User experience, or UX, is one of the most important aspects of a successful website or app. It’s something that not only attracts people but also convinces them to experience more and eventually buy what you have to offer. A satisfying user experience can make or break your business. A great user interface (or UI), on the other hand, offers the same benefits. A visually pleasing, responsive, and interactive UI/UX is a powerful tool for any website or app.
What are UI and EX?
User experience pertains to the audience or consumers’ behavior when they interact with a website or app.
When somebody tells you that your website offers a great user experience, what that person means is that he had a great time on your site. Navigation, features and functions, loading speed, content, and all elements related to convenience and ease of use – all these make up for a great UX.
User interface, on the other hand, is all about visual designs, information architecture, and interaction structure. Its scope includes buttons, sliders, the search and message boxes, dropdown lists, notifications, icons, toggles, and tags.
Although UI/UX are two different concepts, they work together to ensure a program’s success, especially in terms of conversion. One cannot do without the other. For example, you just bought a top-of-the-line Ferrari. It has one of the best engines and the fastest in the world. It looks sleek, stylish, and high-class. The problem is, you don’t know how to drive, so how can your Ferrari give you a satisfying experience?
In this example, the Ferrari’s sleek looks and design (the steering wheel, plush seats, durable tires, and dashboard, among others) represent the UI. What it lacks is the UX, which is the actual driving. Without your driving skills, the fancy car would be useless.
A great UI and UX are essential if you want your website or application to convert leads to paying customers. If your site has exceptional visual design but the contact forms aren’t functional or the pages return 404 errors, visitors will automatically leave. Possibly without any intention of ever returning again.
Tips for Creating an Exceptional UI and UX
So, what can you do to give your audiences an exceptional UI and UX? Here are some tips to consider.
1. Understand your target users.
Find out not only what they want and need, but also what sets them apart from other consumers. You have to know what made them choose your product or service. However, before you can do this, you have to be absolutely sure that you know who your target audience is. By understanding your consumers and their choices, you’ll get inputs about what you can do to improve your website or app’s UI and UX.
2. Find out what people normally look for in a website or app.
What makes them click and view a website? What catches their attention first? What type of content will engage them enough to stay and explore all your pages? How can you make your product credible?
Observe people while they’re visiting websites – yours or anybody else’s – and take down notes. For this, you can use Kissmetrics or Crazy Egg. Use the notes as your checklist for improving what you already have and adding in what’s missing.
3. White spaces are important because they help remove background clutter.
Without clutter, visitors can conveniently view and read your content. It will encourage them to keep reading and clicking until their visits are converted.
4. Don’t forget to put a CTA or “Call to Action” button – and ensure that it is easy to find and click.
CTAs may look ordinary, but they provide tons of opportunities for conversions.
Your CTAs should be:
- simple but direct,
- clear but catchy, and
- appealing.
They have to entice your visitors to respond by clicking.
5. Improve your page and app speed.
Pages that load more than two seconds are an absolute turn-off to consumers. Instead of acquiring visitors, you’ll lose them. You’ll lose potential sales as well. Even if you offer discounts, sale vouchers, or free gifts, your consumers won’t be able to avail of them because they cannot load and get into your website.
6. Get in the shoes of your visitors.
Take some time off and become a “visitor” and experience your website or app. Check out all the content, visual details, speed, and pages. Take note of how your experience went. Look at everything from the perspective of your consumers and pick up things you need to work on.
Working with a great UI/UX designer and an experienced development team is also a vital factor. Work together and consider the tips above if you are determined to satisfy your leads and convert them into paying customers.
