If you’re involved in business or marketing, you’ve probably heard the buzzword “UX” thrown around. But what does UX really mean?

UX design focuses on customer experience and satisfaction through utility, content, and ease of use. UX can often be confused with usability, but that is only one component of the overall customer experience. User Experience analysis begins with understanding and empathizing with your customer, and improving with them in mind. Below, we explain some of the key principles for better user experience in web design.

1.      People skim websites, they don’t read them
Users don’t typically read every word of your website unless they are very interested in the content. For this reason, it’s best to avoid long text blocks and include easily scannable bullets and images.

2.      Design to capture attention above the fold

One of the most time-honored web design principles is to keep the most vital information above the fold.  “Above the fold” refers to what you see when you first open a page without scrolling.  A common misconception is that all content needs to be above the fold, or it’ll be missed. This can result in a cluttered and sub-optimal page. What’s most important is to intrigue a customer to act on your call to action. Run experiments to optimize layouts for the highest conversion rate instead of relying on outdated principles.

3.      Scrolling is better than an additional page 

Scrolling is faster than clicking. Years ago, short pages were more common because it was believed that users would not scroll to the bottom of the page. However, tests show that scrolling a slightly longer page involves less commitment than having to navigate to another page.

4.      Familiar = Easier

Conventional layouts can often mean easier to navigate. While it may be tempting to reinvent the wheel, different does not always equal better.  Don’t make users figure out something new. An agency should deliver the best experience to your customer, not get creative at your customers’ expense.

5.      Use Visual Cues

Visual cues should assist in the use of the website. Examples include indicating when a button was successfully clicked and when there is more content available for scrolling.

6.      Research is Vital

The heart of UX is research. If you are trying to improve the experience of your customers, you first need to understand those customers and their experience. Research can include a simple survey, competitive analysis, or one-on-one interviews.

UX helps grow your business by putting your customer first above all else. If you are interested in optimizing your user experience, BMGcreative delivers human-centric designs that will resonate with your customers!