It is sometimes commonly understood that content marketing has no apparent relationship with web design, but the problem is that content and design should not only be interrelated, they should be synergistic with each other.
A good web designer needs to understand the purpose of the content offerings and a content manager needs to know extremely well what the user experience is like on the platforms on which they view their messages.
Defining UX and UI
The terms UX and UI are often seen as synonyms when in fact they are different points within the same process, so they are not opposites, but go hand in hand.
You've probably wondered what each one refers to and how they differ, and this is especially important when hiring the services of a web development and marketing agency, in order to clearly convey exactly what it is we want.
- UI stands for "user interface", which very simply put refers to what the user is going to use, or in other words, what they will be able to use to manage the digital processes they want to carry out.
- The term UX translates as "user experience". In this case it refers to what the person perceives internally and emotionally when using an interface, in short, their reaction. It should be noted that UX is based on a design centred on people, and inspired by the data that helps both users and companies to achieve their goals. The professional who carries out this work must have extensive knowledge of copywriting and neuromarketing.
In conclusion, the professional in charge of the UI will focus on product design, impacting on the user's first visual impression, something that determines whether our website or application is to their liking, while the UX professional focuses on usability and ease of navigation, creating emotions and sensations.
what is the difference?
- We start the process with UX, which refers to how users behave and interact with the interface at every touch point. To do this, it is essential to know our user and their needs, starting with the creation of a buyer persona profile.
This step is important because depending on the sector, product or service, the client has different needs and the design must adapt to these needs. This is where the marketing and design departments work together for the optimal development of the project.
It is also important to keep in mind that UX and graphic design are not the same thing. We could say that user experience is everything that is related to the design of a wireframe.
what is a wireframe? It is a previous black and white sketch that serves to show the main elements of a website. In other words, it shows us the basic structure of the information that the interface will contain.
- The second step of the process continues with the UI, the distribution of the content and the elements that make up a website. This refers, among other things, to the chromatic range that we use and the different elements that make up a website and that allow us to control the content spaces and colours, CTAs (Call To Action), areas reserved for specific marketing actions, among other design possibilities.
When we talk about UI, we also refer to the interaction of the design with the different screen sizes (responsive), i.e. how this design adapts if we see it on a 27" screen, on a 15" screen or on a mobile phone where the screen is usually about 5.3".
why should they complement Inbound Marketing?
According to the Nielsen Norman Group, if the UX on a website is ineffective, it will be abandoned in less than 15 seconds. 9 out of 10 users who have a bad experience on a website do not think about coming back, and they also transmit their dissatisfaction through negative comments that will affect the image of the business.
You should bear in mind that a good online customer experience always reflects great benefits in terms of visits, conversion and, therefore, revenue.
To understand why they are complementary activities to Inbound marketing you must understand what it is.
Inbound Marketing is a methodology that combines non-intrusive marketing and advertising techniques with the aim of contacting a user at the beginning of their buying process and accompanying them through to the final transaction.
The main purpose of Inbound Marketing is to attract people who are at the beginning of the purchase process of a specific product. From there, they are accompanied, through the appropriate content for each of the phases of the purchase process and their profile, until the final transaction, always in a "friendly" way. And, subsequently, they are made loyal.
This marketing strategy is based on 4 phases that correspond to the stages of the user's buying process: attraction, conversion, education and closing and loyalty.
The UI and UX are tools that act as allies to Inbound Marketing because both the user experience and the interface serve to facilitate navigation for our users throughout the entire purchasing process. Inbound Marketing seeks to accompany these customers throughout the purchase, so the design and the facilities that we give them are going to be key when it comes to the commercial agreement being made.
These three processes go hand in hand to ensure that users have the best possible experience with our website and thus gain confidence and can become loyal customers in the future.
