User experience is one of the most important aspects to consider when designing a website, but the fundamentals of UX design can seem so complex that it’s difficult to create a website on your own. How do you know where the line is between a creative website that reflects your business’s brand, and a website that’s just too distracting? How can you figure out where to place navigation bars, and how do you figure out if your online transaction process is simple and convenient enough?
Although the details are typically best handled by a UX design agency, the basics of UX web design are easy to understand when you think about it from the perspective of a visitor on your site.
For starters…
- UX web design should appeal primarily to the target audience in terms of content and readability
If your target audience isn’t familiar with the industry, you’ll want to avoid filling your pages with too much jargon. If you want more educated customers, you won’t want to simplify your content to the extent that your customers find your website boring. You want to focus on creating loyal customers, since returning customers typically spend about 67% more than new customers, and a mere 5% increase in customer retention could net an increased average profit per customer by anywhere between 25 to 100%. - Don’t sacrifice usability for design
A creative website is going to foster a memorable experience for visitors, but it’s important to realize that it’s up to you to make sure that it’s a positive one. Navigation should be simple and users should be able to scan the screen quickly, so it’s important to focus on fast loading times and clear visual cues. - The mobile-friendly UX design process is just as important as traditional design — if not more so!
Mobile web isn’t as simple as scaling down the content on existing pages, nor is it just a full-screen advertisement asking site visitors to download the mobile app inside. Considering that over 80% of adults own a smartphone, it’s essential to provide a great UX web design for mobile users.
So now we want to hear what you think about UX web design — what tips would you give to someone who’s new to it? What questions do you have about your own UX design process?