Last updated - January 8, 2024
The primary vision of any particular business is to increase its revenue and the growth of its respective products. When it comes to software development, businesses are inclusive of the same primary objective as well. The User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) play a significant role in achieving that. You may have come across these terms, perhaps. So, what important role does UX play in the IT industry?
UX designing helps explicitly to improve the usability and accessibility of an application. Concerning web and app development, UI and UX are considered building blocks of application architecture. For startups, the importance of UX is far more crucial in influencing the users’ first impression. It can either make or break your brand recognition!
But why should you focus on it now? 54.4% of the website traffic for a business was generated through mobile devices at the end of 2021. The traffic rate has already surpassed 56.89% at the beginning of 2022. The total number of mobile app users is also predicted to increase beyond 230 billion. With such a massive market, the competitors will be quadrupled, and retaining users will be a challenge. Now, you may understand why a quality UI and effective UX are crucial for user retention. Not to mention, the findings of Forrester Research convey that a well-thought UX design helps increase user conversion rates up to 400%.
How Does UI matter? What Impact Does it Bring to User Experience?
When you encounter an excellent app interface, you may think about how good it looks or how intuitive the UI is, as designers call it. Visual aspects of an app bridge the gap between functionality and aesthetics, which ensures better user engagement and satisfaction. UI matters because it is how people interact with your product to achieve their expectations. But it’s not always about the UI. A visually pleasing app may be inadequate in functionality or vice versa. An app with Good UI should be able to create quality UX. Here are some crucial UI elements that influence the UX.
1. Fast Page Speed
When users land on your website or use your app, they expect it to load fast. The longer it takes for a page or a feature to load, the more frustrated the user may become. For creating a satisfying user experience, the page speed of your app should be as fast as possible. Some enterprises try to achieve a page loading speed of less than milliseconds. Ways in which you can improve page speed,
- Monitor your page speed with Google PageSpeed Insights periodically.
- Test new modifications to your website before updating them.
2. Mobile Optimization
Users find it convenient to visit a website from mobile devices, and this trend is upward. Your mobile website should obtain attention as much as your desktop website might. Given that, a mobile app or website may use multiple plugins for native performance. These plugins may affect the way the website performs. Conducting mobile optimization is necessary to achieve successful mobile UX. This optimization includes factors like viewability, usability, layout, etc. Some of the ways in which you can achieve mobile optimization are:
- Adding clear menus
- Create search options
- Use short forms
- Use buttons in targeted areas
3. Information about You and Your Work
The value proposition you offer to your users is as important as the functional aspects of your website. How will you quickly inform your users and visitors about who you are? What is your business all about? Users should understand the value your business offers. A random visitor has only a few seconds to be convinced to stay on your website. You need it to make everything count! Following are some approaches to keep your users informed quickly,
- Avoid extended information in paragraphs and instead present only short sentences.
- Provide signposts or necessary features that help users decide where to go next.
- Ensure the nature of your business is presented understandably.
- Highlight essential services of your company on the landing page.
4. Use of White Space
While some companies may consider the white color a waste of space, it is a crucial element for a good UI and quality UX. Why so? White spaces help make your content appear readable, and users will also be able to focus on other website elements. As mentioned earlier, users have only a few seconds to be convinced while growing your website, and the more space you use between content, the easier it will be for users to navigate. A few advantages of leveraging white spaces are,
- Avoid information clutter
- Making the website appear more accessible
- Increasing user attention
5. UX Writing
Visual elements may add flavor to your website, but content writing, a.k.a UX writing, is the special ingredient. Without providing user-oriented content, the user may find it challenging to digest any information your website presents. Avoid making your users search for definitions every few seconds. Communicate intelligently! UX writing in this aspect means using language that users are familiar with, structuring content in a way that is understandable and transparent. Some of the ways you can achieve quality in UX writing are,
- Conduct research about your customer segment.
- Understand user expectations of your brand.
- Use good resolution images.
- Ensure an understandable and structural flow of content.
6. Website Content Consistency
Adding onto UX writing, maintaining content consistency is very important as well. Your website cannot jump between two different content from page to page or para to para without a proper connection between them. So, how do you establish the right content consistency? Below are three crucial checklists you need to keep in mind,
- Be strategic with the images you upload.
- Stick with a simple 3-color palette. Rainbow coloring is a definite no-no!
- Stick to using only two font families to ensure users are familiar with the reading flow.
7. Interactive Interface/ Design
The interface itself plays a significant role in influencing the UX, moving from the visual aspects. How well-thought is your website interface? If users cannot find what they are looking for quickly, it will lead to increased bounce rates and reduced conversion rates. Make your website easy to use. Some of the considerations you need to keep an eye on are as follows,
- Inculcate consistency between features, elements, and design followed.
- Consider using a non-technical CMS for easy updates of your website.
8. Consistent Navigation
Keep the navigation simple. Users should not spend time identifying what button is where. Links used, menus created, the design presented everything should meet user expectations and on top of the screen where it is visible. Menu items should also include immediate items that a user may look for in your business. Maintain the same color palette on all pages and ensure your business logo is visible. Few other insights on creating interactive interface/design are,
- Group related items, features, and elements together.
- Use alerts/triggered messages or pop-ups.
- Don’t change the default format of expected elements like reviews, descriptions, etc.
9. Remove Any Repetitive Actions
Not only the visual aspect can frustrate a user. Even redundant items can slow down the process of achieving user satisfaction. For instance, repeating the same data twice on submission forms may even lead to a user abandoning the website. Focus on information that keeps repeating on different pages but make sure not to remove the default information like contact us and so on. Some of the popular ways to ensure redundancy is avoided are,
- Create a system that can preserve user preferences.
- Look for ways to use new images.
10. Bold Call-To-Action
The critical requirement of a quality UX is to convert a user into a potential customer successfully. For example, a visitor who lands on a landing page should visibly see the buttons such as “Download Now,” “Sign Up,” etc., that explain the conversion phase of your business. Ensure that such buttons are,
- Bold
- Clear
- Surrounded by white space
Conclusion
The competition is high, and brands are numerous. How you differentiate from one another is the USP that attracts your user. Create a website that stands out by focusing on design matters. Highlight your important messages clearly and ensure all designs convey your business value as well. By choosing the right element, color and theme, you can do wonders in attracting users. So what are you waiting for? Get started today!
