UX – or user experience – is a key principle in effective web design. While it is hard to define, it can be quite easy to provide an example.
What is bad UX?
If you’re browsing a website – whether on your phone, computer, or other device – and find yourself leaving because of things that have nothing to do with the content: that’s a bad user experience. We’re talking slow loading times, buggy on-page code, garish graphics, illegible fonts, auto-playing videos, pop-up adverts and more. One or more of these might not ruin your browsing experience, but the more there are, the worse it gets.
What is good UX?
In essence, a good user experience for a website involves forgetting that you’re on a website at all. Whether you’re shopping, reading a news article, browsing social media, or anything else, the technical aspects of the website you’re visiting should be non-invasive.
So – why is UX so important?
Elements of a positive UX
UX isn’t just about keeping the programming of your website hidden. The design and the layout all contribute to the overall experience. As much as we like to think we’re providing information with our site, we’re really delivering an immersive multimedia experience.
While graphics and text are key components of this experience, we mustn’t forget simple things like the layout of the page. This is why companies are optimising their sites for mobile use. What looks great on your desktop PC can look cramped on your phone, and vice versa.
Videos are becoming a vital part of the user experience. Whether it’s a custom animation, a studio-shot film, or a self-made TikTok, video content is a popular way to grab peoples’ attention and to keep them hanging around your site.
Keeping it simple
Most people scan through websites, only reading articles in-depth if something catches their interest. Therefore, you need to design your website with this in mind. Have content set in such a way that a user will notice it fly by if they’re just scanning. If they notice it, they can be lured into retracing their scan to check it out.
Likewise, if a website is too confusing, users will leave. There was once a fashion for Flash intros that had all sorts of links embedded in them, that it took meticulous sweeping with a cursor to find. That approach simply doesn’t wash in 2020. People want to know where they can go and exactly how to get there.
Familiar faces
Have you noticed that most sites have the same general layout? Login in the top-right, menu across the top, drop bar at the top-left? There’s no technical reason for doing so – you can have your login button anywhere you like. However, users have become accustomed to a certain way of browsing, so keeping to the same path makes your own website feel more legitimate.
If you’re looking for a cost-effective web design solution – one that focuses on user experience – get in touch with Easy Internet. One of our team will be happy to arrange a free consultation and provide you with a free, no-obligation quote.
