CREATE MEANINGFUL ONLINE ENGAGEMENT THROUGH USER EXPERIENCE  

Have you ever been on a website where you cringed looking at the design, and felt hopeless trying to find information that you are looking for? We all have come across such websites one time or another, and the question is, why didn’t the website owner spend a bit more time making a website that works?

A carefully thought through user experience (UX) is the main differentiator, and what separates a good website from not-so-great ones. It is what sets you apart from your competitors. A great user experience fortifies brand reputation, builds trust and keep visitors coming back again and again. Some examples of such experience include website design and layout, easy navigation tools, responsiveness, and fast page loading speed.

While they sound easy, the execution can be challenging. You need to have a deep understanding of your audience, their needs and wants before embarking on building a website that offers meaningful experience to your visitors. Here are some suggestions on how you can engage your audience longer on your website.

Aesthetic appeal

Frankly speaking, most of us judge a book by its cover, which is why making first impressions last is important. In this case, the website’s first appeal is its look and feel. It should be inviting and welcoming, and where possible, evoke happiness and warmth. After all, owning a home is a lifelong dream for most people, be they a bachelor/bachelorette, or someone just starting a family, or for those who want to pass it on as a legacy for the next generation.

Here are some latest website layout designs for your reference:
• Best Website Gallery
• Behance
• CSS Nectar

Emotional appeal

Going beyond aesthetics, the UX should also have an emotional appeal. Creating various content in different formats to establish deeper emotional connection with your audiences such as:
• Photographs
• Videos that bring tears to the eyes
• Stories that tug at the heartstring
• Testimonies from satisfied customers
• 3D animated architectural demonstration on how the finished unit and living environment will look like

As emotional appeal is subjective, the website creator should plan the process flow based on how to attract, retain and guide users to express interest on the product offered. Give property seekers what they want, in the way they want it, and in return they will be a testament of your brand reputation.

Functional appeal

Besides the aesthetic and emotional appeal, a good website is also functionally appealing. It is easily crawlable, clearly labeled, has fast loading speed and easy to navigate pages. Finding information should be effortless and seamless, without having to think too much on where to click.

Audiences like to browse updated, responsive and easy to navigate websites. Some best practices include:
• Short and organised content
• Avoid lengthy texts
• Content with no typo and grammatical errors
• Hyperlinks that work
• Language options for your visitors to get the most out of your website
• Obvious placements of call-to-action (CTA) button or registration form

When collecting contact details, do bear in mind that you should have a comprehensive Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) in place to build more trust and credibility with your prospective buyers.

Periodically review your website to make sure it is up-to-date and remains relevant to your audience. Ultimately, your website plays a part in your overall marketing strategy and ecosystem and bridge the gap between potential buyers and your products, so make it count.

This article is dated 22 June 2020