Did you know that 88 percent of website visitors who have a negative experience will not return? Most people are familiar with the term “user experience,” or UX, which is used by web designers, developers, and marketers to describe how a website functions for its visitors. You say you understand the phrase, but can you explain it?
“All aspects of the end-interaction user’s with the company, its services, and its products” is one definition of user experience among many. This is the Nielsen-Norman Group.
In other words, “User Experience” (or “UX”) refers to the quality of the experience a user has while interacting with a given design. UX Network – UXnet.org
What a user goes through when interacting with a website; also known as the “customer experience” when discussing online stores. — UsabilityFirst.com
In contrast to the user interface, the user experience is what matters most (UI). UserTesting.com describes a user interface as “the sequence of screens, pages, and visual elements—like buttons and icons—that you use to interact with a device.”
Both the user experience and the user interface of your website design should be taken into consideration when developing a WordPress site.
What Does User Experience Include?
Semantic Studios identifies seven pillars that make up a good UX. User Experience Honeycomb is the name given to this diagram. According to this model and its accompanying diagram, any given online resource must:
- Useful
- Usable
- Desirable
- Findable
- Accessible
- Credible
- Valuable
Does the information and layout of your website address a problem that users face? Can customers find what they need on your website?
Simply put, is your website easy to navigate? Could a child understand it?
Good question: Is your website’s layout user-friendly and attractive? Could you imagine yourself interacting with it? Does it attract the attention of the user?
Findable: Can people quickly locate the data they require? Is it easy to locate your site when searching online?
Can everyone use your website easily? Does it cater to people with special needs?
How trustworthy is the data presented on your website? Can people put their faith in the information they find on your site? Reputational assessments of websites are said to be based on visual appeal 75% of the time.
Positivity: Does the sum of your website’s content, design, and functionality satisfy visitors?
The marketing copy you use on your website, as well as the URL structure, all play a role in the impression that a user gets of your brand.
Why Should I Care About My Website’s User Experience (UX)?
It is crucial to give website visitors a fulfilling and enjoyable experience. If you don’t put user experience first on your website, you could be jeopardising your brand’s image, your customers’ loyalty, and your bottom line.
Brand Reputation
What impression does a poorly designed or unappealing website leave you with when you visit a brand? That’s not the most pleasant of ideas.
According to the research, the design accounts for almost all of the initial impression. To add insult to injury, nearly 60% of users report they will not recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile site. The overall UX of your site can have an indelible effect on the online reputation of your brand, regardless of the device your visitors use to access your site.
Providing exceptional service to people who visit your website is always a smart move for your company’s reputation.
Customer Loyalty
It may come as a surprise to learn that 52% of users have reported being dissuaded from further interaction with a company due to a negative mobile experience. Have you also heard that if a user is dissatisfied with their experience on a website, they are likely to look elsewhere?
If your website isn’t user-friendly or doesn’t contain the information visitors need, they have no reason to stick around. If your company is having trouble keeping and attracting new customers, you may want to look into revamping your website’s user experience (UX).
Sales
User experience should be your top concern if your company’s website is intended to generate online sales. Why? Websites that take too long to load can cost businesses as much as $2.6 billion annually.
The quality of a visitor’s interaction with your website is a major factor in whether or not they make a purchase. Sixty percent of users who don’t buy give reasons like being dissatisfied, having too little information, having a slow connection, or having a too-small screen.
Check out how well your website is converting visitors into buyers. Is it just right for you? It’s possible that a bad web design or user interface is to blame.
5 Tips for Improving Your Website’s User Experience
It’s time to put your newfound knowledge of why user experience matters into practise when designing websites. These suggestions can help you create a more satisfying online experience for your site visitors.
1. User Testing is Imperative
Using user testing, you can see if your website is up to par in terms of the seven criteria that make up a good user experience. Many online resources can help you get the results you need from user tests, even if some of them call for a large team, a large budget, and a controlled environment.
UserTest.io is a powerful and cheap tool for gathering website feedback. You can get feedback on your website’s layout, content, and functionality, among other things, by using this tool. You can save time, money, and energy, and you can learn a lot about your website visitors’ likes and dislikes.
2. Ask Customers How You Can Improve
The question itself is harmless, right? Send an email to buyers asking for feedback on their experience using the site after they’ve made a purchase. If you want a certain response, ask a certain question, rather than leaving it open-ended.
Also, while customers are on your site, you can poll them about their impressions. Pop-ups are a common method for conducting these surveys, but in-site chat boxes are preferred because they do not disrupt the user’s experience.
3. Review Your Site Flow
Examine your site’s blueprint, also known as a sitemap, to see how it’s organised. How well-organized is the website’s navigation for users?
Keep in mind that one of the most important aspects of UX is ensuring that users can quickly and easily locate the specific content they’re looking for on your site. It’s time to rethink your site’s structure and flow if users have to go through a number of nonsensical hoops to get to the information they need.
Rely on a user testing tool to learn which paths on your site are simple and which are complex before making any major changes.
4. Use Headings to Your Advantage
Proper headings, in addition to a well-organized site, can help a visitor find the information they’re looking for. These should be your headings:
- Informative
- Concise
- Actionable
- Intriguing
- Optimized
Headings serve two purposes: they introduce a topic to the reader and they direct the reader to the relevant information and content.
5. Have an Authentic Website Design
Referring back to the Nielsen-Norman Group’s definition of user experience, your website is a part of a potential customer’s total experience with your brand. Users will notice if your website’s design is dated. If you’re trying to do too much with your website’s design at once or using design trends that have since died, it will hurt your brand’s reputation. Make sure the design of your website adheres to your company’s brand standards guide if you have one.
What plans do you have to enhance the user experience of your website in light of these UX definitions and pointers? Leave a comment and tell us what you think.
