Did you know that an alarming 52% of users confess that a bad experience with regards to a mobile site makes them less willing to engage with that source company? Further, 79% of users said that they switch to finding another site when the one they landed on fails to serve their purpose.
Thus, an ideal journey of an online user comprises effortless navigation, a seamless purchasing process, appealing visuals, a friendly support system, and device compatibility. This ‘ideal journey’ is what is referred to as a positive user experience (UX).
It is indeed unfortunate when digital marketers display such low regard for UX while engaging with customers.
User Experience isn’t just Interfaces
Many are mistaken to believe that good user experience can be achieved by creating an attractive interface. Yes, a gorgeous interface is always welcome but will fall flat if it doesn’t end up helping the user accomplish his goal.
User experience covers the entire spectrum between users and technology and is centered on enhancing that relationship. With the increasing dominance of technology and digital experiences, the design and outcome of this relationship is gaining a life of its own.
Here are a few pointers to consider to ensure that your marketing communication meets UX expectations.
Usable: Your communication – be it in the form of a social post, advertisement, blog, or a microsite – must be easy to use. The learning curve a user must go through should be brief and sans barriers.
Useful: Any communication you make must fulfill a need on the user’s part. If your communication fails to do so, it has no business being out there in the world.
Desirable: Your communication has to be visually pleasing, easy to comprehend, and prompt the user to retain his focus well enough to complete the goal.
Findable: The structure of your microsite or ad must be such that the user finds it easy to navigate and find whatever they are looking for.
Accessible: The flow of your communication should be such that all your intended users find it easy to understand.
Credible: The content and visuals used by you have to be a true representation of what you’re trying to sell.
As marketers, it is natural to concentrate on how your product or service motivates a customer to a specific before-state to the desired after-state. There are several ways to do this:
- Improve targeting. Your message ought to be visible to the right person at the right time.
- Make an offer they cannot resist 🙂
- Make sure to present that offer clearly, concisely, and persuasively.
UX in the context of digital marketing isn’t limited to using trendy fonts or fancy imagery. It also involves devising pleasurable and positively memorable experiences that influence brand perception and drive recurring visits or purchases. The study of UX also provides deep insights about how users behave and why, which drives smarter marketing decision making.
By placing the customer at the center of the marketing efforts, you get to ensure the longevity and profitability of your business. A customer-centric approach used in digital marketing proven to be the best way to convert prospects into paying customers. Therefore, as a digital strategist, you have to be obsessed with producing communications that match and fulfill the needs of your users.
Your SEO strategy may be the best in the business, pulling in volumes of traffic to your ad, blog, or website, but if these are not created with aspects of user experience in mind, your sprint will result in low rates of conversions. Thus, keeping your marketing efforts focused on users is the best way to keep your business relevant and ensure success.
Ultimately, a user-focused marketing campaign will keep rewarding you in the long run as well. Your customers are human after all – they have their quirks, their moods, and their own weird ways in which they react to your ad. However, if your communication delights them, fulfills their need, or helps them solve their problem, your battle is won.
UX lies at the very foundation of a good and impactful marketing sprint. As marketing strategists, if our focus is not on helping customers make good decisions and accomplish their goals, what are we even doing?