How we feel as we visit a website can make all the difference in how long we stay, how much we purchase, and whether or not we return. We must realize that there are both positive and negative feelings. In this article, I discuss three of the positive emotions we, as website designers and/or owners should aspire to.

Emotion #1. Pure delight with a newly visited website offers surprise and joy because there are so many others that elicit negative feelings and emotions.

• A website can be fun and exciting. It is our assignment to figure out ways to make them so. Interesting, ever-changing and updated content, helpful resources, free offers and surveys, along with well written e-newsletters all combine to succeed with this reaction.
• The website has just what you are looking for -- either in the form of information or the product of your dreams at the perfect price and with an easy to use shopping-cart experience.
• The website portrays the perfect tone for its purpose. If it is a designers site, it has an artistic feeling. If it is a photographers site, the photos are breathtaking. If it is a technology site, it is crisp and technologically distinct. You get the picture.

Emotion #2. Warmth will help with setting up rapport and trust with your visitor.

• Many websites have good, clean, corporate looking designs -- and even straight forward navigation -- but, for me, are a turnoff because they lack personality and warmth. They are too, too corporate.
• What provides warmth? Personally, I like to see photos -- and not obviously stock photos. If I am going to be doing business with the company owner, I want to know what he or she looks like.
• Warm and friendly colors -- not jarring lime greens and bright pinks -- can also provide warmth in a subtle and refreshing way.

Emotion #3. Community and sharing go a long way in establishing repeat visitors.

• A site that offers a discussion area, articles of interest, an e-newsletter with an easy way to send feedback and serves a common target market and/or area also offers a sense of community.
• Blogs are a perfect example of community and sharing. This is why, in my opinion, they have become so popular.

I know that you can think of many more positive emotions and ways to achieve them on your website. It takes some extra work, thought and effort, but it will pay back with happy and often returning visitors -- and sales, too!