When it comes to websites, there’s a bit of a balance when it comes to digital marketing vs UX (user-friendly) design. After all, it’s important that you tick both boxes so that your website is both easy to navigate and converts browsers into buyers. But, while both are vital, sometimes they don’t mesh well. Let’s explore these two concepts a little more completely and then how to navigate the balance between the two.
What is digital marketing?
Digital marketing is a pretty broad term that encompasses any kind of marketing conducted in the digital arena. So that we stay on topic here, we’re going to talk about it only in terms of websites. Essentially, the digital marketing measures you take on a website are about generating revenue. It’s thinking about things like call to actions, the placement of ‘buy now’ buttons and pop ups that encourage a user to join a mailing list to have the opportunity to market to them again once they leave your site. Bottom line? The needs of the business take precedent over anything else.
What is UX design?
UX design is all about consumer-friendly design. It’s essentially streamlining any online experience so that a user can navigate it effortlessly and with ease. It’s thinking about things like customer journey, who your customers are and what motivates them to click through on your site and entice them to come back.
Digital marketing vs UX design: where do they clash?
Let’s face it. Most of the digital marketing tactics used on websites are annoying. Nobody really likes pop-ups that ask them to join a mailing list. Even if you’re enticed with a freebie, it still feels like you’re being ‘marketed’ to and this detracts from your experience as a user.
However, none of this is to say that you have forgo one in order to have the other. You can walk the line between digital marketing and UX design to come up with an approach that meets the needs of the business without compromising the user’s experience. And there are a number of things that can improve UX that will help with digital marketing as well. After all, a good user experience is a form of marketing.
Walking the line between the two
At the end of the day, you have to try and balance the need for the business to make conversions and the need for the user to have an effortless experience. Here are few suggestions that will help you to infuse both digital marketing and UX design together for an optimal website.
Ensure your website is device responsive
A responsive website will automatically adjust to suit the size of the screen without the user having to pinch and expand in order to see things or click links. At least 50% of users indicate that they are less likely to visit a website if it’s not mobile-friendly.. Besides this, Google actually penalises websites that aren’t optimised for mobile so it’s doubly in your best interest to do so.
First impressions are vital
One of the key places on your website where digital marketing and UX experience converge is ‘above the fold’. This is the space that is visible before a user has to scroll. What does your user see the minute they click onto your website? Studies indicate that unless that visitor is compelled by what they see to scroll further, they will simply leave your website. So, consider the above the fold space to be the most important section of your website.
Prioritise clarity in your messaging
Another crossover between digital marketing and UX experience is in your messaging. Have you ever jumped onto a website and read the first few sections only to find that it doesn’t actually explain what the business does? Clarity in your content is absolutely essential. You want to make everything as easy and straightforward for your customers as you can.
Reduce any impediments to purchasing
There’s a theory that anything on your website should only ever be three clicks away. This isn’t always true but it’s great to keep this in mind in order to streamline a user’s access to whatever it is they are seeking. When it comes to purchasing something, think about making that experience as easy as possible. You don’t want your user having to click back and forth numerous times to see your other items or to add more items into their shopping cart.
