In business, the consumer is king. This adage is as important and relevant for the user experience (UX) when navigating your Website as it is for the products and/or services you provide. In this article we cover key factors that will help you understand UX and the best ways to improve this on your website. Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
Why is it important to improve UX?
The truth is that there is very little in the way of products or services that can only be provided by a single entity. No matter the market, competition is inevitable. So, it is the quality of your products and/or services which will set you apart in the eyes of most consumers. Customer service is key. And a part of customer service in this modern age where technology is ubiquitous, is providing an excellent user experience through your Website. Your Website, or E-commerce site is a window into your company and the products and/or services it provides.
It’s not enough then just to have a Website; it must provide your customers with a good user experience. Poor user experience on your Website can lead to missed opportunities to gain new customers and sales. Remember that customers can just as easily find alternative products or services with the click of their mouse. With the best UK cloud Web hosting services, you can find a variety of plans to help you improve UX through your web hosting service.
Factors affecting UX?
1. Ease of communication
One of the more obvious factors affecting user experience is design. When customers come to your Website, they want to know that they can easily find what they are looking for. In addition, should they wish to contact you, it is important that your website is available at all times. Email tools are a good way to provide ease of communication between you and your customers or potential customers and thereby improve UX.
2. Speed
Beyond the design aspects which contribute to the overall user experience on your website, a main concern is speed. Gone are the days when loading a Website required more than just a few seconds. As a goods or services provider, ensure you make it super easy for consumers to get what they want. Various factors may contribute to a slowdown of performance including traffic to your Website, the proximity of your servers to your users and the plug-ins or applications you use. If the pages of your Website load at a speed reminiscent of Internet use in the 1990s, users will seek information, products, or services elsewhere. You can use SEO Tools to help deal with traffic surges and improve user experience, so choosing a host which offers this service is a good first step.
3. Stability
Stability, or lack thereof, is another factor which may contribute to a bad user experience. If your web hosting service cannot handle surges in traffic to your Website, your website will crash. Users will be frustrated if they are unable to access your Website and more so if this is a frequent or long-lasting occurrence. Moreover, you can count on losing out on potential new customers whose first experience using your Website was a bad one. This is why it is important to choose a host that will be able to respond to increases in traffic to your Website. Price should never be the only determining factor. Your web hosting service should be selected after careful consideration of the tools and services they provide. Moreover, the best hosting providers will offer scalable plans and you can just easily upgrade without switching servers.
4. Security
A good hosting service should provide you with proper security protocols to ensure the protection of sensitive data. If your web host can easily be hacked because of insufficient or unreliable security measures, then it’s time to consider a new hosting partner. Users of your Website may enter very sensitive information such as credit or debit card information, so it is important to them that their personal data is handled with care. Cyber-security matters and there are many security risks that plague small businesses. It’s up to you to do your due diligence as it concerns the protection of your customers’ personal information. Do your research and ensure that you choose a reliable host where data security is concerned. For more security tips for your website read this article with our top 12 online security advice.
What to consider when choosing a cloud web hosting service?
Cloud Hosting Infrastructure
Infrastructure matters. The speed and stability of your Website can be significantly improved through the use of load balancers, for example. Load balancers distribute traffic across your servers which is important in ensuring that a surge in traffic will not cause your site to crash. By providing you with load balancers to help with the traffic you record on your Website, your host can vastly improve the speed and stability of your site, and by extension your user experience.
The servers you use also contribute to speed and stability.
Having a high-end dedicated server, with a server location that is in proximity to your users will boost performance and improve the user experience. You should therefore ask the right questions regarding the cloud hosting infrastructure of your web hosting partner.
Tools
To allow users to easily contact you, your hosting provider should ideally offer email tools along with its service. This will respond to the need for users to have ease of communication. It is also important that hosting providers be able to offer monitoring tools for your Website. As the speed required to access your site is a determining factor in the experience of your users, you should be able to regularly conduct speed testing. Your hosting provider should consequently be able to anticipate issues that may arise and have the means to address them.
Security
Having proper security protocols is a must for a good web hosting service. Your users expect you to provide them with a secure site. Data security is therefore non-negotiable. Ensure you ask your Web host what measures they take to prevent hacking or security breaches. Choose a partner that offers cost-effective and sufficient security measures for handling your data security needs.
Communication and reactivity
The customer is king. And in the relationship between you and your hosting partner, you are the customer. Therefore, you get to decide if they deserve your business or not. A good Web hosting partner opens the lines of communication for improvement to their services and is reactive. If your Web host is unwilling to communicate with you and help you find the right plan for your specific needs, don’t forget that you hold the power.
That’s a Wrap!
To enhance user experience through web hosting, simply evaluate your user needs. You can also research the cloud web hosting services available and make the choice that’s right for you. Additionally, ensure that you regularly test your Website’s speed and if necessary communicate with your Host to find out how they can help you implement the necessary changes. Here at Hosting.uk, we provide web hosting services which will allow you to adequately respond to the needs of your customers.
