Nowadays, getting a website up and running isn't nearly as difficult as it once was. Optimizing the design of that website for improved user experience (UX), on the other hand, continues to be something that marketers struggle with.
In fact, according to a report from the Society of Digital Agencies (SoDA) , 77% of agencies believe that poor website UX is a weakness for their clients, making poor UX the most significant weakness agencies identified. 
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To help you better understand what today's emerging web design trends are and where you should be focusing your energy, we've compiled some of the most recent stats and data on website design, website optimization, and UX. Let's dive in ...
17 Statistics That Make the Case for Smarter Website and User Experience Design
General Web Design Stats
1)  Given 15 minutes to consume content, two-thirds of people would rather read something beautifully designed than something plain. (Source: Adobe )
2) 39% of people will stop engaging with a website if images won’t load or take too long to load. (Source: Adobe )  
3) 51% of people think "thorough contact information" is the most important element missing from many company websites. (Source: KoMarketing )
4)  38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content/layout is unattractive. (Source: Adobe )
5)  44% of website visitors will leave a company's website if there's no contact information or phone number. (Source: KoMarketing )
Website Optimization Statistics
6) Between December 2013 and December 2015, tablet internet consumption grew by 30%. (Source: comScore )
7) Between December 2013 and December 2015, smartphone internet consumption grew by 78%. (Source: comScore )
8) Between December 2013 and December 2015, desktop internet consumption dropped by 1%. (Source: comScore )
9)  Mobile devices now account for nearly 2 of every 3 minutes spent online. (Source: comScore )
10) 13% of adults access the internet via mobile only. 11% access the internet via desktop only. (Source: comScore )
11)  40% of smartphone and tablet owners search for B2B products on those devices. (Source: KoMarketing ) 
Usability and User Experience Design Stats
12)  47% of website visitors check out a company's products/services page before looking at any other sections of the site. (Source: KoMarketing )
13)  Once on a company's homepage, 86% of visitors want to see information about that company's products/services. (Source: KoMarketing )
14)  Once on a company's homepage, 64% of visitors want to see the company's contact information. (Source: KoMarketing )
15)  Once on a company's homepage, 52% of visitors want to see "about us" information. (Source: KoMarketing )
16)  After reaching a company's website via a referral site, 50% of visitors will use the navigation menu to orient themselves. (Source: KoMarketing )
17)  After reaching a company's website via a referral site, 36% of visitors will click on the company's logo to reach the homepage. (Source: KoMarketing )
What other interesting stats have you seen about website design and optimization? Share them in the comments section below.
Editor's Note: This post was originally published in July 2013 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.