Just in case you didn’t already have enough acronym jargon in your life, here’s another one: UX.
UX has become one of the most essential parts of any customer service, whether that’s when they’re navigating a website, using a program, or something else.
So what is it? Why is everyone all up in arms about it? And how can you maximise your UX for your business? Let’s discuss.
What is UX?
UX stands for ‘user experience’, and it refers to the user’s (customers’ or clients’) interactions with a company. It covers all aspects of this interaction, such as how easy it is to navigate a website to find the information they’re after, how attractive they find the layout of a store, and how useful a product is.
So, whether or not you’ve known it, any business owner has already worked extensively with UX design, as it’s an unavoidable part of offering products or services of any kind.
Why does UX matter?
The purpose of good UX design is to create positive customer experiences for anyone who interacts with your brand, be it a first time customer checking out what you have to offer, or a repeat client returning for the 50th time. At Yellow Pages our area of expertise is digital marketing, so we’re going to take you through the best ways to optimise your website via UX.
RELATED: 8 signs you need to invest in a new website.
6 best UX practices for your website.
Follow these best UX practices to get your website usability off on the right foot.
1. Heed research and data.
Without data, you’ll be left guessing what the customer wants and needs. Begin by researching your customers to find out what they want from your product or service, then build your design around it. Find out which points are impeding their buyer’s journey (such as a complicated check out page), and fix it.
2. Don’t put ‘out-there’ ideas ahead of the user experience.
A whole new way of formatting a website may sound exciting, but keep in mind that if it’s too complicated or intimidating, it might just turn customers away. Creating good UX is ensuring your customer can easily navigate your site, so it may be necessary to rein in that creativity.
3. Minimise the steps.
Perhaps you have an online shopping platform – how many steps does it take for a customer to get from the browsing page to the sales confirmation page? If it’s possible to cut it down, even slightly, do it. Every step between your customer and the final sale is one where they can grow frustrated and click away.
4. Avoid dead ends.
On every page, always clearly offer customers the choice to move back to the main menu, find out more, or get in touch via another method, this ways there’s no room for frustration or confusion.
5. Be consistent.
Consistency from one page to the next will create a clear journey and help you stay on brand. For example, ensure all your CTAs are the same colour, stick to the same font choices throughout, and use the same layout to help users move around the page.
6. Cut down on loading times.
Users will often click away from a website if it loads too slowly, so take steps to increase your website speed on desktop and mobile to make their browsing experience faster and smoother.
