When it comes to brand visibility, you can’t go wrong with a solid search strategy in place. After all, it involves small tweaks that will help users find you if and w...
When it comes to brand visibility, you can’t go wrong with a solid search strategy in place. After all, it involves small tweaks that will help users find you if and when they need to. Of course, there are other elements at play, like your marketing strategy and specific business objectives, but a universal goal is growth and awareness, and that you’ll find on the search engine results pages - if you know-how.
Search engine optimization is split up into two main categories in terms of the logistics. The first is on the backend, where the structure of your site and aspects of your code help determine visibility and give Google the lay of the land. Typically SEO specialists need to interact with this backend to ensure that pages are structured and categorized correctly, that duplicate content is marked as “invisible” to crawlers and that the site loads quickly enough for it to be convenient to users.
These are just a few basic and oversimplified examples for context. However, you don’t need to be a fully-fledged tech expert to make a significant difference to a site’s ranking - as there’s a whole nother element to gaining search cred.
What is on-page SEO?
On-page SEO relates to activities you can do on the front-end to improve your site’s ranking, support link-building strategies and make content more inclusive and easily indexable. It’s also a good place to create mechanisms for users to engage with what you’re publishing and be able to process it all quickly and easily.
Why is this so important? Because it helps search engines like Google and Firefox determine how relevant your content is to a specific search query, which means the people who are looking for your products and services are more likely to find you. In fact, 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine. (BrightEdge)
In order to start improving your presence online and making the necessary changes to become more visible, it’s important to master the basics. Here’s how:
All told, basic on-page search knowledge is a must-have for any marketer or creative working particularly in the digital copywriting space - but it’s also an important part of your content strategy.
Without at least some consideration for search queries, you won’t get the most value from your site, which means wasted resources, missed leads and simply taking up space online. We can help you formulate better on-page strategies and drive new business to your digital doors. Speak to us for more information.
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get In touchIn this digital era, creating applications that provide exceptional user experiences is vital for business success. As businesses shift their focus towards user-centric approaches, understanding the significance of UX (User Experience) and UI (User Interface) becomes paramount. Join us as we embark on a journey to explore the world of UX/UI and unveil how it can take your software applications to the next level.
In this blog, we will delve into the core principles of UX/UI design, shedding light on its impact on user satisfaction, efficiency, engagement, and brand perception. By adopting best practices and learning from real-world examples, you will gain insights on how to create intuitive and visually appealing interfaces that captivate and delight your users. So, let's dive in and discover the power of UX/UI design in shaping successful software applications. Get ready to unlock the potential of user-centered design and drive your business towards a competitive advantage.
Let's start by unraveling the world of UX/UI in software development. UX, or User Experience, encompasses the holistic experience that users have while interacting with a software application. It goes beyond aesthetics and delves into the realm of usability, accessibility, and overall satisfaction. On the other hand, UI, or User Interface, refers to the visual and interactive elements that users engage with on the software's interface.
Together, UX and UI form a dynamic duo, working hand in hand to create delightful and seamless experiences for users. UX focuses on understanding user needs, conducting research, and designing intuitive workflows that enable users to achieve their goals effortlessly. UI, on the other hand, adds the visual layer to the experience, incorporating visually appealing designs, clear navigation, and interactive elements that captivate and guide users through the application.
The significance of UX/UI in software development cannot be overstated. By prioritizing user-centered design principles, businesses can create applications that are not only visually appealing but also intuitive, efficient, and enjoyable to use. A well-crafted UX/UI design enhances user engagement, increases customer satisfaction, and ultimately drives business success.
In the following sections of this blog, we will explore the specific benefits of UX/UI in software development. From improved usability and increased conversions to enhanced brand loyalty and positive user perceptions, we will uncover how UX/UI design can elevate your software applications to new heights. So, let's dive deeper into the world of UX/UI and discover the transformative power it holds in shaping exceptional user experiences.
Let's explore the transformative benefits that good UX/UI design brings to software development. When businesses invest in creating exceptional user experiences, they unlock a myriad of advantages:
First and foremost, good UX/UI design enhances user satisfaction. By crafting interfaces that are intuitive, visually appealing, and easy to navigate, businesses create an environment where users feel at ease. When users can seamlessly accomplish their tasks without encountering roadblocks or confusion, they are more likely to develop a positive perception of the brand and remain loyal customers.
Furthermore, effective UX/UI design improves usability and efficiency. By carefully organizing information, implementing clear navigation, and optimizing workflows, businesses streamline the user experience. Users can effortlessly find what they need, complete tasks efficiently, and avoid unnecessary frustrations. This not only saves their time and effort but also contributes to a more enjoyable and productive experience.
Engaging users is another key benefit of good UX/UI design. Interfaces that incorporate visually appealing designs, interactive elements, and thoughtful animations capture users' attention and entice them to explore further. These engaging experiences create memorable moments and foster a sense of connection with the application, leading to increased user engagement and prolonged usage.
Moreover, good UX/UI design reduces the learning curve for new users. When interfaces are designed with user needs in mind, they guide users through complex functionalities and features, making the onboarding process smoother and more intuitive. By providing clear instructions, visual cues, and interactive elements, businesses empower users to quickly grasp the application's capabilities and become proficient users.
Beyond the immediate impact on user experience, good UX/UI design contributes to a positive brand perception. When users have a seamless and enjoyable experience with an application, they associate that positive experience with the brand behind it. A well-crafted user interface reflects the brand's commitment to innovation, user-centeredness, and attention to detail. It reinforces trust, enhances credibility, and contributes to a strong brand image.
Good UX/UI design in software development yields significant benefits. It enhances user satisfaction, improves usability and efficiency, increases user engagement, reduces the learning curve, and shapes a positive brand perception. By investing in creating exceptional user experiences, businesses not only delight their users but also gain a competitive edge in the market. So, let's embrace the power of UX/UI design and create software applications that captivate, engage, and leave a lasting impression on users.
In the next section, we will explore some practical strategies and best practices for incorporating effective UX/UI design into the software development process. By following these guidelines, businesses can ensure that their applications not only meet user expectations but exceed them. Let's dive into the world of UX/UI design and discover how to create software experiences that truly resonate with users.
To achieve effective UX/UI design, consider the following best practices:
By following these best practices, businesses can create software applications that not only meet user expectations but also exceed them. Prioritising user research, intuitive interfaces, accessibility, iterative design, and collaboration between designers and developers leads to applications that are user-friendly, engaging, and successful in the market.
Now let’s explore real-world examples of companies that have embraced UX/UI design principles in their software development process and reaped the benefits. These case studies will provide insights into how effective UX/UI design can drive business success and deliver exceptional user experiences.
Spotify: The music streaming giant has gained popularity not only for its vast music library but also for its user-friendly interface. Its personalised recommendations and easy navigation contribute to an enjoyable and personalised user experience.
Uber: Uber revolutionised the transportation industry with its user-centric approach. Its simple and intuitive interface allows users to request rides with just a few taps, ensuring a convenient and hassle-free experience.
Apple: Known for its sleek and intuitive products, Apple has consistently prioritised UX/UI design. From the seamless interactions on their iPhones to the user-friendly interfaces of their software applications, Apple has set the standard for exceptional user experiences.
These real-world examples demonstrate the power of effective UX/UI design in driving user engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty. By prioritising user needs, creating intuitive interfaces, and delivering delightful experiences, these companies have successfully captured the hearts of their users and gained a competitive edge in their respective industries.
Incorporating best practices in UX/UI design, businesses can create software applications that not only meet user expectations but also exceed them. By investing in user research, iterative design, accessibility, and collaboration between designers and developers, companies can develop applications that resonate with their target audience, drive user engagement, and ultimately contribute to their business success.
In today's digital landscape, prioritising UX/UI design in software development is essential for creating applications that resonate with users. By focusing on user satisfaction, efficiency, engagement, and brand perception, businesses can differentiate themselves from the competition. Embracing best practices and learning from successful case studies, such as those of Airbnb and Slack, can inspire and guide the creation of exceptional user experiences. Digital Grind understands the value of UX/UI design and can be your trusted partner in delivering software solutions that prioritise user-centric design principles. By investing in UX/UI expertise and adopting iterative design processes, businesses can create applications that meet user expectations and drive business success. Don't underestimate the power of UX/UI in software development; prioritise it to unlock the full potential of your applications and connect with your audience on a deeper level.
Technology has been evolving rapidly over the past few decades at an extraordinary speed most of us never thought possible. Technology currently has infinite uses and has impacted and improved the lives of global citizens, whether at home, work, in classrooms or leisure activities.
During 2020, businesses had to come face-to-face with the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects it had on all our livelihoods. For some, going through an intense digital transformation was the only way to allow employees to work remotely and maintain productivity in response to the lockdowns restrictions.
Software developers were at the forefront of this change, and their teams had to start incorporating functionality that enabled social engagement. Some of them had their work cut out for them, having to quickly adapt in such an agile environment to their customers' new and growing needs.
Now that we’re in 2021, more people have grown to appreciate the importance of software development. There are a number of trends that have been seen in the software development industry. We’ll discuss some of these below and the future outlook.
The increasing demand for digital solutions by businesses around the globe meant companies had to hire developers to transform their business models, particularly through e-commerce. Developers increased in demand by 25% between 2019 and 2020, and job portals around the globe are continuing to see a rapid recruitment boom.
While other industries and sectors started to teeter on the brink of collapse, software development continued on an upward trend during the pandemic. This trend is expected to continue over the next decade as new opportunities continue to come out of this industry.
In fact, what is evident is that developers who upskill themselves in various emerging technologies will benefit most from this trend. The top skills that will be in demand going into the future will be IT automation, and AI and machine learning. With the number of tech startups also on an upward trend, the future looks promising for software development.
Due to the pandemic, businesses everywhere were forced to both digitise and digitalise. Software developers had to respond to this call and became more flexible by collaborating on projects more remotely than ever before.
Where developers were used to running projects mostly in person, they had to now adapt to a hybrid work approach. This has seen a reduction in meeting lengths as teams aim to become more efficient in the wake of increasing workloads.
Things are constantly changing, as the year 2020 has shown. This has necessitated the use of an agile approach on workstreams. With the emerging in-demand coding skills, self-teaching is becoming another major trend in the industry to keep up with the rapid transformation.
As software teams are now working remote-first, most development projects have now moved to the cloud, incorporating social and collaborative tools. Value stream management software will help drive agility right now and going forward. The cloud computing market is forecast to grow 18% in 2021, with the trend set to continue over the next five years.
The focus on cloud-native skills will gain more importance going into the future and this will be supported by virtual colocation infrastructure which allows for scalability to cope with the increased agility. The scalability offered by the Cloud is allowing developers to adjust to ever changing demand.
Sectors such as tourism, travel and hospitality experienced reduced demand. Scalability allowed some to reduce their server needs without bearing the full costs of a physical data centre.
Agility and the shift to cloud infrastructure has led to an increased demand for full-stack developers to support the flexibility requirements and increasing software development needs. If you haven’t already migrated to the Cloud, then this is the best time to start looking at some options that can benefit your organisation.
As organisations scrambled to adopt digital solutions in 2020, developers were left with higher workload. This led to an increase in low-code products that could be quickly deployed and free up developer capacity.
These low-code solutions are easily scalable and components can be reused on multiple clients. This is particularly useful given that the demand for developers is surpassing the ability of recruiters to fill vacancies. One example of these solutions is the Bubble platform.
Low-code and no-code allow for rapid development and deployment of web apps primarily. People with great ideas will benefit mostly from these developments, speeding up their implementation. Going forward, this market segment is expected to continue on a positive uptick, powered by the Cloud.
Trends currently show that AI and machine learning will be at the forefront of software development automation going into the future. This will particularly be of benefit in test automation, helping to identify problems faster through natural language processing.
AI helps make more informed decisions as it can provide predictive analytics, ultimately improving user experience. You may need to start thinking whether you think you might need to find a software developer to help incorporate AI to speed up business processes and get ahead of your competition.
What is certain is that 5G was one of the most talked about topics in 2020, mostly for all the wrong reasons. Now that the dust has mostly settled, 5G is set to contribute to the rapid growth of software solutions.
5G is expected to have a 15% share of the global mobile industry by 2025. The outstanding speeds that can be achieved using this mobile technology, among several benefits, provide endless possibilities for developers.
For those looking to incorporate AR and VR in their business, the speeds provided by 5G will be a perfect fit as they are resource-intensive technologies. In addition, the growing trends of progressive web apps and IoT will continue in 2021 and beyond. Their development and use will be enhanced even further by 5G technology.
The technology trends we witnessed starting in 2020 are expected to continue to grow in the long run. One thing for sure is that life will never be the same again as before the pandemic.
Are you future-looking and thinking of jumping onto one of these trends for your business? If you were searching for software development experts, then look no further. Whether it’s app or web development, e-commerce solutions, AR and VR, or getting insights from your data, to name a few, talk to Digital Grind. We’ve got you covered.
Since the beginning of the digital age, circa the mid-20th century, society has slowly begun to harness the power of information technology. When computers became more portable and cheaper to manufacture, this meant that more people could access them. Mobile phones and device miniaturisation are continuing to make web accessibility more possible today.
Current statistics show that about 15% of the world's population is considered to be living with some sort of disability. While this is a significant proportion of the human race, it’s quite apparent that most technology is designed with the 85% in mind.
Not only that, the web should be fully functional for every single person trying to access it, regardless of their software, hardware or location. Meeting this goal ensures accessibility isn’t exclusive to the majority.
Web accessibility refers to the design and development of websites that are accessible to people living with disabilities. While there are various types of disabilities, there are some that make it difficult for some to access certain types of web content.
Such individuals at times have to use assistive technologies to access it. Examples of these include screen readers, text-to-speech, screen enlargement, voice recognition and word prediction technologies. However, these technologies only work if the principles have been applied by the website creators.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are some web accessibility guidelines provided by the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). The current version of these guidelines is WCAG 2.1, although the newer versions 2.2 and 3 are still under draft.
People living with disability face a variety of disadvantages in their day-to-day living; one of these is web accessibility. When some individuals aren’t able to fully access the web, particularly due to its design, they are considered a part of the digitally excluded.
Disability inclusion aims to address the barriers posed by information and communication technology as this infringes on some of their basic rights. A person living with disability has a right to access any web service just as much as an able bodied individual.
Improving accessibility for your website helps to address any discrimination that it can potentially pose on people living with disability. Web accessibility means “that people with disabilities can equally perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with websites and tools.”
There are four principles that should be the baseline for the design or development of a website to ensure accessibility. They can also be applied to any other information technology as well. A website should be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust:
A website or app should be built in a way that ensures that there is alternative access through other senses that may be diminished or missing. This is why there are video captions for those who are partially or completely deaf, for example.
The website should also allow for errors, making sure that the user has ample time to fix them. One example of operability is that a website should cater for those who might use only a keyboard, for example, and cannot use a mouse.
In addition, it should provide feedback to users, helping them with any errors. In fact, any potential errors a user may experience should be mitigated against through contextual help.
There are currently three levels for web accessibility guidelines, according to the WCAG. These are levels A (basic), AA (intermediate) and AAA (optimal). The majority of organisations aim to achieve AA status. Compliance level AAA encompasses the standards of all three levels.
To become Level AAA compliant, you have to meet all 61 success criteria as provided by the WCAG. To help you, the WCAG provides a checklist.
AAA sites are mainly aimed at maximising users and the criteria is very strict. This compliance level is aimed at enabling access to individuals with audiovisual impairments.
Some of the AAA criteria include having a colour contrast level of at least 7:1. In addition, there should be sign language interpretation of media content. Having a variety of accessibility tools is commonplace on AAA sites.
If you are considering a level of compliance you would like to meet, first try and figure out who your target users are. For example, if your website or app is meant for elderly users or those living with disability, then AAA compliance is the way to go.
So, choose a compliance level that suits the needs of both you and your audience. Start taking steps to understand what changes you need to make to your website using the chosen compliance level and watch your audience grow, while better serving your current users.
Author: Brandon Busuttil, MD, Digital Grind