In the present day, companies require an online presence in order to be successful, which is achievable through their website. The optimum way Organisations do this is to present their website in a way that visually appeals to the user and therefore creates a more user friendly environment. However, this approach may sometimes hinder many of the essential processes involved with SEO, which then sparks the debate, which is more necessary for a website: findability (SEO) or usability (User Experience Design)?
Businesses try to present their information in a simplified way as a direct and concise form of marketing, attempting to convey information to a wider audience and to maximise website usability. This way a business is able to avoid an overload of information by altering the content intake from their customer. Online information overload results in less satisfied, less confident, and more confused consumers. In order to counteract the lack of material, a well-designed attractive website that appeals to its users is deemed as a viable alternative. It is more than likely that the more appealing a website looks, the greater perceived credibility of the service or product the business has to offer.
Design based websites, for example, a website with a sleek design and only showcasing a portfolio may be captivating to look at. However, as we scroll through a homepage of a website of this style and view the high quality images of their work, there is a lack of keywords, optimisation and signposts to other areas of the website. Users may also find it hard to locate when they use various search engines.
Using credibility as an index of positive user engagement, it is also important to note other aspects which affect a user’s perceived credibility online. Credibility increases when the site portrays a real-world presence, is easy to use, and is updated frequently; although on the other hand, websites lose credibility when it has errors, technical problems, or annoying advertisements. In regards to visually driven website design with minimal informative content does not allow the opportunity for regular updates, which in turn affects the website’s credibility.
User Experience and SEO have had a rocky past but they can live better in harmony. Taking both into consideration will help improve the look and search results of your website.
If you would like to discuss how we can help your online presence send us an email or call us on Dungannon 028 3754 9025 or Belfast 028 9002 5050.
