user experience Archives - Design Web Louisville

This Is Why Your CTA Is Not Converting (and How to Fix It)

October 12, 2023

Author: Eleanor Hecks

The calls to action (CTAs) on a website can make or break company revenue goals. Driving visitors to a page is only half the battle. Once people are there, the site must be engaging enough to move them toward the ultimate objective of converting from shoppers to buyers. If a brand has a CTA not converting, it’s time to check out the following factors and determine what changes are necessary.

Here are some of the principles designers should follow for the highest chance of success with CTAs.

1. Use Actionable Language

Vague phrases such as “Info” or “More” don’t encourage action. Instead, use actionable verbs, such as “Get Free Report” or “Sign Up” to drive engagement.

Stick to simple phrases or risk losing visitors with shorter attention spans. Try to come up with something that explains what the user will get when they take the action and why it’s specific to the brand.

Some strong action verbs website owners can use include:

Buy
Shop
View
Subscribe
Try

Source: https://www.vrbo.com

VRBO uses a simple “Book Now” command to encourage site visitors to place a reservation with one of their host locations. The button is blue, which pops against the backdrop of black, white and gray. Each property has a CTA button that follows the user down the page, as they look at photos of the property or interact with the listing.

2. Check Placement

Is the CTA still not converting? Where it’s located on the page can have a huge impact on how successfully it sends users down the buyer’s journey path. Try different locations and use A/B split tests to determine which location on the page works best with a particular audience.

Some users want enough information to make a decision before seeing a CTA button. Others are ready to act as soon as they land and need an option near the top of the page.

3. Make an Offer They Can’t Refuse

Get people to click on the CTA button by making an attractive offer. Give them something free, for a limited time or offer a perk if they convert to a customer.

There are two schools of thought on offering free items to collect leads. Some believe it gives the brand a direct connection to people already interested in what they offer. Others think freebies just attract people who want something for nothing and won’t convert into buyers.

Try different offers and see how the results shake out.

Source: https://inhub.thehenryford.org

A good example of offering something free so people can see what a brand offers is found on inHub. Note the “Join for Free” CTA button right at the top of the page. If the full signup process is rather lengthy, brands may take action to make a free signup for a trial or download simpler. Collecting only crucial information to stay in touch, such as a first name and email address, encourages users to complete the signup.

4. Increase the Size

For a CTA not converting, increasing the size of the button might improve conversions. A mere increase of 20% in size can draw user attention and improve sales. Try making the button easier to find. Move it around, make it larger, make it smaller and see what users respond to.

Every site and every offer is slightly different. What works for one site or even page on that website, may not work for another. Testing is critical.

5. Create a Sense of Urgency

Once users leave a site, they aren’t as likely to return. They may intend to but a million other things distract them from coming back. Whenever possible, create a sense of urgency to drive conversions while having their attention.

Utilize words and phrases such as:

Limited time
Ends soon
X left
Buy now
Hurry

One note of caution — if the CTA says something is only available for a limited time, don’t extend that time indefinitely. Users should trust a brand to stick to its word. If the CTA or text surrounding it says there are only two hours left to get an offer, it must disappear after that time. The company can create a new offer, but it should not be the initial one.

Source: https://www.hulu.com

Hulu adds a CTA to the top bar of their site to really drive home the point that the offer is for a limited time. They even list the end date so users know exactly when the cost goes up. If one looks at the CTA buttons further down the page, they’ll see in small letters it shows how much the price is going up and why users shouldn’t delay in signing up.

6. Add White Space

One big mistake people make with CTAs is not adding enough white space around them. A bit of negative space sets a button apart and shows the user it’s something important they should pay attention to.

For mobile users, adding white space makes it easier to click on the button on a smaller screen. Since over half of internet traffic is now via mobile devices, it makes sense to create a responsive design.

Figuring Out Why a CTA Is Not Converting

The CTA may not be converting for numerous reasons. Running tests to figure out what works with the brand’s audience is the number one way to improve conversions. Try changing the color of the button, the size, the placement and even the wording. With a bit of trial and error, designers will find the best combination for their audience and wind up with a high-converting landing page that drives growth.

Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. Eleanor was the creative director and occasional blog writer at a prominent digital marketing agency before becoming her own boss in 2018. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dog, Bear.

What Emerging IoT Trends Should Businesses Pay Attention To?

September 20, 2023

Author: Eleanor Hecks

You must pay attention to the latest innovations coming to the Internet of Things. IoT devices complement many other advanced technologies, so people are starting to combine them. These emerging IoT trends stand to revolutionize how businesses use the technology.

How Are IoT Trends Evolving Technology?

Emerging IoT trends are evolving technology into something entirely new. It combines with the most advanced, popular innovations to create something never before seen. The IoT as you know it may soon change forever.

In 2022, IoT startups secured the highest amount of funding they had received since 2012. They collected an average of nearly $16 million, a 30% increase from 2021. People saw the emerging trends of 2023 and decided they needed to be a part of the technological innovation.

The market for IoT devices dipped over 20% in 2022. However, they still secured incredibly high funding because investors believed the upcoming trends would revolutionize the technology. How much money they receive gives businesses a direct insight into its future. In this case, it is a clear indication of success.

What Are the Emerging IoT Trends?

The emerging IoT trends offer new takes on traditional devices. While some incorporate other well-known technologies, others create something entirely new.

Automation

Many emerging trends combine IoT devices with other advanced technologies. Automation has been a massive success for many businesses and is among the most popular. Although it has existed for a few years, it is only starting to pick up speed.

Many companies use IoT in robotic automation. For example, FedEx has used it for five years to organize and distribute mail, replacing traditional carriers. Most businesses rely partially on e-commerce sales, so they would benefit from technology that can package, label and ship products.

Even if you do not ship items to customers, you should pay attention to this trend because it has many real-world uses. No matter your industry, you can automate some of your responsibilities with IoT devices. It could streamline your processes, increasing accuracy and profit.

Artificial Internet of Things

Artificial intelligence in IoT — what people call AIoT — is one of the latest IoT trends. It combines artificial intelligence with traditional IoT technology. However, the extent of its presence differs depending on the device’s purpose.

Incorporating AI into IoT allows businesses to rapidly analyze data, make accurate predictions and run things smoothly. The simplest form of AIoT uses an algorithm to process information, while the more advanced version makes the devices operate independently.

Much of the buzz around it comes from the potential for peer-to-peer communication where each IoT device interacts with others. They already have a constant connection to the internet, so establishing one between a group of them is a minor leap.

Asset Tracking

A business owner is no stranger to supply chain delays and surprises, considering everything from a bad storm to a foreign conflict can disrupt things. IoT asset tracking can give immediate updates on an item’s location.

You can use remote IoT tracking to find packages in real time, no matter where you are. It improves traceability, helping you reduce losses. All you have to do is put a device on a pallet to keep track of its whereabouts the entire time it is in transit.

On top of tracking where products are, IoT asset tracking can tell you if they break in transit. The sensors can detect minor changes and alert you to potential damage. This technology can even improve your brand’s reputation since you can resolve the issue before your customer receives a defective item.

Digital Twins

A digital twin is a virtual copy of a physical object. Basically, it is an advanced version of traditional simulations. You use IoT sensors to map whatever item you want to visualize to monitor it in real time or simulate it after a change.

A digital twin can handle thousands of variables simultaneously, so you can use it for complex situations. For example, you could simulate how your new packaging design will function. You can use a digital twin instead of repeatedly building and testing prototypes.

It is also helpful for visualization. A digital twin can help you if you want to keep track of something remotely. Since it is a replica of the item in a digital format, you can monitor it even if you are not close to it. If something on the actual object begins to malfunction, you can consult the copy to understand how to troubleshoot things.

New Regulations

Regulations have begun to appear because of the rapid appearance of new IoT trends. Businesses should be aware of each new law to protect themselves as they adopt the technology. Regulatory bodies want to set ground rules as more industries use it.

For instance, the European Commission accepted a data protection act in 2023. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission proposed mandatory cybersecurity labels for IoT devices in the same year.

What Can Businesses Do to Prepare?

Businesses can analyze their needs to prepare for upcoming IoT trends. Once they identify where to use the technology, they can figure out how to implement it. While AIoT may be the best choice for one company, automation may be vital for another, depending on their individual needs.

Whatever they choose, it is a good idea to act now since the technology is only getting bigger. In 2023, the amount of IoT devices reached 15.14 billion globally. Experts expect the number will continue to rise and reach nearly 29.5 billion as early as 2030. They can take advantage of the growth if they prepare for it.

Follow the Trends

Businesses can benefit from paying attention to emerging IoT trends revolutionizing technology. You could use it to automate your e-commerce packaging, test new product prototypes digitally or predict supply chain delays. Ultimately, it could improve your company’s operations and elevate your digital processes.

Next-Level Campaigns: How AI Supercharges Customer Acquisition and Retention

September 15, 2023

Author: Sean H.

Customer acquisition and retention are necessary for businesses to succeed. Acquiring new customers allows companies to grow, but they must also retain them to guarantee brand loyalty and sustainable profitability.

Consumers are constantly shifting their preferences and behaviors, making it challenging for companies to reach target audiences with effective campaigns. However, with artificial intelligence (AI) by your side and the right data, you can better understand, attract and retain your customer base.

A Brief Overview of How AI Works

AI helps marketers by analyzing large amounts of data in a shorter time. Companies have always used data to learn about their customers. Yet, before AI came into the picture, businesses used traditional marketing methods that often relied on broader information.

Today, the global AI market comes to $142.3 billion, and companies use it to identify specific customer behaviors, preferences and patterns. Marketers create more targeted and personalized campaigns using algorithms to sift through data sources like website visits, social media interactions and purchase histories.

This information provides a deep view of customers’ habits and what they like. With these insights, businesses craft messages and offers that resonate directly with individual users. As a result, potential customers are more likely to engage because those messages capture their attention.

Essentially, AI eliminates much guesswork and ensures you use your resources efficiently to reach the right audience on time.

Personalized Marketing Messages and Recommendations

AI takes personalization to a whole new level by understanding each customer. One way it personalizes marketing is through product recommendations.

For instance, when users visit an e-commerce site, AI analyzes their browsing behavior, past purchases and abandoned carts. It uses this information to suggest products they are likely to buy. However, this method requires more than showing relevant products — it also needs you to present them at the right moment in the user’s journey.

Email marketing has also benefited from AI’s personalization capabilities. Instead of sending generic newsletters, companies can now send emails that provide specific solutions to their customers’ needs. From subject lines that capture attention to content that addresses their interests, AI ensures every email feels individually crafted.

In social media advertising, AI looks at users’ interactions, likes, shares and comments to display ads that relate to their interests and values. It ensures each message caters to the individual to increase engagement and customer interest.

Optimizes Ad Campaigns

Optimizing an ad campaign has become highly sophisticated with the integration of AI. AI assists businesses in ensuring their advertising efforts are on point through various techniques:

Dynamic pricing: AI analyzes real-time market demand, competitor pricing and other factors to adjust ad bids automatically. This analysis ensures companies get the best value for their ad spend while maximizing visibility.
Audience segmentation: Instead of broad demographic groups, AI creates micro-segments based on behaviors and past interactions. This allows for highly targeted ad campaigns that cater to specific audiences.
A/B testing at scale: While traditional A/B testing compares two versions of an ad, AI can test multiple variations simultaneously. It analyzes which elements — like headlines, images or calls-to-action — perform the best.
Predictive analysis: AI forecasts how likely a particular ad is to convert based on historical data and user behavior. This predictive insight allows businesses to allocate their budgets better — pushing resources toward advertisements likely to yield higher results.
Multichannel optimization: AI focuses on more than one platform by evaluating the performance of ads across various channels — from social media to search engines.
Real-time adjustments: Market conditions and user behaviors can change rapidly. Therefore, AI-driven platforms become useful as they react in real time to tweak campaigns to adjust to these changes.

Predicts Customer Needs

AI may be able to capture data and analyze it for campaigns. However, the interesting part is that it can predict future trends by analyzing past behaviors. With its predictive capabilities, you can address customer needs before they arise.

AI achieves this by looking for patterns in your customer data. These could be things your customers have purchased or time spent on particular pages. From there, AI determines what a customer is interested in or might look for in the future.

For example, a customer who checks out athletic gear often may be interested in a new sportswear line. The company can then use this information to promote the products, instantly saving time and money from studying customers’ preferences and behaviors.

Beyond looking at individual behaviors, AI also analyzes global trends. By examining broader market patterns and predicting upcoming trends with AI, your business can always be a step ahead in its offerings.

Automates Customer Communication

Effective communication is crucial in establishing and maintaining customer relationships. Communication helps customers get answers to their questions, build trust with a brand and solve problems. However, low-priority communications often take up much of your customer support team’s time.

When AI automates simple requests, customer support can better care for customers with larger issues. For example, AI could help customers find what they want on the business’s website. Hubspot found that 78% of customer support agents use AI and automation because they say it lets them spend their time on more important aspects of their role.

One of the most popular ways companies do this is through chatbots. These tools handle numerous customer inquiries in real time, providing instant answers and solutions. AI chatbots can understand and respond to user queries. The interaction feels smooth and natural, and more customers are satisfied with the help they receive.

Using AI Marketing for Customer Acquisition and Retention

AI has certainly changed the way marketers reach and retain new customers. Whether it is through personalized messaging or product recommendations, businesses witnessed the power behind it to engage with customers in previously unimaginable ways. Pinpoint some areas where you could use AI in your business and start taking customer acquisition to another level today.

Why Incorporating Community Service Is Vital for Modern Web Businesses

August 30, 2023

Author: Eleanor Hecks

What does community service look like for modern web-based businesses? Unlike traditional mom-and-pop shops with personal customer relationships, a digital company may have various clients.

Figuring out the ins and outs of giving back to customers requires more legwork but can still help your company develop strong interpersonal relationships with clients. Laying the groundwork gives you a competitive advantage and establishes your organization as one that cares.

1. Build Strong Connections

The Edelman Trust Barometer 2023 showed a rising need for increased trust between consumers and brands. Approximately 71% of people feel being able to rely on a company to be honest is more important today than in the past.

Giving back to the world shows you care about more than just a profit. It is much more likely to instill good feelings in people than if you ignore social causes or needs. You create strong emotional ties when you make a difference in someone’s life.

2. Show You’re an Authority in Your Field

According to research, family-owned enterprises provide employment opportunities for 63% of the workforce in the United States. Hundreds of thousands of businesses emerge each year, making it increasingly challenging to find success.

How can you show you’re an authority in your field and gain customers’ confidence? Giving back to others shows you know what you’re doing and are making a profit. Give a percentage of revenue to philanthropic efforts.

Consumers who believe in the same cause will consider you when they need something you sell. An example of this type of buy-one, give-one mentality can be seen in the model of TOMS shoes. When you buy shoes, it donates a pair.

3. Create a Positive Impression of Your Company

Community service can also improve your image and help you develop a positive reputation. If you’re doing damage control from past mistakes or a catastrophe, finding ways to give back can help repair your reputation.

Remember why you started your company and the big dreams you had. What is your brand image and how do others see you? For example, are you an avid golfer? You may have started your company to serve a need such as help with putting skills. One idea is to offer free training to golfers on an aspect of their game. You could also give back to a charity for youth by hosting an event where profits go to a specific organization.

Embrace whatever cause matters most to you, whether saving the environment, protecting endangered species or helping homeless veterans. Whatever movement you participate in, post to your social media account and share how you’re giving back with your followers.

4. Keep Employees Thriving

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the quit rate for June 2023 was 2.4%, which was nearly 4 million workers. Although competition to retain people might vary depending on where you live, you still want to keep your employees engaged and thriving.

Your employees often promote your business and its activities. They take pride in their workplace and eagerly spread the word to others. Identifying your strengths simplifies determining when and how you should give back. By working together, everyone can contribute to cultivating a company culture.

Regardless of how much the labor shortage impacts your company, you want to train and keep top workers. Investing in things they care about is a great way to retain talent.

5. Teach Customers to Be Loyal to Your Brand

Serving the online community means your company name is repeatedly mentioned in the same circles. Your target audience might see you donated to a cause they are passionate about. You may have participated in a local project and it made an impact or spurred more giving to a global cause.

They may perceive their friends buy the same product, creating an online connection. In fact, 22% of consumers say a strong sense of community is a big reason for brand loyalty. However, it goes deeper than just feeling seen and heard. Someone has to hear your name repeatedly before remembering it in the first place.

Building brand recognition takes a plan and consistent delivery. Look for ways to get the word out. However, the reason you participate in an event or offer a service should be because you care.

Even if you gain zero new customers from giving back, you should still do it because it matters. Approaching charity work with a positive attitude will likely get fresh eyes on your products and revenue from the effort.

6. Get Your Customers Like No One Else Does

Understanding the emotions and passions that drive your audience means you’re much more likely to make an emotional connection. Engaging in community service lets you connect with your customers on their level and gain insights into their priorities. Take the time to inquire about the organizations they hold dear and would appreciate your support for. Additionally, explore ways you can assist them or their loved ones.

For example, some of your customers may have vision limitations. You can find out what makes it easier for them to browse your pages and fix it. You can then offer a community service by featuring workshops for other companies and explaining what you changed and how they can repeat your efforts.

Start on Community Service Today

The best way to ramp up community service for your modern web business is to map out how you’d like to give back and start with the top ones. Allow your employees some input, try various ideas and ask customers what they think about new programs. Focus on improving your efforts over time and offering a service to make the world a better place rather than what you can get out of it as a company.

The Art of Meeting Project Deadlines: Essential Practices for On-Time Delivery

August 21, 2023

Author: Eleanor Hecks

One of the most challenging aspects of running a successful company is meeting project deadlines. With multiple players on a project and clients throwing new due dates at you, developing strong practices for on-time delivery is difficult at best.

Meeting due dates is crucial to the growth and success of your business. You will build trust with clients so they turn to you for future projects. When you are more productive, you will also get more work done and be able to take on new clients.

Fortunately, making a few changes to how you approach projects can make all the difference. Here are the top ways of meeting project deadlines on time.

1. Get Input From Staff

Gartner reports 82% of employees want their organizations to understand them as a person, but only 45% feel their employer tries. Before embarking on any big process changes or productivity improvements, gather everyone together.

Ask workers for ideas to improve time management. Most of them probably already have hacks they use and everyone can learn from one another. Also, ask for feedback for project managers on the things that might need improvement when it comes to dispersing work and setting deadlines.

2. Set the Foundation

Come up with a template you can utilize that defines the scope of the project and the end objective. Knowing the typical milestones for projects of a similar type enables you to streamline the process of setting up the job.

You can use tools such as online project management to make the process easier and save other workflows. With a plug-and-play type system, you simply add in the specific details for the exact project of the moment.

3. Use a Paper Planner

When you are first laying out your projects, put everything on paper. You never know when third-party software might go down. With a paper copy, you can pull out the original notes and keep moving forward until systems come back online.

Studies also show writing things out in hard copy improves retention. People will not have to continually refer to online notes if they better remember the next task. Although it is an extra step to mark off completed work and change things along the way, it is minimal compared to the headache you might have if a digital copy gets hacked or the server goes down.

4. Be Smart About Project Deadlines

It is tempting to make deadlines extremely tight to encourage staff to strive for better productivity. However, the stress of meeting impossible due dates could have the opposite effect and cause people to feel like failures.

Consider what a reasonable deadline is and how difficult the task might be. Something simple — such as emailing the client — might only need a few minutes to complete. On the other hand, creating a style guide is much more intensive and requires multiple hours of work that often must be broken down to avoid burnout.

5. Assign Tasks to the Right People

The creation of a website or app should go to your best web developer staff members. If you begin assigning tasks and realize you do not have enough people to complete highly technical or skilled work, you will need to hire someone or allow time for other team members to train.

Look at what is time sensitive and push those jobs to the people you know meet deadlines without fail. At the same time, get those workers to mentor others who might not be as adept at finishing tasks when they should.

Although meeting deadlines and working productively are important, your employees are learning from each project. Factor in time for education and building new skills so each project becomes a bit more efficient.

6. Rate Tasks by Priority

For any project, some tasks are more crucial than others. If the marketing department is waiting on a graphic design, they cannot schedule advertisements.

Look at which elements impact other elements when choosing the priority of tasks. Then, rank the most vital things so the team knows they should complete them first. Make it a daily habit to organize things a second time as milestones change and different variables enter the picture.

7. Conduct Frequent Progress Checks

As the project progresses, take the time to see if you are meeting major milestones and what deadlines might fall behind. If you are having a hard time coordinating everything or need a professional set of eyes on a job, hire one of the estimated 781,400 project management specialists in the U.S. You might want to get their input on how well your plan is working and any tweaks that would make the process more efficient.

8. Say No

It is common for clients to throw a bunch of new tasks or widen the scope of a project after you begin. You have to learn how to manage such requests without overwhelming your staff or not meeting crucial deadlines.

You do not want to tell a customer no constantly. However, sometimes you must explain why something is outside the original agreement, and additions will require more time and resources.

Deliver Quality Projects on Time

Clients expect you to meet specific deadlines but keep the lines of communication open and assure them you understand what they want from the experience. Setting goals before you begin a project helps keep things on track. If you run into problems, go back to the objective and strategize. When you focus on the project as a whole and then break it down, you will be better able to manage project deadlines and keep your clients happy.

How Do Businesses Create Unforgettable Experiences that Span the Entire Buyer’s Journey?

August 15, 2023

Author: Eleanor Hecks

Today’s savvy consumers look for more than just price or quality in the products they buy. Shoppers also want a positive and engaging user experience (UX) that spans the entire buyer’s journey and beyond.

It’s natural to focus on finding new leads and getting them to make a purchase, but there are many steps before, during and after the sale that can impact how the user feels about your brand. The goal is to engage with them in a way that leaves them walking away with such a positive impression that they tell everyone they know and sing your praises via reviews and social media posts.

How can you improve the buyer’s journey and turn browsers into loyal customers and current clients into raving fans?

1. Know the Phases of the Buyer’s Journey

Before you can create an amazing experience, you must fully understand the path a consumer walks before they buy. In general, there are three phases to the process.

Awareness
Consideration
Decision

Within each of those phases are various touch points to focus on if you wish to create a memorable encounter. Walk through the sales funnel as though you are a user at each phase. Does anything make you want to leave the site? Is there anything unclear or that could be easier to use?

2. Get Personal

It’s particularly crucial during the awareness phase to create content that speaks to the audience. Create buyer personas based on pain points the user has that drives them to you for a solution.

Once you understand your audience’s demographics, you can address the emotions behind each pain point. Create content that relieves fears, makes them laugh or helps them overcome the issue at hand.

Videos are one tool to engage new users and begin to move them from the awareness to the consideration phase. You must first teach them about what you do and why it would help them.

3. Improve Checkout

Zippia reports that the average shopping cart abandonment rate is 69.82% across all industries. Anything you can do to improve checkout will improve your revenue.

Users entering your checkout process are likely already in the decision stage and ready to make a purchase. Prevent any reasons to bounce away. Test the system, retest it and simplify things until closing the sale is as natural as clicking a single link.

Add features such as a one-click checkout and integrate with third-party payment providers like PayPal and Google so information is already stored and the user doesn’t have to think before hitting the checkout button.

4. Onboard New Visitors

Many experts now recommend taking a total experience (TX) approach with users. With TX, you have to look at every tiny detail. The way the colors on the page impact users emotionally may seem minor but can make a difference in the way the audience perceives your brand.

Take the time to welcome new visitors and teach them how to use your website or software. Break things down until even a small child could understand the next step and why to take it. Ensure call to action (CTA) buttons are easy to spot and the result is clear.

Don’t forget how many mobile interactions there are, as the numbers increase annually. Many shoppers may visit your site from smartphones, tablets and other devices.

5. Create Interactive Experiences

When the buyer’s journey reaches the consideration stage, focus on creating content that draws the user in and engages them. You might add a flip card, where you ask a question and the user clicks on the card for the answer about your product or service.

You might also host a webinar, offer online product demonstrations or tap into the power of augmented reality (AR). Ikea takes AR and adds it to their app for an immersive experience that sells furniture. The user points their cell phone at the room and plops the item into place. Instantly, they can consider how it looks and if it is the right item for their needs.

People move very quickly from consideration to decision when you give them the tools to do so.

6. Build Customer Loyalty

CX is a roughly $641 billion industry and growing. Companies are starting to understand why the steps a buyer goes through to become a customer are so crucial to building a loyal fan base.

One thing you can do to better understand your customers and create positive associations with your brand is to build a customer journey map. A map is something you should build as you walk through your site or shopping experience. Write down every touchpoint.

Next, ask if each interaction is all it can be or you should ramp things up. If something isn’t working, change it. Talk to customers and find out what they love and dislike about their experience.

7. Improve Multichannel Communication

Have you ever gone online and engaged a chatbot to fix an issue with a product or service? Perhaps you phoned and explained the issue only to be transferred and have to explain it all over again.

If you want to make a good impression on the buyer, you have to lessen their frustration when something does go wrong or they have a question. The best way to improve your customer service is by integrating all customer service channels into a single database.

Let’s say John went into the chatbot and tried to troubleshoot his new flashlight. Unfortunately, no live agents were available, and the bot couldn’t help, so the system asked him to phone.

John makes the call but has to explain the entire issue once again. The agent he reached isn’t in technical support and apologizes and transfers him to the correct department. Once there, guess what happens? John has to explain the entire problem yet again and hope this person can help him.

If you’re frustrating your customers like this, stop now. Train agents to look up the chain of communication and already know what the problem is so they can hit the ground running. “Hello John, I see that you tried to resolve this with our online live chat but were asked to phone in. Your new flashlight you just bought isn’t turning on and you want to know if you should return it. Is that correct?”

John is now less frustrated and you’ve improved the CX for him, making his experience unforgettable in a positive way.

Follow Up for the Best CX Imaginable

Creating an unforgettable experience happens when you stand out from the competition. You must show customers you care about them as individuals and give them a reason to trust you with their hard-earned dollars.

Following up after you have their money is one of the top ways to signal you care about more than just profit. You want them to be happy with their purchase and trust you in the future. Send an email checking on them and make sure they’re completely satisfied. Most will ignore the email, but a few might reach out for help or with a complaint. If they do, you now have the opportunity to solve the problem and secure your reputation with them.

With a little added effort during each part of the buyer’s journey, you’ll wind up with a skew of loyal fans who tell others how amazing you and your products are.

UI Trends That Will Not Be Going Away Any Time Soon

October 19, 2022

Author: Eleanor Hecks

Your user interface (UI) can make or break your website or app. It only makes sense that developers constantly try new tactics to improve experience. Trends have a tendency to come and go, but some stand the test of time and stick around for years.

What Is the Future of UI Design?

Although UI design has changed drastically in the past five to 10 years, there are still some workflow issues that need to be addressed. For example, code and design sometimes don’t work together as well as they should, slowing down developers and creating design snafus.

Zippia estimates there are around 7,714 UI designers in the United States. As more people throw their hat in the ring, new trends emerge. Knowing which ones to stick with and which ones are passing trends isn’t always easy.

Here are some that just make sense for UI design and won’t be going away any time soon:

1. Dark Mode

Dark mode has been around for years now, but it keeps gaining popularity. The darker design not only is visually appealing but it reduces drain on the battery. Since many people use their mobile devices to browse the internet, it’s vital to offer little things that create a better user experience through the UI. Dark mode accomplishes improvements in battery life and viewing.

Even if you don’t love the look of dark mode, you may want to embrace this trend for the improved UI.

2. Drag and Drop

One area a lot of developers run into trouble with is drag and drop zones and creating a workable UI. For example, if it isn’t clear what can be dragged and dropped, then the user may feel uncertain about working in the environment of any software you create.

Let’s say you have lists with movable parts. How does the end-user know which parts are going to move into which columns? You can do things such as color-code boxes with where they can be dropped. Drag and drop isn’t going away anytime soon, but there are still a lot of limitations in creating them and a lot of bugs you’ll need to work through.

3. Micro-Interactions

Engaging site visitors is vitally important in a crowded marketplace. Advanced micro-interactions add high value to a website or app because they pull the user in and have them complete tasks that keep them engaged along the way. Think of adding features such as slideshows, buttons that change color as the cursor hovers over them and so on.

4. Mobile First

Already, mobile traffic accounts for more than 50% of all internet browsing around the world. If you aren’t designing for mobile first, you may miss out on a lot of opportunities to engage users. The way an interface works on mobile can vary greatly from the way it works on a desktop due to size and responsiveness.

You want to ensure buttons are easy to click, forms simple to fill out and any other interactions will work on a small screen.

5. Metaverse

Something we expect to see more and more websites embrace in coming months is the metaverse. This is a virtual reality world where users engage on headsets. However, expect phones to become more and more capable of offering virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences.

Your UI must be ready to jump onto this trend, particularly if you’re in the e-commerce stratosphere.

More UI Trends on the Way

As technology changes and trends come and go, pay attention to the ones that make the most sense for your industry. Which ones are beneficial to your customers? Focus on building a highly usable, pleasing experience and you’ll gain customers and loyal fans for your efforts.

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5 Easy Ways to Increase Your Business Website Traffic

July 15, 2022

Author: Maggie Bloom

If you’re a business owner, then you know that having a website is essential in today’s digital age. But what good is a website if no one can find it? There are things you can do to increase traffic to your site and get more eyes on your product or service. Here are five easy ways to do just that.

Improve Your Website’s Design and User Experience

Your website’s design is the first thing potential customers will see, so it’s important to make a good impression. If your site is difficult to navigate or doesn’t look professional, people will likely click away and visit another site. On top of that, a well-designed website will be more likely to rank higher on search engine results pages, which will also help increase traffic.

One of the most important things that you can do to improve your site’s design is to focus on user experience. Make sure your site is easy to navigate and that all the information potential customers might be looking for is easy to find. You can do that by using clear and concise text, easy-to-use menus, and helpful visuals, like images and videos.

Another important aspect of the design is creating a mobile-friendly version of your site. With more and more people using smartphones and tablets to browse the web, it’s essential that your site can be viewed on these smaller devices. If it’s not, you could be missing out on a lot of potential traffic.

There are plenty of other ways to improve your website’s design, but these are just a few of the most important things to keep in mind.

Integrate SMS, Email, and Instant Messenger Marketing

Email, SMS, and instant messenger are all great ways to stay in touch with your potential customers and keep them updated on what’s going on with your business. You can use these platforms to send out coupons, announcements, or even just friendly reminders about your product or service.

A programmable SMS API service provider, for instance, can be integrated into your website to automatically send text messages to customers who opt-in. This is a great way to stay in touch with your customers and keep them updated on your latest offers.

Email marketing can also be used to great effect. You can use an email service, like MailChimp, to create beautiful newsletters or promotional emails and send them out to your list of subscribers. This is a great way to keep people interested in what you’re doing and drive traffic back to your site.

And last but not least, don’t forget about instant messenger marketing. Platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are incredibly popular and can be used to reach a large number of people quickly and easily.

Use Social Media

Social media is a great way to connect with potential customers and promote your business. Platforms, like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram allow you to reach a wide audience with little effort. And best of all, it’s free to use!

When using social media, it’s important to post interesting and engaging content that will get people talking. You should also make sure to post regularly and interact with your followers as much as possible.

Another great way to use social media is to run ads. Facebook, in particular, has a very effective advertising platform that allows you to target potential customers based on their interests and demographics.

Write Guest Posts for Other Blogs

Guest posting is a great way to get your name out there and drive traffic back to your site. When you guest post on another blog, you’re essentially getting free advertising for your business.

And it’s not just about getting your name out there. Guest posting can also help improve your website’s search engine ranking. This is because when you guest post, you’re usually given a link back to your site. These links are called backlinks and they act as a vote of confidence for your site, telling search engines that it’s relevant and trustworthy.

Use Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a great way to get your site in front of potential customers who are already interested in what you’re selling. With PPC, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. This makes it a very effective and efficient way to advertise.

There are a number of different PPC platforms you can use, but the most popular is Google AdWords. With AdWords, you can create text, image, and video ads that will be shown to people who are searching for keywords related to your business.

In the end, increasing your website traffic is all about being creative and thinking outside the box. There are a number of different ways to do this, but these are just a few of the most effective. If you put in the time and effort, you’ll be sure to see a difference in your traffic numbers.

How the Live Stream Industry Impacted Web Design (for the Better)

May 16, 2022

Author: Eleanor Hecks

Video content has significantly grown in popularity within the last few years. One of the primary reasons is that video technology has rapidly developed. In fact, video content has become so popular that research by Statista shows video viewership will increase to 248.9 million U.S. viewers in 2022.

However, out of all the video content available online, one of them has had the biggest impact — live streaming videos.

These days, more people are watching live streams. In 2021, live streaming estimated 548.7 billion hours of watch time. That impressively makes it one of the most popular forms of online content.

Because people enjoy live streaming content daily, it’s clear that the streaming industry will keep expanding. In fact, the live-streaming market reached $70 billion in 2021, and it continues to grow.

While live streaming has impacted the world, web design is one area that will have a mark.

How Live Streaming Impacted Web Design

In the live stream industry, there are several reasons why it has become so popular. One of them is that streamers can engage with thousands of viewers across the globe in real-time. During a live stream, creators get to communicate with people via live chat — making their streams highly interactive and intriguing to watch.

Additionally, live streaming is cost-efficient. Unlike broadcasting on TV, live streams are entirely free to run on the internet. Plus, they don’t require as much of an expense for production. With lots of savings and the ability to monetize live streaming, this increasingly attracts streamers and has helped many businesses worldwide.

Moreover, it has allowed people to stay connected while the lockdown orders proceeded during the pandemic.

However, streamers are starting to realize the opportunities that live streaming brings when it comes to monetization.

Creators Are Designing Their Own Live-Stream Platforms

Streamers rely heavily on some of the most popular live-streaming platforms, like YouTube, Facebook and Twitch. These networks allow live streamers to be successful with the billions of viewers that use these sites.

However, public networks have limitations — restricting monetization, enforcing strict content guidelines and limiting channel discoverability with the algorithms.

Now live-stream creators look for a place where they have complete control over their content. That’s where web design comes into play because more streamers require their own live-streaming websites. And they need special features to create a successful live-stream site.

Between the popularity of live-streaming and the realization of creating their own platform, web design will have a crucial role in the industry. With more live-stream creators turning to their own platform, they get to:

Have creative freedom.

Control their income.

Reach more people with SEO (search engine optimization).

Increase their brand awareness.

Essentially, it empowers you to take control of your live streaming business. That’s why more designers are creating websites for people to achieve their own success. But for you to reap the benefits of your own digital space, you have to incorporate certain web design elements.

Web Design Features Needed in a Live-Stream Website

Web design can help you establish your brand as an influencer or live–streamer. You’ll look more legitimate and professional to your fans, helping you create more opportunities.

However, web design is critical when creating a website. A good live-stream web design uses the right colors, fonts, words, images and graphics to appeal to users.

Here are some elements to consider incorporating when designing your live-stream website.

1. Create an Online Store

You generate as much revenue as you desire with your own website — more than what’s available on social platforms. If you plan on selling items during your live streams, you’ll need to host an online store, so people have a place to buy merchandise.

When designing your e-commerce store, try to keep it simple. The more pop-ups, banner ads and colors you add, the more it takes away the point of closing a sale. Your design should be clean, clear and simple so users can easily find what they want.

2. SEO-Friendly Website

When developing new web pages, you need to ensure you optimize your site with clean, SEO-friendly code. Incorporating SEO into your site allows your streaming brand to appear in Google’s search results. As a result, you show all of your brand’s entire offerings.

Take time creating your site’s code to increase your return on investment. SEO-friendly coding will guide search engine spiders and provide them with a clear picture of your website’s content.

Furthermore, it helps to design a blog page to drive traffic to your website. If you create a blog section, you can target your audience with keywords and answer your user’s with the most common questions.

3. Drive Brand Awareness

A professional-looking website can attract more fans to your live-stream platform. To achieve better results, though, you need good branding. Branding awareness is crucial since it provides credibility in a saturated market and can set you apart from other live-streamers.

To design a brand successfully, you’ll first need to create a brand strategy that defines who you are in your business. Then, you can start incorporating your branding into your live-stream website.

For instance, colors are an essential part of branding. They can stimulate different emotions and associate with other characteristics.

When choosing the right color palette, consider its effects on the human mind. Doing so will help you determine which ones are the right fit for your brand. Once you pick the right colors, you’ll be able to create an attractive logo design and ensure your brand is memorable.

4. Create an Interactive and User-Friendly Experience

Finally, your website will need a user-friendly design. Users expect a lot these days when they interact with websites. Therefore, you need to create a live-streaming website that’s interactive and easy to use.

Some of the important features you’ll need to pay careful attention to when designing your streaming site will include:

User registration: Ensure you set up the proper sign-up forms, so users have access to your live streaming content. You can provide various formats for users to log in, including email, Facebook account and a mobile number.

Video search: Users will need a place where they can find your previously uploaded content. Consider categorizing your videos by topic, date, video length, genre, most-watched, etc.

Video player: For better user experience, provide the options of sharing and embedding videos. Offer related videos, playlist configuration, download buttons and video quality selectors for enhancements.

Payment Integration: If you plan on creating a subscription model for your live stream business, ensure you support online payments using third-party integrations.

Kickstart the Design of Your Live-Stream Website

It’s no wonder more streamers are turning to their own platforms. They get freedom and creativity doing it.

However, designing a new website considers usability, attractiveness and optimization. When incorporating live-stream into your web design, consider following the tips above to ensure you enhance the overall experience for your users.

4 Great CTAs We’ve Seen on Landing Pages this Year

April 14, 2022

Author: Eleanor Hecks

Calls to action (CTAs) are arguably the most important component on a landing page. They drive users to take action, help improve your conversion rates and grab attention. If your CTAs hit all the high points, you’ll find you have more business than you can handle. When they don’t, you may flounder a bit.

You work hard to drive traffic to your website and find new leads. You want your website to engage visitors and collect information from those who are truly interested in buying from you. CTAs are a big part of the sales funnel and help take your users on a journey toward becoming clients.

What Is an Effective CTA?

Insider Intelligence recently reported a prediction that e-commerce sales will reach $1 trillion by the end of 2022 in the United States alone. The pandemic forced many people to shop online. Some decided they loved it and have never looked back. COVID-19 accelerated how fast e-commerce grew between 2020 and 2022, but it shows no signs of slowing.

An effective CTA includes the following:

The right language. Use “I” or “you” to grab attention
Action verbs
Short and to the point
Colors that grab attention
Contrast with the rest of the page
Placed in the perfect position so the user finds it easily. Usually, this is above the fold.
Big enough to see
Adapts well to mobile devices and is easy to tap with a thumb on a small screen

The clickthrough rates of CTAs vary widely by industry. It’s next to impossible to nail down an average. Your best bet is to compete against yourself, tweaking and changing until you hit a rate that makes you happy.

One way to gain inspiration is by studying how other brands created highly successful CTAs for their landing pages. Here are four we think you’ll find intriguing.

1. The Budgetnista

Source: https://thebudgetnista.com

The Budgetnista, Tiffany Aliche, utilizes a striking CTA on her website. First, it is at the very top of the page, in the slot where most readers look first. She starts with a question that reads, “How good are you with your money?” She then invites the user to take a quiz and in exchange, they get something in return–a financial wellness score.

Finally, the CTA button is a vivid yellow, the only splash of that color above the fold. It is a large button and uses the words “Click Here to Start.” We don’t always love the words “click here” for CTAs, but it works in this instance because of the other text surrounding the button. The page provides that rules are made to be broken.

Tip: Place your CTA in a location where the user is most likely to see it and click it. If you’re offering something free, putting it at the top of the page works well. If you are asking them for something, such as to make a purchase, you may want to place it further down the page so you can convince them first.

2. NoRedInk

Source: https://www.noredink.com

NoRedInk shows off how to use a CTA if you’re offering something to your site visitors in exchange for their contact information. The focus is on what they’re going to do for the user rather than just to grab an email address. The user sees the clear advantages to trying out the platform for their students.

The site then uses the word “Free” in the CTA so that users are enticed to sign up and learn more. The idea is that once you get leads to try out the platform, they’ll want to utilize the many advantages of it and sign up for a premium account.

Tip: Offer your users something in exchange for their personal information.

3. New Balance

Source: https://www.newbalance.com

New balance does something pretty interesting on their landing page. Rather than try to collect buyer information or offer them something, they share their life philosophy about the importance of conversations. They celebrate diversity with a look at black women in particular.

Not how they talk about some of the typical conversations one might hear and how women should support each other. They then add a CTA button titled with a single action verb. It reads, “Explore.”

The CTA button itself is transparent in the center, showing the background with a red outline and red text. The button itself isn’t very attention grabbing, which puts the focus on the text above it and the video playing to the right.

When one clicks on the button, they get stories about real women, the company’s philosophy and the things they’re doing to celebrate diversity.

Tip: You don’t always have to sell something to utilize an excellent CTA. Sometimes you can share important or trending information about your company or the world.

4. Tenzr

Source: http://tenzr.ouiwill.com

Tenzr keeps things pretty simple. There aren’t a lot of different options on the page. Their goal is to filter down visitors to those truly interested in getting digital therapy for carpal tunnel and similar issues and signing them up.

Because their goal for the landing page is hyper-focused, there is an image, headline and a CTA button to the top right titled “Start Now.” They don’t spend a ton of time explaining. If you need that, you can scroll down. They get right to the point.

Tip: You don’t always have to explain everything up front. Sometimes people just want the solution and need to know how to get started. Keep it simple and drive traffic straight to your CTA.

Test Your CTAs

The best way to improve your CTAs on your landing pages is by split testing them. Change the color and see how users respond. Try different wording, placement, colors and surrounding images and text.

Ideally, you’ll consistently tweak your CTAs until you hit the conversion numbers you desire. It takes time and effort to come up with the perfect CTA for your landing page, so never stop trying new things.