User experience is in the name. It is the experience a user has while they use a program or site or video game. We all experience these things at some point. It’s imaginable that we have all had a bad experience on the web.
For example, you fill out a form – only for there to be an error with something you entered, but when the program lets you know that one field was wrong it also clears the entire form. That is a bad user experience.
On some level everything we do on the web is user experience. Our web design team at Three29 always strives to make sure that we are perpetually providing our client’s website visitors a great user experience.
So, Why Is User Experience So Important?
If a user on your site has a bad experience the likelihood of them returning is very low. If the ease-of-use is a common problem with your site, your traffic can diminish rapidly. But what if it isn’t as serious as that, and it’s just an okay experience? Let’s briefly discuss how deep user experience goes.
Google Rankings and SEO
It is well established that consistent posting of quality content can help your SEO and your overall ranking in Google. However, even if your SEO strategy is on point but your site itself is painful to navigate, you will still struggle to get traffic.
One aspect of User Experience relevance to SEO is the sitemap. Most search engines look at your site map along with article content to see relevance and ease of access to the information. A bad sitemap that buries articles for arbitrary reasons will rank lower than one that has a streamlined site map. This is directly related to the experience an average user has on your site in the way they navigate the website.
Another connection between user experience and search rankings is the website’s bounce rate. If website visitors aren’t able to easily access the information they need, get frustrated with the speed of the page load, or any number of user experience issues they will quickly “bounce” away from the site. Search engines such as Google take note of a website’s bounce rate because they only want to serve options that prove to be useful to people.
Your Brand’s Reputation
If the first interaction someone has with a brand is a cumbersome website that causes irritation, they are likely to associate those feelings with the business itself. Even if the website is not the first impression someone has with a business, a poor quality website visit can leave a lasting distaste for the brand.
Missed Opportunities
If it’s not easy for website visitors to send a message, use the chat feature, or make a purchase – chances are high that they won’t go through with these actions at all. Don’t just strive for the bare minimum of functionality, either. Donations, transactions, and forms are more likely to be completed if the process is made simple.
One example of this is allowing for multiple forms of easy payment options such as Apple Pay. Another example would be that billing information is copied from the shipping address (with the option to make changes, of course).
What Else Can User Experience Do?
If you put enough thought into an experience, you can potentially make it fun, or at least clever enough to elicit a reaction. If it’s done well, not only will you secure more customers, clients, or members but they will tell other people. And you’ll hook those people too.
A good user experience is more than just a tool. It can be an art form. That is why we strive to create the most interesting and intelligent user experience for each of our clients. Each brand is different in the way that they attract and best serve their client base.
Need a Better User Experience?
If you take anything away from this article it’s that user experience is important, and it should be enjoyable. Not just for the website visitor but for you too. So if you find that it’s not fun – and you want your website to run better? Reach out to Three29 and let our team start building the best experience for your clientele!
Our professional website design and development company serves businesses in the Greater Sacramento area and beyond. We are a tight-knit team of creative professionals who are passionate about building custom, effective marketing solutions for those we serve. Email us through our website or give us a call.
