Navigating the web would be a nightmare without proper attention to User Experience (UX). Because of its growing importance in the world of web design, user-friendliness is now the order of the day.
Those that fumble it pay the price by losing out to competitors that offer a slicker and more streamlined experience. So, pay attention to these tips for building world-class UX into the heart of your website and keep your users coming back for more.
How to spot great UX
An exceptional user experience is not only something you feel as you navigate a site, it can be measured in site performance. If users are lingering longer, converting more often, returning consistently and singing the praises of your business then you can be sure that you’re on the right track. You can expect to see your Net Promoter Score (NPS) climb and improve your System Usability Scale (SUS) ranking too.
Here’s how you get there…
1. Know your target audience
It’s important to know who you’re speaking to, where they’re likely to be in their sales journey, and ultimately what they might be thinking at that point in time. You need to try to anticipate their questions and speak to their priorities. Basing your web design around that understanding is the key to great UX.
2. Keep it simple
Simplicity translates directly into ease-of-navigation. Cluttered designs present users with a confusing array of information, inducing stress and distracting them from the path to conversion. The more streamlined you can make that journey, the better.
This philosophy extends to the use of language, as too much jargon or fluff on a site can also be more of a hindrance than anything else. Clear and concise is better than intelligent-sounding or quirky if it prevents users from dropping off or getting frustrated along the way.
The same goes for colours, fonts and images. These need to be used wisely to create a consistent look and feel that aligns with the brand but doesn’t overwhelm users.
3. Make navigation easy
A clear and easy-to-navigate menu is a must. It should be easy to find and logically structured with pages grouped into categories. Nobody wants to have to scratch around to find the information they need. You can also help them out by adding a site search extension or even a chatbot.
4. Optimise for mobile
We now live in a mobile-first world where the majority of searches (64%) are done on mobile devices. It’s therefore never been more important to have your site 100% optimised for mobile. That means seamlessly adjusting screen size, buttons that are easy to use and text that is easy to read.
5. Test and iterate it
Testing is key, because there’s no way to be sure that you’ve nailed that UX until you can see how real users interact with it. Chances are there’s something that could be improved (something that might never have occurred to you). That’s because everyone is different, we all see things differently and approach things in a different way, so UX design needs to account for every possibility. The more you can test it, the better.
Get your UX on-point
Great UX starts with an intrinsic understanding of your audience and their journey and builds on that with a simple and intuitive design. Consider Jacob Nielsen’s often-cited Ten Usability Heuristics for a deeper dive into the topic, but you can also rely on the experts in UX at League to help you deliver a better user experience.
