When most companies discuss website redesigns, it’s often about making things look more visually attractive. However, a beautiful website does not always mean a functional or effective one. When working with a website design company, ensure that they understand the importance of optimizing the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) and will take the time to educate you about its role in the success of your business.
What is UI/UX?
UI refers directly to what the user actually comes face to face with on your site. This may include components such as:
- Hero Images
- Videos
- Calls-To-Actions
- Icons
On the other hand, UX is the experience users have when interacting with your company’s website and other digital platforms. Key components of UX include, but are not limited to:
- Navigation
- Site Search and Content
- Load Times
- Clear Direction For User
Why Should You Focus on UI/UX?
People have to be able to comfortably interact with your website in order for them to take any action. For example, you want to make sure that important information is easy to find and understand. If your site takes too long to load, is difficult to navigate, has excessively detailed content, or malfunctions, users will “bounce” or leave the site and look elsewhere for answers. For example, if you are an eCommerce company and the shopping cart function is difficult to manage or find, or takes too long to load, you’ll likely see high cart abandonment.
A well thought-out and planned UI/UX design will keep users highly engaged with your site and more inclined to return to your business.
Designing With Your Buyer Persona in Mind
The ideal customer is typically more than one demographic, which is why it’s important to know the different personas interacting with your brand. Consider things like:
- Age
- Gender
- Careers
- Goals
- Location
Once you know your personas, you can better determine what they like to see and how they will interact with your site. You can then create a more personalized user experience with paths designed with their specific wants and needs in mind.
Demographics aside, there are many factors that will help you determine what a good experience will look like for your audience. Use tools like Google Analytics to see which pages have a high bounce rate and what terms people are searching for on your site. Keeping this type of information in mind will help you change and adapt your strategies to better serve your audience and offer a better user experience.
Technology and web design should support and help guide you towards your business goals, not distract from them. CompuSmart is a full-service IT company that specializes in UI/UX design and offers a variety of reliable solutions to mitigate and manage any of your web design or IT challenges, before they take a toll on your business’ overall profit and efficiency.
