User experience and web usability are significant aspects of a website’s core functionality that every company must pay attention to for the current and long term health of their organization. Usability, while seemingly invisible, encompasses everything from SEO, conversion ratios, user experience and authority in the market. Embarking on a usability path and building a strategy can be a challenging task. However, it is one that will pay off in spades if implemented well and maintained through testing and optimization.
The benefits of adopting a web usability optimization strategy through website redesign will affect all those who come in contact with the company – from prospective and current customers to internal stakeholders. Following best practices from design to development to offer the ideal user experience can deliver an increased level of positive association and a better bottom line to the brand it supports.
What are the benefits of a usability redesign?
Faster Conversion
It is estimated that sites that have poor usability can lose up to three-quarters of sales due to user dissatisfaction. If a customer is unable to find what they are looking for easily (even if it’s there somewhere), they will abandon the pursuit and perhaps never return to the site. With improved usability, a site can increase their business by up to 75%, which could mean the difference between a company surviving or thriving.
Builds Trust
Good usability is essentially the digital extension of a company’s customer service offering. When a user is able to accomplish their intended tasks as a result of high usability, they will return on a regular basis and, more than likely will even purchase more per sale. Overall, the delivery of sustained optimized usability leads to a highly satisfied user and repeat business.
Reinforces the Brand
If the site of a respected company is not usable, it directly affects the reputation of the brand it represents. The company may be world-class, but if its digital face is less than ideal, this aspect can make or break the perception of the brand in the market. Offering a better user experience will heighten brand recognition, lending the positive brand association that is critical in a competitive business landscape.
Better Bottom Line
From training to development, optimized usability has far-reaching benefits for cost reduction. Many companies with intranets are neglected, making them difficult to use and ignored by stakeholders. More usable systems require less training, making employees readily available for profitable work. While optimization may be a big task for some companies with outdated software, usable systems require less upkeep from a long-term development and upgrade standpoint.
A More Productive Culture
When optimized for usability, interfaces and internal systems are easier to use, making them an appealing value-add for company employees who engage in content management and training. Data entry takes less time and is updated on a more regular basis, making information much more current and a creates a team that is in sync.
In wrapping up, it becomes increasingly clear that usability and user experience are foundational pillars that uphold a website’s integrity and influence its success. Investing in a usability optimization strategy through a website redesign is not just a choice; it’s an imperative necessity that ensures a company’s digital resilience. The advantages are numerous and ripple across various facets of a business, impacting everyone from potential and existing customers to internal stakeholders.
A website that is easy to navigate and intuitive can significantly boost conversion rates, even potentially rescuing sales that might have been lost due to poor usability. Trust, an invaluable asset in the digital realm, is also built and reinforced through a high usability website. Users tend to return and engage more frequently when their online interaction is smooth and satisfying, fostering customer loyalty and repeat business.
Moreover, a well-designed, user-friendly site is a testament to the brand’s commitment to quality and customer service. It enhances brand reputation, contributes positively to market perception, and adds competitive edge. Also, it’s important to note that optimized usability positively impacts the bottom line. By making internal systems more accessible and easier to use, a company reduces training and maintenance costs, leading to overall cost reduction and increased productivity.
In essence, the road to a usability redesign may seem challenging, but it’s a journey worth embarking on. The long-term rewards, including a more productive work culture, enhanced brand image, customer satisfaction, and an improved bottom line, more than compensate for the effort involved. It’s a commitment to the future – a future where user experience is king and usability is the realm in which it thrives.