User Experience: What does this mean for web design

Over the years the Internet bubble has really evolved; today, website design is not only simply concerned with the set up pages one after the other. User experience or UX (from the acronym user experience) has become an important factor in website development.

Have you’ve already started analyzing your audience? Do you know the Internet users who surf your website?  Does your site have all the information needed to provide the best experience for your users? Find out what exactly user experience is in the field of web design.

What is user experience?

The term “user experience” was coined in the 1990s by Donald Norman. By definition, user experience is: “The responses and perceptions of a person resulting from the use or the anticipation of the use of a product, service or system”.

A mix between ergonomics and the human sciences, the user experience brings the most appropriate approach vis-a-vis a target audience based on many offers (products, services, companies, etc.). The more the approach is adapted, the more we notice an increase in satisfaction related to use of a website.

Since 2010, user experience has become the huge asset for web marketing strategies. Many physical businesses have therefore integrated it into their business plan so as to enhance the positive perception that their customers may have about their products, services and brand awareness.

With the ever-increasing use of websites, UX has taken an even larger role as it has proven to be particularly suited to the online world. Thanks to the many existing analysis tools, today we can acquire a great knowledge about our users. Therefore, a company can easily know the demographics of users operating on its site. And it is this deeper understanding of users and their behavior that allows companies to develop effective marketing strategies.

It is obvious that the user experience is deeply rooted in the psychological aspect of the Internet. Nevertheless, it is still difficult to measure all the hidden emotional factors for every user. It is for this reason that user experience is not an exact science and that its implementation requires continuous treatment in order to adjust itself to different users.

Advantages of user experience?

As we have mentioned above, the user experience is a decisive factor in the development of web marketing strategies for numerous companies. User satisfaction vis-à-vis products or services is put under the microscope. The more users understand and appreciate your services, the more users will use these services, or recommend them to others; thereby promoting customer loyalty and increasing the visibility of a product, service or a business. Is it not the goal of every company?

For this, the user experience plays on five key factors:

• The emotional factor
• The technical implementation
• Ergonomics
• Constant analysis
• Using knowledge for the experience benefit

Thus, by properly using these factors, it is possible for all companies to build an effective and sustainable strategy.

How can user experience be used online?

Today an effective web marketing strategy doesn’t only depend on the user experience, however user experience does indeed contribute enormously to any web marketing strategy. To make a website “user friendly” it is important to run many analyses on the website. Is the visual layout of my site suitable for my target audience? Are my products or services clearly identified and identifiable for my visitors? Does my site adapt to the latest technology? Do people interact enough with my site, and why?

These questions can be endless, as there are so many factors contributing positively or negatively on website interactions. For this, a large-scale analysis must be performed to find any blocking factors, but also positive factors signs, which may be underutilized.

For this, it is important to understand how humans think so as to present a relevant and tailored user experience. Comprehensive analysis using appropriate tools will be your best ally. Number of page views, bounce rate, and time spent on each page are only a small part of the many issues that must be scrutinized, analyzed and understood in order to identify how users perceive and interact with your site.

The web designers who will create the structure of your website will use all collected information. If you better understand how humans perceive their environment, this will allow you to make your interface immediately understandable, clear and user friendly. Working on this content should help you to adapt to the structure, while serving to educate and arouse the desires of your users. Keep in mind that to attract the attention of your users, a page should not contain too many distractions; this helps promote the best and most effective experience and interaction with your website.

Constantly searching for things on your website can disrupt user navigation, or brake conversions; this can only possibly be fixed with a full knowledge of your audience. All analyzes of your users to design a suitable site should create a guiding path for your visitors; so that they arrive on your site for conversion to a product or service. All of this ensuring that the user is fully satisfied with the steps they have taken. It is in these conditions that the proposed UX will be optimal.

Now you know that to design an effective website, it is important to know who the users are who browse your pages and how they interact with your site. The information you collect should allow you to set up all essential elements to achieve the desired objectives.

When designing your site, it is very important to rely on factors that are very important for your users. Creating a good hierarchy of information available on your site, as well as a suitable web design are elements that are of great importance for bettering your user’s browsing experience. All these essential elements are combined to form part of an optimal user experience for your visitors.

Do not hesitate to contact us at 514 572 7758 or via our contact form if you would talk to an expert who will answer all your questions.

Maxence Pezzetta

Cofondateur et Spécialiste Web Marketing et acquisition de clients Diplômé d’une double Maîtrise en Marketing et Communication, Max cumule plus de 10 ans d’expérience en Marketing digital. Ancien employé de Microsoft, sa mission est de « mettre le Web à la portée de tous » pour aider les entreprises à améliorer leur présence en ligne.