User Experience-Focused Web Design to Get Results in 2018

In a world where our reasons for using the internet are changing all the time, it surely makes sense that the websites we use start to adapt around us.  After all, the vast majority of people of a certain age are now connected to the internet on a daily basis by some means.  This, of course, means – as web designers and experts in SEO – we need to start thinking less mechanically about the way our websites are built, and more about how each and every one of our prospective visitors are impacted by the content we produce, and the information we provide.  This, in short, is known as the website user experience, or UX for those behind the scenes – and thanks to various changes and motions made by Google over the years, it’s now a prime focus for all SEO experts.

So What is User Experience Design?

UX design, in a little more detail, is essentially the art of focusing on ensuring that each and every visitor to your website is able to access the information they require and to navigate through your data with ease.  It also impacts on entertainment value, too, depending upon what type of services you offer to such visitors.  This means that web design and SEO has had to shift focus significantly to ensure that websites are now just as impressive in terms of accessibility and overall experience as well as in terms of the content that is being provided.  While we at SEO CoPilot have always made sure that the websites we help to build work like a dream once we’ve signed off on each and every project, what it means for the future is that we now lead with UX – particularly as the browsing and searching landscape is ever-evolving.

How Do Users, Well, Use Your Website?

This is one of the key questions that should be asked during the initial web design process.  Website user experience focuses on asking questions that relate to the who, the when, the why, the where, the what and the how – apply these questions to the products and services you are offering or selling – and consider how to approach your customer’s needs from inside and out.  Consider using your website as an outsider.  If you were to visit your website looking to make a purchase, or to find out information, how easy is it to use?  Can you find everything you might need to know or would like to buy after just a few clicks?  Does your website thoroughly satisfy and – that old buzzword – go above and beyond?  It’s all about customer satisfaction – and when it comes to working with us to ensure that your website ticks all the right boxes, it is going to be a case of test-driving your site to ensure that UX is targeted to reach your maximum visitor and customer potential.

UX is Going to be Massive in 2018 – And That’s a Good Thing

Let’s face it – thinking that websites were ever designed without pushing user experience to the fore is perhaps a little troubling.  While SEO CoPilot has always focused on website user experience as a core principle, the concept of UX becoming a primary factor in successful web design is actually news to many designers elsewhere.  Web design firms with more focus on driving conversion and less on developing the user experience may not necessarily focus so much on ensuring that each and every user gets value from their visits.

To be able to put website user experience at the heart of the design process, we work closely with each and every one of our clients to make sure that we are capturing every last detail of what they intend to do.  This means discussing content aims, key audience factors and making sure that their branding and ethos stays on point – it’s essential that we as web designers and SEO consultants understand exactly what you need from web design so that we may understand exactly what it is your audience needs – and who your audience is!

Focusing on user experience essentially means keeping a close eye on your website’s performance from the outside looking in.  Is all of your information complete and easy to find?  If you are managing a store front, is it simple for visitors to add items to their basket and to checkout?  Are visitors able to answer most of their questions through self-diagnosis without the need to contact you further?

The perfect user experience is one which satisfies on several levels – one which prevents the risk of a visitors clicking away within that critical first few seconds, one which ensures that regular visitors can find what they need or want autonomously, and one which allows for speedy, satisfying service from start to finish.  Slow websites that offer walls of text are hardly going to score well on the UX front – that’s for sure.

The Future of UX

Website user experience is set to get even more important in the months and years to come, with Google ever-altering their algorithms to ensure that UX is targeted as a priority in search listings.  This now means that any websites caught using underhanded tactics such as keyword stuffing are now penalised – and that only legitimately helpful and worthwhile content rise to the very top of the rankings.  There is an awful lot that can go into honing UX to that perfect standard – and we at SEO CoPilot start by getting to understand your needs and values from the very beginning of consultation.

If you are interested in building a commercial website that focuses on your users’ experience, let SEO CoPilot help you reach your maximum potential.  Call us today on 01246 540869 – or email us for a free consultation.  Let us get to know you and your audience a little better – and we’ll offer you a website that’s friendly, informative and always easy to use.  All it takes is a little care and understanding!