Every platform you market on, including your website, social media platforms, directories, email, and forums, collectively contribute to your online exposure. But since most customers need to come to your website to seek more details or make a purchase, a website is usually the central piece of the puzzle.
As it directly impacts your business’s reputation, your website needs to deliver an optimal user experience.
First impressions can be the last — and that’s especially true for user experience (UX). Deliver poor UX, and your customers leave your website before purchasing or signing up for your newsletter. Guide them effectively through all stages of the buyer journey — and you get them to stay longer, and hopefully keep coming back for more.
It’s also UX that ultimately keeps people on the page after your other marketing channels have led the customer to your website. In fact, studies suggest that 89% of people have left a website with poor UX and switched to a competitor’s website at some point.
If you can imagine how much of a damage this can do to your revenue, you’ll see how valuable UX is for your business.
In this guide, we delve into how you can fix your website’s UX to drive more sales and keep your audiences engaged.
User experience (or UX) is about creating a hassle-free, smooth, and meaningful user journey on your website so that users can quickly find what they are looking for.
Your website’s layout and design, the ease of navigation, the quality of your content, and even your page load time can affect the UX. At its core, UX is about intuitively understanding what users expect—and how to deliver it in the most pleasant and quickest way possible.
Here’s an example: When you open the Uber app, you want the app to quickly let you input your location and destination information, understand how long you’ll have to wait, find a car type that suits your budget, and book it quickly. In case the ride gets canceled, it must offer a meaningful apology and help you book the next one seamlessly. If Uber does all of this every single time, you’ll keep returning as a customer and build trust in their brand. That’s the power of UX.
Your website should be easy on the eyes and easy to explore.
You need to ensure that the entire website is designed with the user in mind, focusing on aesthetics, readability, and overall ease of interaction. For instance, you could use a font size that’s bigger than the ones standard websites use if your target audience is senior citizens.
Basically, put yourself in the shoes of the buyer and see what would make it easiest for them to navigate your website and transact with you—and go from there.
It will have great benefits for your business’s bottom line too. A well-designed user interface can drive conversions (i.e. making a purchase or subscribing to a newsletter) by up to 200%.
Best Practices for Designing a User-Friendly Interface:
Intuitive navigation clears the way for the users of your website to quickly do what they came to do there. The standard UX rule is: they should be able to get anywhere on the website they need to be within less than 3 clicks.
Clearly labeled product categories, a visible search bar, and clear call-to-action (CTA) buttons all facilitate easy navigation. Not only does this minimize their time and effort, but you also show them that you value their time.
Best Practices for Creating an Intuitive Navigation:
A well-defined content strategy is like a well-thought-out blueprint for your communication.
When you create content around keywords your customers actively look for, offer information and advice that’s valuable for them, and write in a tone that your customers resonate with—you anticipate what they need. When they visit your web page, they will be more engaged and read your content for longer.
This will not only improve the overall user experience but also get you SEO wins. There’s evidence that search engines reward content that keeps users on the page for longer with higher rankings.
Best Practices for Defining a Content Strategy:
Personalization involves customizing user experiences by adapting content, recommendations, or features based on individual preferences and behaviors. This deepens users’ connection to the brand as you are able to anticipate their needs on an individual level.
This also increases engagement, encourages repeat visits, and builds a positive perception, ultimately amplifying online presence.
Best Practices for Personalizing Your Content:
Visual hierarchy is about strategically organizing and presenting visual elements on your website or online platform based on their importance to improve website readability, facilitate easy navigation, and enable users to take action easily.
This in turn improves the overall UX.
Example:
A homepage with a good visual hierarchy will have a bold and contrasting headline to capture immediate attention. This will be followed by clear and concise subheadings to lead users through the content.
Eventually, CTAs like “Sign Up” or “Shop Now,” are prominently displayed, inviting users to take desired actions. This arrangement of elements directs users’ focus and provides a smooth interaction.
Best Practices for Designing a Visual Hierarchy:
Section | Font Size |
Header | Up to 32 px |
Subheader | 18px to 22px |
Body copy | 14px to 16px |
Visual Hierarchy
Source: Pepper Content
Consistent branding is about keeping the visual elements like logos, color schemes, and typography consistent across different pages and interactions as a harmonious brand identity makes a brand appear more trustworthy and recognizable across different channels.
Consistent branding also strengthens brand recall value and in this way, amplifies online presence.
Best Practices for Keeping Branding Consistent:
Interactive elements like audio, video, and dynamic visual elements, captivate visitors, making them explore your site for a prolonged duration. The user experience becomes distinctive and enjoyable, triggering constant returns to the website and conversions.
While interactive elements contribute positively to online presence, they are not mandatory for all websites. A website’s nature, its content, and the target audience determine if interactive elements are required.
For instance, e-commerce platforms, portfolios, or interactive applications are apt for having interactive elements. Informational websites, blogs, or websites with a more straightforward purpose will typically not require interactive features.
The key is to align the use of interactive elements with the goals and user expectations of the website. If the inclusion of interactive elements enhances the user journey, supports the content, and aligns with the overall brand image, without compromising on the website’s usability then it can be a valuable strategy.
Best Practices for Designing Interactive Elements:
Intuitive forms make it easier for users to complete tasks without any obstacles.
They also reduce unnecessary steps, ask for information in a logical order, include features like auto-fill suggestions and real-time validation, and provide clear labels and guidance.
Making forms easier to fill makes it more likely that they will completely fill it up and sign up or enquire with you.
Best Practices for Creating User-Friendly Forms:
User-Friendly Forms for UX
Source: Prototype.io
Accessible web design ensures that your website is inclusive and user-friendly for individuals with disabilities. Addressing this need is critical not only for ethical purposes but also to gain a distinct competitive advantage in the digital ecosystem.
90% of websites remain inaccessible to individuals with disabilities. And almost 98.1% of home pages fall short of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0.
When you make your website accessible, you broaden your potential audience and create a positive online experience for all. This inclusivity generates appreciation for your brand, which in turn can strengthen its reputation, and amplify its online presence.
Best Practices for Making Web Design Accessible:
Responsive design means that your website seamlessly adjusts its layout and functionality to suit various screen sizes.
Whether users access your site from a desktop, tablet, or smartphone, the content and features are automatically optimized to provide a smooth browsing experience and prolonged engagement with the content.
Nearly 59% of internet traffic comes from mobile devices, but many websites offer a subpar experience there. Considering this will set you apart and make your website seem more trustworthy.
Best Practices for Making Web Design Responsive:
Responsive Design
Source: Kinsta
Feedback mechanisms collect opinions, preferences, and suggestions directly from users in real-time.
Analyzing these insights can help you understand your audience better and tailor your strategies accordingly. You can also respond to feedback through various channels, including online platforms, surveys, customer support channels, and social media.
You can also acknowledge feedback publicly, address concerns, provide solutions to issues raised, or express gratitude for positive feedback. But the best way to use these insights is to make improvements to your products, services, or user experiences.
Best Practices to Design Feedback Mechanisms:
These tools provide valuable insights into user interactions, showing you where they click and how they navigate through your site.
Tool | Key Features | Benefits |
Google Analytics | Offers comprehensive insights into user behavior Tracks page views, bounce rates, and user journey paths Uses features like behavior flow to understand how users navigate your site | Identifies high-performing pages Optimizes pages with high bounce rates Refines website structure and content strategy Directly impacts user satisfaction and SEO rankings |
PageSpeed Insights | Analyzes website speed performance Evaluates elements impacting page speed (e.g., image optimization, server response time) Provides a score with actionable suggestions | Directly improves SEO performance Enhances user experience by reducing waiting times Gives actionable recommendations for optimizing site speed |
Microsoft Clarity | Offers free tools — session recordings, heatmaps Session recordings examine user behavior in real-time Heatmaps highlight user clicks, scrolls, and attention areas | Determines user behavior as it happens Identifies areas of user engagement Optimizes website based on user interactions |
HotJar | Offers tools like heatmaps and session recordings Offers survey and feedback tools for direct user input Integrates with tools like HubSpot, Mixpanel, and Google Analytics | Understands user interactions Gathers direct input from users Creates customizable feedback forms Offers collaboration features Integrates with leading tools for enhanced insights |
Core Web Vitals Tools | Offers dedicated tools for Core Web Vitals metrics (LCP, FID, CLS) Metrics focus on loading speed, interaction responsiveness, visual stability Is important for SEO ranking | Optimize Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) for faster loading times Minimize First Input Delay (FID) for instant responsiveness Reduce Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) for a stable browsing experience Enhances user satisfaction through improved website performance |
Improving your website’s UX is key to attracting and retaining users, but is not easy. There are many quick fixes that you can implement, but additional skill and expertise may be required fully optimize your site.
If you don’t have the time to learn UX tactics and apply them effectively or would rather not touch something you don’t have professional experience in — we are here to help.
Unframed Digital has a team of experts who understand the intricacies of UX optimization to help you deliver memorable digital experiences. Contact us today to get started.