“If you build it, they will come”
- Ray Kinsella (played by Kevin Costner) Field of Dreams
OK we know this famous line is slightly misquoted (it should read he will come) but it’s the principle we’re interested in.
We often see people creating websites or apps based around this ethos: If we build it, users will come, and if we market it well, it will be great.
What Kevin Costner doesn’t say to them (in their heads) is:
- How do you get users to stay on your website or app?
- How do you get them to come back?
- How do you get a user to part with valuable space on their phone for that app?
This is where a great user experience (UX) is vital. Before we even start to think about revamping or building anything, we need to focus on what the UX delivers.
Understanding your users
Knowing your users is key to creating a great UX. You know a lot about the people who come to your website and how they move around the site from tracking software, but can you be certain you know exactly what they’re looking for?
Speaking with your users can help you to understand what information they are looking for, how they look for it and the language that they use. This important part of the design journey can provide you with valuable insights into what your users don’t understand.
Keep users loyal to your brand
We all have sites and apps that we are loyal to. Whether it’s for browsing the news, playing a game or doing a bit of shopping.
But what drives this loyalty?
The answer is we enjoy using them. When users have an enjoyable experience, they will want to continue using that website and app. Understanding what will keep users loyal is key to keeping them returning and keeping that app on their phones. Surveys are a great way to get quantitative data but might not give you the detail you need. User testing is a vital step to helping you fully understand the UX.
Increase your conversion rates
Have you ever had an awful experience trying to find or order something, and given up? There can be nothing more frustrating than when you either can’t find what you’re looking for, or the checkout process is clunky.
If you’re looking to increase conversion, creating a positive and easy UX where users can easily find information or checkout quickly will make users want to use your website or app again and again. This in hand will increase conversion rates on your site. Analytics can provide valuable insight to what users are doing on your website or app (and where there could be issues such as drop off rates) but this doesn’t give you the why.
Conducting user research can help give you the why and how to solve the problem.
Keep users on your website and app for longer
This one goes hand-in-hand with everything we have previously mentioned: if users enjoy the experience they are having and can find what they are looking for, they are more likely to stay on your website or app for longer. Research can also help to understand what will keep them on your site for longer, giving you insights into new ideas and information that users are hoping to see.
Save money
Considering who your users are, the journeys and information they are looking for will save you money in the long run.
Have you considered or built an expensive piece of functionality and wondered why it isn’t getting the traction that it needs?
This is probably because your target audience doesn’t want or need it, or maybe your user doesn’t understand how to use it.
Considering your target audience throughout a project, and investing in understanding their wants and needs, is key to making sure you don’t spend money on unnecessary development. Creating a wireframe prototype is a great way to see if users understand what you are proposing, or how you can make it better, before getting into costly development.
Reduce your carbon footprint
We all need to consider our impact on the planet and when it comes to our website or app, we can make better choices.
Considering the UX and providing a site that has great SEO is one way to help users find your site quickly - reducing their time searching and ultimately saving energy. Once they reach your site, if they can find what they want quickly it will reduce the energy that they use. These small things soon add up and help to reduce carbon footprint.
If you want your target audience to trust your brand and become loyal supporters of your website or app then the user experience needs to be considered.
If there is a voice talking to you to build a website or app or you are considering revamping a current one, then take the time upfront and save money by understanding what your users’ want and need.
Understand what will keep them coming back, what they want to see from you. By doing this work at the beginning it really will make life easier for you and your team.
At Digital Wonderlab, we don’t just write about UX; we live and breathe it. Our team of seasoned UX professionals is dedicated to crafting intuitive, user-centered designs that not only meet your business goals but also delight your users.
Whether you're looking to revamp your website, design a new mobile app, or optimise your existing product, our tailored UX services can help you create seamless and engaging experiences.
