The Persuasive Architecture of Destination Websites: The Effect on First Impressions

The design of websites can be a powerful tool to influence information seeking and choice. Recent studies have indicated that designing websites which evoke a favourable first impression is extremely important. The goal of this study was to investigate the key design factors in the formation of impressions towards web interfaces. An empirical study based on a self-report questionnaire was conducted and found that design elements related to inspiration, usability and credibility were significant drivers in the formation of first impression towards web interfaces. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the empirical results and directions for future study.

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