User Experience (UX) refers to the experience consumers have when they use a product or service. It encompasses not just the quality of the product or service but also, for example, in the case of an e-commerce site, the entire process from the payment method at the time of purchase to the delivery of the product.

In the context of web service delivery, a higher UX can lead to better SEO outcomes. Conversely, a lower UX may result in increased back-button usage by site visitors, leading to a higher site abandonment rate. This can result in negative evaluations from Google.

In this session, we will discuss the nuances between User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) and how to improve UX.

What is User Experience (UX)?

User Experience (UX) refers to the impressions and feedback a user gains from experiencing a product or service, especially through visiting a website. A high UX level indicates a high degree of user satisfaction.

For instance, in the context of a web service, user experiences and feedback that contribute to UX include:

-Fast page loading, allowing for stress-free usage.

-The presence of a table of contents at the beginning of an article, enabling selective reading of desired sections.

-Well-written content that is easy to read and understand.

-The use of highlight markup on key context, facilitating skimming.

-Intuitive navigation to find the next article of interest.

However, this pertains primarily to general information sites where the user experience is confined to the web. In cases like e-commerce sites, where online and offline experiences merge, UX also encompasses factors such as payment methods, product delivery, and customer service interactions.

The Rise in Focus on UX

The increasing focus on UX is partly attributed to the widespread adoption of smartphones and tablets, leading to a diversity of devices and the rise of applications. Applications have been designed to offer new user experiences not typically available on traditional websites. In this evolving landscape, companies are increasingly leveraging UX to attract users.

The Four Elements of User Experience (UX)

For general information websites, the primary factors that enhance UX are as follows:

-Design

-User Interface (UI)

-Content Quality

-Up-to-date Information and Design

Design

Altering the visual aspect of a website can improve UX. This is particularly true when branding products or services on a website; an appropriate design can effectively convey the intended image to visitors.

However, an overly complex design can make the content difficult to read and negatively impact the user experience. Website design should not be self-serving but a means to enhance UX. Optimal design choices should be made based on the products or services the website aims to promote.

User Interface (UI)

User Interface (UI) refers to the overall look and navigability of a site. A good UI enables visitors to smoothly understand and interact with the website, allowing them to easily move to other pages they wish to view, thus enhancing their comfort level.

In contrast, a poor UI can make even the best content seem inaccessible and difficult to use, failing to meet visitor needs before they can even engage with the content.

Content Quality

After the website’s design and UI foundations are in place, the focus shifts to augmenting the site with content.

For example, on an information site, this means publishing article content. If the articles are lacking in information or contain inaccuracies, they could fail to satisfy visitors’ needs and potentially lead to dissatisfaction. To ensure content quality, always verify that the content:

-Meets the needs of the audience

-Is accurate

-Is it written with correct grammar?

-Free of typos and errors

Updating Information and Design

The purpose of launching a website varies, but generally, its role is to provide information or products to visitors. Websites can primarily be categorized into the following fields.

-Branding (corporate or product sites)

-Information dissemination (owned media, aggregate sites, etc.)

-Product or service provision (e-commerce sites)

-Community sites (social networking services or forums)

Regardless of the type, websites need to update their information in line with current social conditions. For corporate or informational sites, outdated content fails to meet visitor needs. Similarly, e-commerce sites without the latest popular products may seem to lack variety. Once a website is launched, regular information updates are essential.

In the digital realm, UI and design are constantly evolving. Using an unchanged UI from several years ago can seem outdated. Modern designs convey a sense of security and trust to users. Continuously seeking stylish and sophisticated UI and design is crucial. In fact, major media often undergo significant UI and design renewals.

Differences Between User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI)

UI is often confused with UX, where the terms might be mistakenly interchanged as “UX equals UI.” However, they have distinct meanings.

UX refers to user experience and serves as a measure of satisfaction. In contrast, UI stands for User Interface, denoting the point of interaction between the user and the product or service. In a website context, UI pertains to the site’s overall visibility and usability.

Usability is another term associated with UI, derived from “Use” and “Able,” implying ease of use. Although “UI and UX” and “UI and Usability” are often confused, they carry different meanings and should be distinguished carefully.

Elements of Visual Design

Improving the visual design of a site enhances the user experience (UX) by making it “easy to view.” A user-friendly UI deepens visitors’ understanding of the content, such as articles. The visual aspects include:

-Menu placement

-Overall site layout

-Font size

-Images and video content

Elements of Usability

A website with good usability is often described as “easy to use” by users. Enhancing the site’s navigability allows visitors to use it without stress. Factors affecting usability mainly include:

-Opening and closing of the menu

-Screen scrolling

-Effective range of link buttons

-Image pop-ups and video playback

Improving UI Enhances UX

Site visitors interact with and understand the site or page structure through the UI, performing actions like page navigation and screen scrolling. A visually appealing UI creates an impression of “easy to view,” while a user-friendly UI is perceived as “easy to use.” Conversely, a site with a poorly organized UI in terms of appearance and usability often leaves an impression of being “hard to view” or “difficult to use,” leading to a lower UX rating.

Designing and Creating Websites with User Experience (UX) in Mind

Considering UX in the design and creation of a website is crucial. The steps to create a site with UX in mind are as follows:

-Identify user needs.

-Design and create the site taking user needs into account.

-Meet the needs of site visitors.

Identifying User Needs

When launching a website, the first step is to define the user demographics. Clearly determine who you want to visit your site and establish your target audience. Then, identify common challenges and needs among the target group. Setting incorrect needs at this stage can lead to poor results later, regardless of the time spent on website development. Start with extracting personas for target setting.

Designing with User Needs in Mind

Once the target needs are understood, design and plan the site’s layout, including its design, UI, and sitemap, according to these needs. Once the site is operational, set the themes and direction of article content with the target needs in mind.

Meeting the Needs of Site Visitors

After the website is initially completed, use user surveys and web analytics tools to check if visitors are satisfied. If survey results show significantly low ratings or web analytics indicate high bounce rates, it suggests visitor dissatisfaction. Identify the causes of dissatisfaction and make necessary website improvements.

Improving User Experience (UX)

To enhance the UX of an existing website, it’s essential to extract user needs and feedback and then make site improvements.

It’s crucial to continuously gather user needs, not only at the launch of the website but also during its operation, as these needs can change over time. Always listen to user feedback. Additionally, use web analytics tools to identify and address the causes of user dissatisfaction.

Improving Design and UI

Updating the design and UI can significantly improve the site’s visibility and usability, thus enhancing UX. Key points to check when reviewing design and UI include:

-Revisiting the site’s navigation pathways

-Reviewing the layout of article content

-Creating content that is understandable to your target audience

Changing the direction of content themes

If user satisfaction is not achieved despite having no issues with design and UI, it may indicate that the current content does not meet user needs. If the site construction has not been aligned with user needs, consider changing the themes and direction of the article content. Reassess user needs to determine what content will best meet them.

The Relationship Between User Experience (UX) and SEO

In website development, UX is a crucial factor to consider for SEO, as it pertains to the visitor’s experience. For instance, enhancing a website’s usability improves its UX, which, in turn, can lead to better access metrics like increased dwell time and circulation rates. Consequently, these improvements can lead to a higher evaluation of the site’s domain by Google, gradually improving its SEO impact.

According to “Ten things we know to be true” by Google, the company has always prioritized search user convenience.

1. Focus on the user and all else will follow.

Since the beginning, we’ve focused on providing the best user experience possible. Whether we’re designing a new internet browser or a new tweak to the look of the homepage, we take great care to ensure that they will ultimately serve you, rather than our own internal goal or bottom line. Our homepage interface is clear and simple, and pages load instantly. Placement in search results is never sold to anyone, and advertising is not only clearly marked as such, it offers relevant content and is not distracting. And when we build new tools and applications, we believe they should work so well you don’t have to consider how they might have been designed differently.

Quote from: “Ten things we know to be true” by Google

First and foremost, SEO aims to increase traffic by achieving high rankings on Google search engine. The Google search engine itself demonstrates a user-first approach. This user-first approach includes providing easily understandable content. Creating understandable content not only benefits users but also naturally contributes to the understanding of Google’s search engine. By creating a website evaluated positively for UX, the site’s domain is automatically evaluated by Google, leading to higher search rankings.

Summary

SEO consultants consider UX as the user experience, while UI represents user touchpoints. By building UI and content based on an understanding of user needs, UX improves. By consciously considering UX in website development, you align with Google’s user-first philosophy, leading to effective SEO strategies. Therefore, always strive to improve UX.

Author Profile

International Web Consultant Paveena Suphawet

A trilingual professional in English, Thai, and Japanese, she has numerous achievements in international SEO. She studied the latest IT technologies at Assumption International University, Thailand, and majored in International Business at the University of Greenwich, UK. Following her tenure at ExxonMobil’s Thai branch, she became a key member of Admano from its establishment.

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