider or website building platform. 

You will find various software online, but you may use some top hosting companies like Ultahost and Kamatera for better results.

25. 47% of people expect websites to load in 2 seconds or less.

(Hobo)

The more time it takes to load a website, the higher its bounce rate.

Sites that don’t take more than 2 seconds to load are winners. Users are going to show their appreciation, as you'll see.

The human attention span is now shorter than that of a goldfish which is 9 seconds. In 2000, the average human attention span was 12 seconds. 

In 2015 the average human attention span dropped to 8.5 seconds. 

If you don’t want your efforts in website design to go to waste, add webpage speed into your must-haves, and you’re good to go. 

26. Your website has 15 or fewer seconds to leave an impression on users.

(Crazy Egg)

If you think about it, even that sounds too long. Sometimes after clicking on a website and scanning the design, users can’t help but click off. 

Then there are those difficult-to-exit "celebrity" websites. They have all the best components for a website: they're fast, fabulous, and fashionable.  

Their content seems perfectly organized, not to mention the pictures load fast and are just gorgeous.

This is the part where you apply everything you’ve learned about web design: eye-catching landing pages, great branding and design, and speedy loading. 

27. It takes users 0.05 seconds to decide whether to stay or click off a website. 

(SWEOR)

Quite literally, it takes users a split second to decide whether your website’s worth their time or not. As of 2023, the average bounce rate for websites is between 41% to 55%. 

There is no perfect formula to avoid being a part of this statistic and make users spend more time on websites. 

Business owners must make it work with the help of existing statistics supporting the impact of UX and web designing to keep users’ interest. 

28. Cutting down your website load speed from 8 to 2 seconds can boost your conversion rate by up to 74%.

(Tenacity.io)

The faster your website loads, the more customers you'll have. Remember that loading your page up for more than 1-second leads to a 7% decrease in CR.

An easy way to do this is by constantly testing your website until you achieve the desired results. 

As mentioned in previous statistics, competition is hectic, so you need to stand out. 

29. 38% of users will only revisit your website if it takes less time to load.

(SWEOR)

If your website loads quickly and has brief content, visitors will love it.

The rise of mobile internet over the past few years has fundamentally altered everything.

Here are some essential mobile statistics you need to know.

• In January 2021, there were 4.66 billion unique active mobile internet users.
• Mobile phone penetration worldwide reached 46.45% in 2020.
• Mobile ads account for 70% of all digital ad revenue in 2020.
• In 2020, mobile ad spending worldwide amounted to $199 billion and is expected to surpass 240 billion by 2022.

Mobile marketing is on the red carpet. That's why every dollar invested in responsive design is money well spent.

30. Mobile will account for about 44.2% of US retail e-commerce sales in 2025.

(Insider Intelligence)

2022 website design stats show that in the next 3 years, about 44% of retail e-commerce sales will come from mobile. 

Between 2020 and 2021, m-commerce sales increased by around 15.2% to $359.32 billion. Predictions estimate a climb to $728.28 billion by 2025.

Statistics show that the use of mobile devices is increasing. Online advertising will be successful since more users are expected to spend time on their mobile devices. 

31. 75% of people judge websites on responsive design.

(LinkedIn)

In 2022 a responsive website meant a responsible business. Trends point toward web designs that can work across different devices anytime. 

Not only do consumers and website visitors prefer responsive websites, but it also would make business owners better invest in responsive designs. 

Fortunately, when working with clients, the majority of experienced web developers now take mobile optimization into account. 

However, among other factors, the project budget will probably have an impact. 

Key Website Trends

Aiming for the best mobile website design will help you score big with your audience.

No user will ever complain that the website looks too pretty. On the contrary—the less attractive the website is, the less audience it will attain.

Video Background Stats

It is almost impossible to ignore a video background. It's moving, and there is something so irresistible about it.

The human subconscious is designed to pay special attention to anything in motion.

Think about those first short motion pictures that paved the way for today's movie industry. Everybody wanted to see the moving images. People couldn't resist them in those days.

The statistics below show how videos transform the website designing industry. 

32. When you switch to a video background, there is a 138% improvement in conversion rate.

(Medium, LinkedIn)

Any business you promote will work well with a video background.

Animation breathes life into every website. It is attractive and prevalent among both designers and users. With CSS3 animation, your website will appear fantastic and trendy.

It would help if you had visualizations of whether there will be videos, pictures, and interactive content. 

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. (A cliche, but still so true!) Think about Pinterest—good pictures sell, right?

96% of marketers see videos as essential in their strategy. Clearly, the visual medium is more than just a fad. It is as important as the content itself.

33. 78% of shoppers want e-commerce sites to include more images on their product pages.

(Slazzer)

Images and marketing have been close buddies since the dawn of advertising. 

Even in the early dynasties of China and later on in Ancient Rome, there used to be posters with hand-painted pictures showing different products. 

Similarly, Solve UK claims that 94% of web users prefer content with photos to that without, demonstrating how vital images are in content promotion. 

Besides, having photos to back up your products and services is an easy way to eliminate unnecessary questions regarding product information. 

34. Over 95 million photos and videos are shared on Instagram daily.

(Zippia)

According to IG stats, almost 100 million videos and photos are shared daily on this social media platform. 

It is safe to say that people want to see more pictures and need them to load quickly.

Top Web Design Software

They are convenient, feature-rich, and SEO-friendly. Arguably some are way more expensive than others. It is up to you to decide what fits your ideas and budget. 

Have a quick look at the Top Web Design Software in 2022.

• Adobe Dreamweaver CC—The best web design software for professionals, allowing you to code your website design directly. 
• Wix—This is the best web design and site builder for beginners. It is super affordable and requires no coding. 
• WordPress—Comes with some of the best custom options for beginners. It is also easy to install and comes with pre-built templates.
• Weebly—This is mobile-friendly, affordable, and easy to personalize.
• Webflow—Web-based platform with a crisp drag-and-drop interface. It also produces clean and well-written code.

Web Design Industry Exciting Facts

Designs are susceptible to preference. 

Popular websites likely have a trend regarding the color palettes they use and how the demographics of their target audience perceive those elements. 

These exciting web design facts will pique your interest for sure.

Go Green (or Blue)

It is a web design fact that blue and green are the colors people associate with success.  

Check out the presence of these colors in the biggest platforms in the scene so far. 

35. 57% of people associate the color blue with success.

(BrandonGaille)

Unsurprisingly, online giants like Facebook, Twitter, WordPress, Drupal, and Vkontakte use blue as the primary color for their home pages. 

According to statistics, men and women have different opinions about the least successful colors. Men dislike purple, and women generally respond negatively to orange.

If you need your website to look successful, go with blue or green, and stay away from orange and purple.

The Western vs. Chinese Schools of Website Design

To target the Chinese market, you must know some things in advance.

Still, there is a big difference between those cultures, which has made its mark on how they design their websites.

Can you imagine the homepage of Amazon or eBay?—Creamy colors, lots of space, easy on the eye.

Now, imagine a Chinese website with the following main characteristics. 

• Tons of links on the page usually need to be more apparent.
• No subtle colors—everything is flashy and bright, and red is a favorite.
• Very complicated design.
• Lots of pictures and videos everywhere.

Nowadays, people are used to subtle and fancy-looking sleek designs since they are so satisfying—open a Chinese website, and it'll be a whole different world. 

If you spend some time on their websites, you get used to them, and afterward, you might even miss the bright colors and tons of emojis.

The bottom line is that business owners and web developers need to understand the impact of demographics and target audiences when designing their brands and websites. 

A stronger understanding of your demographics’ preferences will lead to better results. 

36. 98% of all internet users in China are mobile.

(Data Reportal)

Due to this statistic, Chinese-owned websites need to ensure they are mobile-friendly. 

Naturally, different cultures have different expectations when it comes to design. It pays to know your target audience and provide visitors with the desired experience. 

In 2022, China had roughly 1.02 billion internet users, three times more than the US.

Same Old Brand New Websites: Old But Gold

Some of the world's most popular websites were founded over 10 years ago.

Have a look at the timeline here (as of July 2023):

• YouTube was launched on February 14, 2005—18 years old
• Gmail was launched on April 1, 2004—19 years old
• Facebook was launched on February 5, 2004—19 years old
• Wikipedia was launched on January 15, 2001—23 years old
• Google was launched on September 4, 1998—25 years old
• Amazon was launched on July 5, 1994—29 years old
• IMDB was launched on October 17, 1990—32 years old

The Internet age proves that more factors are at play besides website design and UX. Sometimes, websites and platforms need time to establish a good user base. 

Of course, successes from these platforms were only achieved with time, accompanied by comprehensive trial and error of what will work better for their websites. 

Summing It Up

There are certain ingredients you need to have if you want a fantastic website that will give users a great experience.

Invest in mobile optimization, fast website speed, an engaging video background, and high-quality pictures. You'll be on the safe side. 

(Remember to use a lot of blue and green!)

It will be competitive, fast-loading, and loved by search engines. On top of that, it will provide a great user experience and keep them coming back for more.

Website design industry statistics provide a roadmap for a more solid online presence. This inevitably translates into more sales and tremendous business success.

The ball is now in your court. Good luck!