User Experience (UX) Design
Mastering the Art of User Experience (UX) Design for Your Website

In today’s competitive online landscape, delivering a captivating and seamless user experience (UX) can be the decisive factor that encourages visitors to explore your website, engage with your content, and ultimately convert into loyal customers.

As a Phoenix Web Design Company specializing in creating custom website designs for clients worldwide, Epic Web Solutions understands the integral role UX design plays in establishing meaningful connections with your target audience.

In this informative and educational blog post, we will dissect the essentials of UX design, delving into the principles and best practices that contribute to a user-centric digital experience. Our insights will provide actionable tips and strategies to help you optimize your website’s UX design, ensuring it is tailored to your audience’s preferences, needs, and expectations. 

By applying the tips and strategies discussed in this article, you will be better equipped to create a user experience that not only delights your audience but also drives sustainable growth and success for your business.

Defining UX Design and Its Impact on Website Success

User experience (UX) design refers to the process of creating digital products, such as websites or apps, that are easy-to-use, highly engaging, and tailored to users’ needs and preferences. Focusing on UX design can lead to numerous benefits, including:

  • Increased User Engagement: A well-designed user experience can encourage visitors to engage with your content and explore your website in-depth.
  • Improved Website Conversions: A seamless UX design can guide users through the conversion funnel more effectively, resulting in increased lead generation and sales.
  • Enhanced Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty: By providing an enjoyable user experience, you can foster positive associations with your brand and encourage users to become loyal customers.
  • Reduced Bounce Rate: By addressing usability issues and ensuring your website caters to user expectations, you can reduce the likelihood of visitors leaving your site prematurely.

Employing a User-Centric Mindset to Cater to Your Audience’s Needs

To create an exceptional UX design, it’s crucial to employ a user-centric mindset focused on understanding and addressing user needs, preferences, and expectations. To adopt this mindset:

  • Conduct User Research: Investigate your target audience, identifying their demographics, psychographics, online behaviors, and preferences, to develop a comprehensive understanding of their requirements and expectations.
  • Create User Personas: Develop detailed profiles representing your ideal website users, focusing on their needs, motivations, and pain points. User personas can help you make informed design decisions and empathize with your audience.
  • Consider User Feedback: Regularly collect and analyze feedback from your users, whether through surveys, interviews, or usability tests, to identify areas for improvement and ensure you address their concerns in your UX design.

Enhancing Website Usability, Accessibility, and Navigation

A key aspect of UX design is ensuring your website is usable, accessible, and easy to navigate. To enhance these areas:

  • Design for Usability: Focus on creating a logical, intuitive interface that allows users to accomplish their goals quickly and efficiently. This includes using clear labels, employing visual cues to guide users, and ensuring vital information is easy-to-access and understand.
  • Prioritize Accessibility: Ensure your website complies with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to provide an inclusive experience for individuals with disabilities. This includes implementing descriptive alternative text for images, using clear and legible typography, and providing keyboard navigation for users who are unable to use a mouse.
  • Optimize Navigation: Create a clear, consistent, and streamlined navigation structure, prioritizing key pages and content that align with your users’ needs and expectations. Additionally, consider employing breadcrumbs, search bars, and other supplementary navigation elements to help users quickly find the information they need.

Optimizing Your Website’s Visual Hierarchy and Content Layout

Visual hierarchy and content layout play a vital role in guiding users through your website, helping them easily find the information and features they need. To optimize these aspects:

  • Use Strategic Layout Arrangements: Organize your content and features into easily digestible sections, enabling users to scan your website efficiently and navigate to relevant content.
  • Employ Compelling Typography: Choose clear, legible typography that reflects your brand’s identity and use various sizes or weights to emphasize key headlines and calls-to-action (CTAs).
  • Utilize Visual Cues: Use images, icons, and other visual elements to guide users’ attention to vital information and features.
  • Employ Whitespace Strategically: Provide ample whitespace on your website, giving elements breathing room, improving readability, and avoiding clutter.

Evaluating and Refining Your UX Design Through User Testing and Feedback

Continuous evaluation and refinement of your website’s UX design are essential to maintain an engaging user experience. To assess and improve your design:

  • Conduct User Testing: Employ usability tests, such as remote user tests or in-person testing sessions, to gain insights into how real users interact with your website and identify areas for improvement.
  • Analyze Website Analytics: Use web analytics tools, like Google Analytics, to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and user engagement metrics, such as bounce rate, time on site, and conversion rates, to assess the effectiveness of your UX design.
  • Iterate and Improve: Continually update your website’s UX design based on user feedback and test results, making incremental improvements to optimize performance and user satisfaction.

Conclusion

User experience design plays a pivotal role in attracting, engaging, and retaining your website visitors, ultimately bolstering the success of your online presence. By adopting a user-centric mindset, enhancing usability, optimizing visual hierarchy, and committing to ongoing evaluation and refinement, you can create a seamless digital experience that drives lasting success for your business.

Elevate your digital presence with Epic Web Solutions, the top web design company in Phoenix. Our expert team specializes in crafting customized website designs that deliver exceptional user experience. Contact us today to unlock the full potential of your online presence with innovative UX design strategies. Let’s build your website together! 

Choosing the right type of web designer

This blog is meant to educate people looking for a web design company to build there next website.  Obviously there are a lot of options out there both good and bad.  I am going to discuss some of the things you should think about before you embark on your next website project.

There are typically 3 options when you want to build a website:

1.) Do it yourself, or have your friends 17-year-old cousin do it for $200

DIY Web Design Disadvantages

2.) Use a company like WIX, Weebly, GoDaddy tonight or Squarespace

Disadvantages

3.) Hire a web design company like Epic Web SolutionsWeb Design Advantages

 

 

On-Page SEO is a Critical Component of Digital Marketing
What is SEO?

On-Page SEOSEO (search engine optimization) is a buzzword in the digital marketing world.  If you have a website, social presence, or have a business, you’ve probably heard of SEO.  If you have not yet started leveraging the power of SEO to increase sales and business exposure, you are missing out!  Make no mistake – SEO optimization is not a magic wand that instantly transforms your search engine ranking – it takes time. With proper SEO strategy you can reach the coveted first page on Google and be seen by far more people than would have otherwise discovered you.

How Does On-Page SEO Work?

Many customers know they want to optimize their SEO but they are not sure how to do so.  Of course, there are many different factors that contribute to improved search engine ranking and many different strategies for improvement.  Thus, increasing your SEO is a multi-pronged strategy that includes blogging, link building, on-page optimization, and other SEO factors.  So, what does it mean to improve ‘on-page’ SEO.

Yoast offers an understanding of the importance of on-page SEO will help you understand just how complicated it is and why it is best to enlist an experienced professional to assist you with increasing on-page SEO, “On-page factors all have to do with elements of your own website. On-page factors include technical set-up – the quality of your code – textual and visual content and user-friendliness of your site. On the other side, there are off-page factors, like links from other websites, social media attention, and other marketing activities outside your own website. If you focus on off-page SEO, you mostly aim to get more links to your site. The more relevant links you get, the higher your ranking in Google will be…On-page SEO consists of all the elements of SEO you can control best. If you own a website, you can control the technical issues and the quality of your content. We believe on-page issues should all be tackled as they’re in your own hands. If you create an awesome website, it will definitely start ranking. Focusing on on-page SEO will also increase the probability that your off-page SEO strategy will be successful. Link building with a crappy site is a very tough job. Nobody wants to link to articles that are badly written or boring.”

How Do You Increase On-Page SEO?

On-Page SEOMany people with perfectly acceptable websites wonder why they aren’t ranking higher in search engines?  They are blogging on a regular basis and updating their site as needed.  But, what they may not realize is they are missing out on a few other key factors that will dramatically impact on-page SEO.  For example, if they are blogging are they blogging good content that is also presented well?  Also, do they have easy-to-understand content with headings and images?  Are they using meta, title and alt tags?  And, are they utilizing keywords?  Does their content contain internal links?  Further, is their website easy to use? Does the website have visual appeal and optimal functionality?  If not, on-page SEO is not being optimized strategically and thus the website is not performing in search rankings as well as it could.  Work with an experienced professional that understands all aspects of on-page SEO optimization including on-page and off-page SEO so that you can increase your search engine ranking!

Epic Web Solutions Lands on Clutch’s Recent Announcement

Our team is a strong group committed to providing the best web services to our clients. We’ve got well-known clients like Palo Verde or AZ Gastroenterology. We hear from these clients all the time that we’ve done great work for them. That all is great but as a digital agency, we know it’s important to be recognized by industry organizations and business research firms. That’s why we list on Clutch where clients can leave us reviews and we get recognized for the work we do through Clutch’s annual announcements.

We’ve collected one review on Clutch, and since it’s a 5/5 star review, we’re able to be included in their recent announcement!

Clutch recently included us as a top web design company for the state of Arizona. We’re so happy that our work with local small/medium size businesses has got us included in this announcement.

We’re also included on Clutch’s sister website The Manifest, as a top Phoenix area PPC agency!

Clutch is also rolling out their new website, Visual Objects, that will list web design companies and display the firm’s portfolio items alongside their client feedback.

Next year, we’ll work to collect more Clutch reviews and we can’t wait to see where 2019 takes us both in terms of our presence on Clutch and helping new businesses with their online presences.

Epic Web Solutions Recognized By Clutch As One Of The Top Web Designers In Phoenix

clutch image1At Epic Web Solutions, we pride ourselves on being at the forefront of technology, providing our clients with cutting-edge website design, development and internet marketing. Our focus on using proven techniques, along with innovative strategies, has allowed us to create a large, loyal and very satisfied customer-base.  We know that there are a lot of other website design and development businesses out there, or other companies that claim to be experts in SEO, but many are not capable of delivering on their promises or provide short-term solutions that are not capable of standing the test of time.  Epic Web Solutions is a lean and efficient web company, maintaining a focus on our client’s needs at all times.  The bottom line is, we deliver on our promises and our clients are more than satisfied with results.  At Epic Web Solutions, we are proud to be included on Clutch, a website dedicated to connecting customers with leading, reputable IT services that deliver results for their clients.

Clutch utilizes an innovative research process that melds the best of traditional business-to-business research along with honest customer reviews.  Clutch is used internationally to connect businesses and customers and it ensures that the businesses have a proven ability to deliver.  Clutch ensures an ability to deliver by weighing three factors:

  1. References and Reviews
    • As the most heavily-weighted component, honest client feedback is collected and assessed (including things like project size, project complexity, quality of completion, cost, schedule, and willingness to refer/recommend the business)
  2. Clients and Experience
    • Clutch also analyzes a company’s clients as a whole to determine if the firm has delivered to not just small clients but global brands. Clutch also analyzes the depth of experience an IT company has as well as their ability to deliver on complex projects while still creating value.  Additionally, does the IT company not only perform but actually align its experience with its stated services strategy and area of focus.
  3. Market Presence
    • Finally, when analyzing marketing presence, it must be determined if a company presents information that is clear and professional and is their own website consistent and high-quality, complete with a portfolio. Additionally, does an IT firm develop a strong reputation and authority within their chosen sector?  Has the IT company received any industry recognition or awards.  And lastly, does the company have a social media presence that reinforces their brand position and domain authority?

By carefully considering and weighing all of these different aspects, Clutch provides an accurate and immensely useful index of IT firms and website development businesses to clients, providing peace of mind that these businesses can truly deliver.  At Epic Web Solutions, we are proud to be included on Clutch’s 2016 list of Top Phoenix Web Designers, and we look forward to providing many more clients with our top-tier, innovative services that deliver tangible results.

Technology-Driven Web Design & SEO

A commitment to providing high-quality, personalized and technology-driven service.  That is what you get with Epic Web Solutions.  There are a lot of website design companies out there and many people claim to have the ability to help a client with their website design, digital marketing, and SEO needs but the reality is, many are not capable or qualified to deliver on their promises.  At Epic Web Solutions we focus on utilizing industry-leading technologies, the most current SEO strategies and digital marketing techniques and, with years of knowledge and experience, ensure client satisfaction at every stage of a project.

                At Epic Web Solutions we try to be as accurate as possible in the bidding process. We like to have an initial conversation with clients and get a list of exactly what they are looking for.  To help us best determine the scope of the project, and so that we can provide the most accurate bid, we discuss subjects like a custom vs.  template website design.  Custom designs take longer to accomplish and are thus more expensive but for those who want a truly unique site that sets their business apart custom is the best option.  Additionally, we like to ask clients if they will want to be able to edit the website themselves once the website is launched.

If so, a WordPress site is ideal because it is very user-friendly.  We highly recommend that clients opt for responsive websites because they adapt to things like the user’s screen size, orientation and platform, making viewing and use much more enjoyable and efficient.  A well-designed website is a powerful marketing tool for clients so we highly recommend that a client chooses to make it responsive so that they can provide their customer with the best user experience.  If a client chooses to make their website responsive we factor that into the scope and bidding process.  Next we like to discuss content needs with our clients.  We need to get an idea of how many pages of content will be needed for the website and if our clients will need assistance in writing the content.  Also, we need to know what kind of website our client is interested in – is it e-commerce, informational or an application?  Each additional feature/functionality need will impact the scope of the project and influence our bid.  While these questions may sound overwhelming and some of these items may change during the process of the project, by discussing it up front we are able to provide the most accurate, competitive bid possible and begin our effort of providing the best service available to our clients.

Once our bid has been accepted, we like to jump right into a project with our clients.  It is important to us that we get to know each client on an individual and personal level which is why we have a kickoff meeting either by phone or in person.  We take great pride in the relationships we form with our clients and that begins with the kickoff meeting where we not only get to know a client’s unique business but their goals as a business and for their website as well.  At Epic Web Solutions, we have created a design questionnaire for clients to complete that helps clients narrow in on specific goals and helps to guide us in the design process.  Additionally, we research the competition but remain focused on defining our client’s brand so that our clients can be set apart from others within their industry. We work with clients to develop a project plan to ensure business goals are achieved while also implementing optimization strategies that help our clients have the competitive edge.
52649d8d-bdf7-45d9-9879-02dec5f5ef4fAfter the kickoff meeting we begin the design process.    At Epic Web Solutions we use a research-driven design approach.  We do not make assumptions in our design process, we use proven and innovative design techniques to ensure client satisfaction.  We give the completed questionnaire to our talented website designers who take all of the information, as well as meeting notes, and develop a homepage mockup based on what they are given. Once the homepage mockup is completed we send it to the client for review.  Here, and in every stage, we continue to communicate with clients so that we can actively work towards a mutual goal.  Our focus is to not only provide a fast, excellent website and unparalleled services but to help clients further define their brand and expand their customer base.  Our client’s brands are their identity, what their customers recognize, and their promise to customers about who they are – we help clients clarify their brand to their customers, create brand recognition that customers will know and keep returning to, and help our clients deliver on that promise to customers by extending their brand across all platforms.  While we use a research-driven design approach, we know that technology is constantly evolving and we ensure that clients stay on the leading edge of technology.  When designing a website for our client we carefully choose and construct website architecture, content, color, and typography to help best accentuate a client’s brand.  Our clean, responsive websites are consistent and compelling so that our clients are able to engage in a unique way with their customers. At Epic Web Solutions, we carefully create a high-impact design that is also seamlessly functional and outperforms the competition.

above-the-fold-top-heavy-algorithm-changeAs we work together in the design process and collaborate on each stage, we encourage clients to participate in the final outcome.  Revisions are a necessary part of the process and allow us to hone in on the best website design for their unique business.  As our client reviews the completed homepage mockup, and we progress through the completion of inner website pages, our client provides us with feedback on what they like or dislike.  We encourage clients to make either general or specific suggestions for changes that they would like to see made and we collaborate on appropriate revisions while remaining goal-focused. We communicate these revisions to our designer, who makes the updates.  We then send the revisions to the client and this process is repeated until the client is 100% happy with the design and signs off on it.  Once we have solidified the general style of the website the revisions tend to become less and the revision process moves along rapidly.  This stage of the process is incredibly important because we want to ensure that the design is exactly what our clients want, and changes are much easier to make on a design than they are on a coded website.

 

163137bf-12c6-4eb1-946b-f67eecbc642eOnce all designs have been approved by our clients, we then begin the coding process.  We give our website programmers the approved design files (PSDs), which they take and translate into code. The client has minimal involvement during this process, as we are simply taking the visual look that they are happy with and turning it into a functional website. We put the completed code onto our test server so the client can see and interact with their new site, instead of just looking at an image of it. This test site should look identical to the design that the client approved so it is a great opportunity to truly see the design come to life.

 

9ed8ba15-0468-4c4d-968e-0f36d68c7f48       During the design and coding process we may use what is known as Lorem Ipsum text, which is essentially placeholder content, until completed client-appropriate content is available.  If the client prefers, they can supply the content.  But, if the client would rather have Epic Web Solutions write client-specific content for the new website design, that service is available as well.  Our content writers are trained in SEO optimization techniques to help clients improve their organic SEO ranking.  Once content is available we fill in all of the blank pages and remove any Lorem Ipsum text from the test site.  During this process the website begins to really make the transition from a design into a finished product.  If we are remodeling an old website, we will start by pulling all of the old content from the site and putting it into the new design.  This gives us a pretty good baseline and the client can suggest any changes that need to be made. Any potential issues with formatting or layout are also addressed at this stage because client satisfaction is our top priority. SEO is not magic, it is a specific science that helps you improve your rank in search engine indexes.  It is incredibly important to carefully craft website content to ensure that it is SEO optimized so that our client’s maximize the impact and effect of their website.

 

HomeSmart Infographic At Epic Web Solutions, we take great pride in our pre and post-launch process.  Some website design companies will simply launch the website design, hand it over to the client, and that will be the end of interaction between the website designer and the client.  We believe in going above and beyond for our clients because client satisfaction is our priority.  During both the pre-launch and post-launch process we have a checklist that we go through to ensure optimized functionality, speed and performance.  We complete this checklist any time we launch a website.  We do this so that there is no need to constantly go back and fix issues after the site is live; we do not launch a website unless our client tells us to. This is much more involved than most of our competitors but it is just another step we take that we believe is one of the reasons we have such long-standing client relationships.

 

After a client’s website has been launched we do not disappear.  At Epic Web Solutions, our services go beyond launch into the post-launch process.  We leverage our expertise, along with monthly analytics and regular communication with clients to keep websites fresh, engaging and as always – a useful marketing tool so that our clients keep current customers happy and continue to attract new customers.  Our ongoing support even after a project is complete is a show of our commitment to our client and the pride we take in our work.

 

c775bb18-2ec2-40e9-bc2f-89b512104b8eWe are able to not only discuss these services with our existing clients and prospective clients, but provide them with proven results.  We have long-standing relationships with clients because we listen to what our clients want and make those goals our goals.  We do not make promises we cannot follow through on.  We carefully craft stylish, innovative, responsive websites and increase our clients organic SEO rankings through research-driven design that produces real results.  We keep open lines of communication with our clients so that we can collaboratively work towards ensuring each website is exactly what our clients want and we never launch until a site has been fully approved by our clients.  At Epic Web Solutions, we enjoy getting to know each client and pride ourselves on providing highly individualized service based on each client’s needs.  We serve all industries and all clients and simply put- our creative ideas perform and our success is measured by our results.  Let us use our digital strategy, focus on technology, creativity, and passion for what we do to provide a customized solution for your next website design.