The year was 1997, the internet was young and the dot-com era was beginning to take off. Businesses started noticing the value of an online presence, and the rush to build a website was on. Those successful enough to make a site had a massive advantage in the market. However, the mad rush led to one huge oversight that hurt many websites — the lack of good user experience.
The concept of good user experience and web design was an afterthought during the early days. However, in today’s world, it plays a significant role in the success of any business. Visitors stay on a website when they find the experience enjoyable and easy to use. On the other hand, users who find the experience frustrating will likely leave the site and do business with a competitor.
88% of online consumers are less likely to return to a site after a bad experience
So, how is good user experience defined? Why is user experience imperative to a business’s success? And what does it take to meet the expectations of your target audience? In this post, I’ll explain what a good website user experience is and its vital importance to the success of your business.
What is User Experience?
User Experience (UX) is a complicated term to define in full context. In the simplest of terms, UX is about creating a user-friendly and enjoyable web experience across all forms of digital media. A website design should establish a connection with the visitor and move them seamlessly through the chaos.
When done poorly, websites can fall into common pitfalls that could negatively impact the UX. For example, a website that loads slowly could frustrate users — encouraging them to look for alternative ways to find the same or similar product. Experiences like this can leave a negative impression on your brand.
Understanding your audience and creating a web design that provides a positive experience, practically and emotionally, can be your formula for success.
Why Is Good User Experience Vital to a Business’s Success?
In today’s digital age, users expect websites to deliver a dynamic and speedy user experience. According to a recent study conducted by Statista, nearly 40% of visitors would leave a website if it took longer than three seconds to load. In fact, this percentage increases even further around the five-second mark. Businesses know time is valuable, and every second counts. A website that isn’t optimized and doesn’t provide an exceptional UX can result in a downward loss of traffic or, worse, loss of profits.
In addition to having a fast website, businesses need to consider that 60% of the world’s population uses mobile devices to browse the internet. With such a large market to capitalize on, businesses must ensure their website UX is designed with a “mobile-first” mindset.
Also, in recent years, Google has made some adjustments to its algorithms to favor sites that deliver an exceptional UX. Google’s Core Web Vitals assesses a website’s performance level based on speed, performance and UX. Websites that successfully achieve high scores in each segment will result in a higher search engine ranking.
How Can I Ensure That My Business Website Provides a Good User Experience?
To ensure that your business website provides a good UX, you should consider the following aspects:
- Design: Your website should have a clear and consistent design reflecting your brand identity and values. It should also be responsive, adapting to different screen sizes and devices. You should use appropriate colors, fonts, images and icons to create visual hierarchy and contrast.
- Functionality: Your website needs to be fast and responsive. Don’t compromise on your site speed by using large, glamorous photos and videos that aren’t optimized. Instead, work with your development team to offset slow delivery time by using a CDN (content delivery network), image compressor or third-party hosts to deliver content quicker. Make sure to include only the essentials in your design and ensure the structure is easy to navigate.
- Content: Know your target audience and deliver relevant content that caters to a unique set of users. When users come to your site for answers to their questions, your content should provide these answers. If done well, it can help build relationships with users and encourage them to move further into your sales funnel.
- Company Goals: Most importantly, you must align your website UX with your business goals. What actions do you want your users to take to help you reach your business objectives? Your website should seamlessly guide your users, help them find the information they require and inspire them to take action to help your business succeed.
Lasting Impact
Today’s user experience is significantly different from the UX of the late 1990s. Creating a good web user experience that meets your business goals and fulfills search engines’ standards requires time and research. However, when done correctly, it can result in positive ROI and encourage repeat customer business.
If you’re having doubts about your website’s effectiveness, consider reaching out to Babcox Media to help you reassess your website and build a winning website design that delivers results.
