Tag: ux

instagram ux webdesign
by Incredible Planet Staff

What Instagram is Doing to Webdesign Might Change UX Forever


Technology

Website design influences more than aesthetics of a site. It has a lot to do with user experience, even when you least expect it. Think of a website with a large slider banner featuring the latest discounts. If the banners bear direct links to the pages or list of products bearing the discounts, that makes the shopping experience richer and easier for the user. Most people expect the banners and ads on the homepage to be responsive and live. So after clicking on the Instagram images repeatedly, if they lead nowhere, the users are bound to feel a little disappointed. That takes away possible brownie points from the website and the brand as well. To get quality website design perugia click the link or read more in this article.

Why do you need to rethink your website design strategies?

This small example shows why your website design needs a lot of thought. It is not enough to think about brand image, colors and image quality only. You need a designer who can think from the perspective of the users as well. People can up and leave your e-commerce site if images take too long to load. In fact, almost 38% of the internet users simply stop engaging with a website if its layout is too complex or ugly. People hold UX as a high priority and design is the first component of a website that directly influences the quality of experience for the users. So, unless your website is already providing enough information about your brand and your products to the users, right on the first page, you risk losing about 86% of your first-time visitors.

The magic of Instagram is reaching website design as well

A website design can draw inspiration from places you expect the least. We have seen Facebook and Pinterest drive the design of numerous popular customer-centric websites. So we thought, why not turn Instagram into an inspiration for upcoming e-commerce sites and designers as well?

Instagram is the leading photo-blogging site that exists today. From Rihanna to roadside food joints, everyone has an Instagram account. Some people are there to show off their latest styles and creations, while others are there for a vicarious experience. Almost 50% US brands are on Instagram leveraging the power of photos over text.

You have everything you need

As a result, Instagram already has all the material you need for your e-commerce site. The best way to harness the power of photo blogging is by utilizing your Instagram feed. Start by integrating it into your website design. Having beautiful, organized content is the first way to attract the right users to your site. Just make sure your Instagram theme and your website theme do not clash. The banner or the fold above the homepage (from Instagram) should flow seamlessly into the product list throughout the rest of the page.

Believe in minimalism

Overcome your temptation to overdo things while layering photos on your website. This will reduce the bulk of your site and reduce the page loading time. Instead, add your Instagram logo (activated with profile link) beside the image or video thumbnail. Your visitors can click on the logo and travel to your account for a detailed look at your product pictures and service videos.

Watch your competition closely

Good businesses accept that they evolve due to the incessant efforts of their competition. The current market is the perfect exemplification of the arms race. Your competitors are regularly improving their social marketing strategies, so when you have the chance to buy Instagram followers and likes for boosting sales, go right ahead. However, you can try to integrate your already perfect Instagram feed to boost your organic visibility.

Grease your sales funnel

On the other hand, you can fine tune your Instagram page by designing it for a clear sales cause. A well-maintained gallery often calls more clicks from real Instagram followers. These clicks will lead the users from the Instagram account to the sales page. This is a great way to boost marketing objectives in a cost-effective way.

Feature content directly

Another brilliant way to borrow the Instagram vibe from your account is by directly featuring the leading feed content on your website. Include the hashtags in your website content for streamlining the text, images, and videos. Use brand oriented and unique hashtags that can lead users to specific posts and products on your site. This is a great way to organize content using Instagram as a source of design inspiration and a source of fresh content.

Use Insta-ideas for Insta-success

On the other hand, Instagram is a treasure trove of fresh ideas and inspirations. You can find some leading website designers who have already thought considerably about using Instagram as a source of design inspiration. In the process of finding new ideas, do not discount your followers. They can come up with brilliant ideas to uplift your website and the site’s UX. You can turn this into a rewarding experience for everyone by introducing a contest for design ideas. This will create bulks of user-generated content and keep your SEO healthy.

Instagram has become one of the leading marketing platforms for multiple brands across the USA. Almost 80% of the 800 active monthly users follow one or more brands on a regular basis. People love to see videos, and there has been an 80% rise in video uploading and viewing among Instagram users. If you are not utilizing the Insta-fever right now, you may be missing all the great opportunities. Over 75% of the Instagram users find new products and visit the seller websites after visiting a captivating post. When your product site and business site need a revamp, do not look any further than Instagram for instant inspiration.


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by Ayham Gorani

5 Keys To Building A Truly Engaging App Interface


Technology

Mobile phones, and the apps that we install on them, have revolutionized our lives. From fitness to business, from communication to entertainment, these apps have ingrained themselves in every aspect of our modern lives.

There is a reason that “there is an app for that” is such a cultural marker.

If you are a budding app developer who wants to take your app to join the roster of those deemed “download-worthy,” then you need to ensure you are building a genuinely engaging app interface.

Here are six characteristics to keep in mind when designing your app.

  1. Responsive Design & En Vogue Interface

Implementing responsive design into your app is crucial, as it needs to be compatible with a wide variety of devices.

Keep in mind that design also goes through trend cycles and currently, flat design — a minimalist user interface — is en vogue. Use this style of design to ensure your app is keeping up with the industry standards. Additional components such as thumb placement, orientation and posture can also significantly affect the usability of your app.

Colors can also be “in” or “out” and is the single-most appealing characteristic of an app’s design. The colors you choose instantly provide a user with an interpretation of what the vibe of the app is and how it is going to make them feel.

Colors engage our emotions, and you want to confirm that you are invoking the suitable sentiments.

  1. Security

In addition to having an en vogue interface, the design of your app must also adhere to security and 508 compliance. To do this, have frequent conversations with your back-end team to guarantee that all data is being bestowed and gathered in a suitable manner.

If this part of the process excites you, you may be interested in mobile application developer jobs in Dubai.

  1. Social Media Integration

In this day and age, this seems like it should be a given! But in order to build a truly engaging app interface, you want to provide users with the option to sign up for/register for your app via their social media accounts.

This simple option makes it a lot easier for them, as they don’t have to spend the time creating an account (we can be quite lazy animals!) and don’t have to remember yet another password.

Forcing users to log in with a new account specifically for your app is a sure-fire way to see dwindling numbers of sign-ups.

  1. Simplicity

Because there are so many different avenues that app design can go down, it is understandable to want to load your project up with features. However, adding too many features to your app is an easy way to guarantee it looks cluttered and unstylish — not to mention that it may drain all of a user’s battery.

Stick to your clear, singular purpose and then optimize that in the most spectacular way possible. Keep referring back to your app’s mission statement and checking that focused declaration against any new content or features that you want to add.

The worst thing you can do is to design an app that perplexes a first-time user, prompting them to put their phone down — this is the opposite of building a truly engaging app interface.

  1. Keep the User in Mind

A personalized UX is what every user prefers. How you personalize the app is going to depend on what your specific app is, but make sure your team is continuously brainstorming ways to involve the user.

Building an interactive app will help you provide a better visitor experience.

When it comes to evaluating the design of your app, in the early stages of its development, involve real users who can point out glitches and suggest improvements. This is an essential part of the development process as these prospective customers help reduce the chance that you put buttons in the wrong place or have a color scheme that makes users flee. The earlier you can receive this feedback, the better!

No matter what niche your app falls into, the rules of engagement will apply.

Users:

  • Learn by having things shown to them
  • Continue to perform tasks when incentivized (either through rewards, punishments, etc.)
  • Long for things to be easy
  • Enjoy personalization
  • Want to be social

Again, how you choose to implement these rules of engagement depends on the purpose of your app. But people are people, and these sentiments remain accurate across the board.

To the success of your app!

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by Alice Porter

5 Biggest Influencers of Mobile App Development


Technology

Technological advancements are the driving force for any kind of application development. Without new forms of technology and new ways for people to use them, applications will remain relatively the same. In order to create a successful and well-rounded application, it’s important to first gain an understanding of what people want, and how that can be delivered in a new and exciting way.

As an application developer, it’s important to appreciate that the subtle nuances of the market and stay one step ahead of the game. Here are 5 of the biggest influencers of application development…

Wearable devices:

Wearable devices are a relatively new idea. The Apple watch is heralding the way for wearable devices, first introduced as a novelty, and from this has sparked a whole new generation of accessories and smart devices.

It’s undeniable that the market for these type of devices is currently being monopolised by Apple, but it has brought the potential for new and exciting devices to the table. Because of this new found market trend, app developers are going to have to consider creating user friendly applications which coincide with various wearable devices and accessories, whatever the future holds, it is clearly becoming more technologically driven.

M-Commerce vs. E-Commerce:

So, we have all heard of E-Commerce (online shopping), but M-Commerce is a relatively new phrase, brought about with the improvement of smartphone technology. M-Commerce is essentially the act of shopping online on a smartphone device. Industry experts have predicted that this will have overtaken E-Commerce by 2020. Interestingly, it’s been revealed that purchase rates are 50% more successful on a mobile that on a desktop.

This is thought to be because people have a higher purchase intent when looking for something on their phones – time is a big factor that needs to be taken into account, and buying something off a smartphone takes a fraction of the time and can be accessed from anywhere.

If a store has an online shop (it would be shocking if they didn’t), then it’s vital for them to capitalise on this new market trend, having an application makes for an even quicker and more trusted journey. App developers and retailers need to be able to collaborate to provide quicker sales and a more trusted method of online purchase.

Smart everyday objects:

Have you ever gone out and worried that you’ve left the oven on, or the iron, or wished that the heating was on and waiting for your return on a cold evening? All of your dreams are becoming a reality as the rise of smart objects are flooding into the mainstream market. The Dutch app developers, Nodes, are looking at ways to incorporate this tech into existing VR apps on the market already. Listen to what they have to say:

“Objects can now be controlled by smartphones and devices such as tablet and even wearable devices. Everything is becoming more technologically connected by the day, there are so many different variations of device that can be tapped into, whether that’s a television set, a home heating system or even a microwave.”

The general consensus is that the more objects that can be controlled by a smartphone or tablet, the easier and more futuristic life can be. By 2020, there will be 26 billion smart devices in circulation in the mainstream market, meaning that applications need to be developed and accounted for in the near future.

All of these different smart devices and objects are most likely being perfected and beta tested by engineers so they can be able to be controlled and manipulated by mobile phone applications.

UX design:

We are progressing into a techno-driven lifestyle as a society, as an addition to this, we are also becoming used to a higher quality user experience. It’s evident that we expect quicker loading times, easy navigation, and an aesthetically pleasing sites.

If you have a site or an app that has good user experience, then you are guaranteed for people to keep using them, or for more people to begin to use them. App developers need to design applications with the user in mind if they want to ensure that their work is successful.

Motion sensors:

Pretty much every single smartphone in circulation has location and motion sensors built in. If you have used any application or website on your smartphone, you will often be greeted with the message “this application would like to access your location”, this gives mobile app development and companies a lot of interesting information about the people who are using their app – where they are using it from, how many people are using the app in certain areas etc.

Analysing the data of how and where your application is being used, can really give an indication of how you can tailor your app to suit the individual. It can help to convert your information into better design and a better understanding of app development.

There are so many different factors that play into the hands of the future of mobile app development. Technology is the driving force of our society and everything else falls beneath and follows in its footsteps.

So if there are drastic changes in technology, there will be changes in consumer habits, and then there will be a necessity to have new and innovative application design, with the most effective and understanding user experience, which caters to both the individual and the technology that it is serving. With the progression of new technology and future trends such as AR, VR and AI, there is no knowing the bounds to which mobile app development will reach.

 

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by Incredible Planet Staff

Top 4 ways SEO services can improve your mobile website


Technology

Building a responsive website can be an exciting project for many businesses. Whether it’s upgrading your existing site to be mobile friendly or creating a new website from scratch, there are a lot of unique designs and added value that you can bring to a mobile website as opposed to a desktop website.

However, It’s important to not rush into the design, content and structure without thinking about SEO services first. You might think that incorporating SEO activities should be an after thought. Many businesses and individuals think the visuals of a website should be the basis and then build on it from there.

When you leave the online search ranking ability of your website until last, this can lead to significant website headaches down the track. When you put your online visibility first, then everything else should incorporate into this leaving you with a optimised, user friendly and informative website.

Online ranking activities aren’t just about keywords. There are various other priorities that tie in with this. With mobile website conversion rates now being more important than ever, here are top ways SEO services for website can help improve your mobile website.

Faster page speed time

Every second more it takes to load a page can lead your user to closing down the page. It doesn’t matter how creatively designed and dynamic your website might be, if it takes forever to load, then no-one will be patient enough to even get to your site.

Online ranking activities take into account page loading speed due to its impact on your bounce rate. The higher your bounce rate the less search engines will see your website as an authority and therefore will be less likely to rank your website.

When you base your mobile website build around faster page speed time, you will increase user satisfaction and user experience. A way to ensure this SEO activity is a priority in the build of your website is making sure you don’t have any large images and video files. Having large, slow loading visuals and video are some of the main reasons a page can be slow to load.

Warn against the use of pop-ups

Many of us have come across a pop-up when going to different websites on a desktop. Think about how intrusive they are on a desktop. Now times this by 10 when the user is on a mobile device. Just like page load speed, this is another factor that encourages visitors to close down your web page. It’s a barrier between them and your actual website.

On mobile, it’s more difficult to click the little “exit” button. Sometimes due to the configuration of the pop-up the exit button can even be difficult to find, such as being cut off or hidden when the website is viewed in portrait mode.

When you put these types of data gathering practices ahead of SEO and user experience, it will impact the traffic you receive to your website. Data gathering is a great marketing tactic. However, an SEO expert will find a place for it that isn’t intrusive to the user and actually adds to the visitor experience.

Encourage a user-friendly design

Not all website designers build a website that puts user experience first. There are a lot of elements that go into building a mobile website that they may be preoccupied with. For example, colour scheme and device compatibility. Yes, these elements are important but they shouldn’t overshadow user experience.

When you build a mobile site that is designed for a positive user experience, it should encourage your visitor to view more pages on your website and delve deeper. This inturn decreases your bounce rate, making your site more attractive to search engines. For example, elements such as an easy scroll function and ensuring buttons are big enough for the average thumb and index finger are just some of the factors you should be thinking about for a mobile site.

Prioritise titles

Not only is there the keyword search ranking importance of titles and meta descriptions, but when it comes to mobile websites, you also need to take into account how your titles will look.

A visitor should be able to understand from the first 2 seconds what your web page is about and how it relates to their initial query or their navigation journey. On desktop, it’s easier to have a longer title that explains what a page is about, however, when viewed on mobile, longer titles can be difficult to read.

A person that may not be familiar with SEO could delete the H1 because it looks too text heavy in mobile. This will severely impact your online visibility. Instead, opt for a shorter H1 that will look good on both desktop and mobile.

Summary

With the trend of responsive websites not going anywhere, and more people using their smart phones and tablet devices to conduct online searches and view websites, it’s important you get your mobile website right from the start.

As time goes on, you will be consistently upgrading and tweaking your website. But some tweaks are easier to do in the future than others. Changing an image or adding content is much easier to do than having to change your entire website structure due to page load speed or a poor user experience.

Don’t forget that implementing mistakes such as mobile phone pop-ups and confusing titles can hurt your bounce rate, which may take you a long time to improve once it has been impacted.