A user’s first impression of your site or app will determine whether he or she will continue through onboarding or exit in seconds. User experience– designing for better digital experiences– matters because it creates the first impression for your product.
A good way to think about user experience is that it’s also the customer experience.
When you’re shopping online, you are essentially interacting with a screen. It can either be something thrown up with clusters and words or present a well-structured architecture with thoughtful navigation. The difference is the user experience design (UXD), and the experience the user will have when interacting with the product.
If user experience design is thus the customer experience, how can this be applied to why it’s important in e-commerce, branding, or online services? Here are our top three reasons why user experience matters:
It can differentiate you from your competitors.
In reality, a lot of digital products offer similar services. Where they really vary is in their design. Glossier, for example, has incredible UX and I end up buying something every time I visit their site. Competing beauty retailers with less user-friendly experience have a hard time competing for my attention, and dollars.
It can improve customer loyalty.
Focusing on design that mimics valued experiences for users shows that you care, and they’ll often return as repeat customers because they’ll value the experience that you’ve provided for them. In addition to designs made intentionally for your users, good design, in general, will reflect ease of use and familiarity which users will come back for.
Lastly, you’ll be able to actually connect with users.
Remember, UXD is studying user behavior and understanding user motivations with the goal of designing better digital experiences. By designing in a way that your users understand and are attracted to, you’ll be able to make genuine connections and inevitably strengthen your brand.
Experience is everything when it comes to digital products, and it’s important to keep in mind that this isn’t just about the visual branding you apply on the frontend design. It’s about clarity, function, and usability– hence the term user experience. Good user experience design can turn a boring product into an enjoyable adventure, and create value and desire for more. The simple secret to retaining a solid audience is therefore in the UXD. User experience matters.
