UI and UX Design: Find out what the difference is between the two!
Although UX (User Experience) and UI (User Interface) have similar names, they are completely different. While one refers to the user's experience and sensation, the other is directed towards a more rational side of navigation.
Web design plays an essential role in the success of any Digital Marketing strategy .
The problem is that there is a lot of confusion about what design means or how it should be used in a company's digital strategy.
It is not surprising that companies around the world, the size of Nike, Coca Cola, Google and Apple, care so much about this aspect of their products and services.
The good news is that not only retail giants can use design to their advantage. Your company can (and should) do it too.
But how to use what you don't yet understand? Therefore, today we will explain to you two of the most important concepts that you need to learn: UI UX design services.
What is UX design?
The term UX comes from User Experience, or User Experience . It's basically how a person feels while using any digital product or service your company offers.
UX is also about how this person feels after using your product.
That includes their experience with your website and blog, the online system or the application , even if your business is not 100% digital it also applies.
What is the role of UX design in Digital Marketing?
Imagine the following example: when accessing your website , a potential customer wants to know how to get in touch with one of your sellers .
He searches for a long time until he finds a link to the contact page, but the form is broken and it takes him three attempts to complete the request for a quote .
Now, what kind of experience do you think this user had? During the search, he is probably already frustrated, don't you think? Probably when facing a problem in the form, he may have become angry or discouraged.
The truth is that in a situation like this, most users wouldn't even bother trying to log in three times, like in our example.
But the point is: those who do, won't be as willing to continue the conversation after receiving contact from the seller, right?
In other words, a good user experience can help you generate more leads and close more deals . On the other hand, a bad experience implies the opposite.
What is UI design?
The expression UI comes from User Interface, which means User Interface . The idea of the UI is to guide the user through your application during the time they use it.
We will use the same example that we just saw to facilitate the explanation.
The moment a person lands on your website, there are some specific actions you want them to take.
So, a good UI design job will allow you to guide users through the navigation and lead them to take these actions naturally.
If the objective is for the person to request the contact of a seller, everything on the page (content, navigation menus, CTAs , images, etc.) must collaborate so that they feel this need.
What is the role of UI design in a digital strategy?
If your website does not direct users in the right way through the interface, they will hardly take the right actions . With that, this sales channel will fail the business objectives .
Now, have you ever visited confusing websites that didn't clearly communicate the value proposition or made it difficult to find the information you needed? Well, then you have been in the presence of examples of a poorly designed UI.
And a poorly made UI costs a lot, since the almost immediate reaction of visitors will be to return to the search engine and switch to another website that offers a better experience.
But wait… a better experience? Isn't that the role of UX? Keep that in your mind because now we will tell you that UI directly affects UX, because if your site navigation is bad, it is quite difficult to provide a good experience.
3 fundamental differences between UI and UX design
There are some important differences between UI and UX that need to be considered to fully understand what each of them does. See now 3 of the main ones.
1. UI only exists with a visual interface, UX does not
As the name itself says, UI has everything to do with the visual interfaces of your site or
application. Without a screen, there is no UI. But we can't say the same about UX, why?
Because, in many cases, the user's sensation in relation to the browsing experience has nothing to do with a screen.
This experience can even become more pleasant if the designer manages to eliminate some stages in the process of using the product, which means fewer screens to interact with.
2. UI directs the user, UX makes navigation worthwhile
We already talked a little about that, but it's worth reinforcing that the role of UI and UX design are essentially different, even though they complement each other.
If on the one hand the UI directs the user and what they should do while using the site or application, the role of UX is to make navigation pleasant.
The UI makes navigation easy to understand and actions simple to perform, however not even the most pleasant site in the world will leave visitors satisfied if it does not have the information they expect and in the way they want to consume it.
3. UI is about reason, UX is about emotion
What is the easiest way to navigate a site or application? There are good practices about that, it is a very rational process.
In the West, people usually read from top to bottom, from left to right, not counting the various existing systems, but what does this have to do with UI and UX?
Well, even though both are directed in different directions, to evoke a positive reaction in the user (both with UI and UX) you have to take into account who your audience is , what is the context in which they use your application. and what you want to find.
4 benefits of using UI and UX design together
You already perceived that both UI and UX have great value for the success of your digital strategy. So, it is natural that you ask yourself: Which of the two should I use?
However, the answer is: both. There is no reason why you should choose just one or think that there is somehow competition between them. As we already talked about, UI and UX complement each other.
Separately, each one can bring good results for your company, but only if you use both together will you have the following benefits:
1. Generation of high value for the public
With both, a well-designed interface and deep knowledge about how your buyer persona behaves, it is possible to generate much more value for your audience than if you only had one of the elements in your strategy.
Remember that generating value for your audience is never too much. In the end, even if not all visitors are ready to take immediate action, they are likely to return if the UI and UX work is done well.
2. High chances of retaining and delighting users
Many sites and apps have the time users have been on the website as one of their main success metrics. This indicator is used when engagement is important for the success of the project.
If this is your situation, there is nothing more valuable than the union of a good interface with a positive user experience.
This pairing is responsible for user retention and enchantment , which generates traffic and more engagement that comes from recommendations.
3. Strengthening the brand
Brands that care about the complete experience that customers have on their digital channels strengthen the relationship with users.
In the digital world everything is shared, which involves people's joys and frustrations with their favorite brands.
So, one way or another, people will comment on your brand . The quality of the UI and UX work is what determines whether that will be good or bad news for you.
4. Increased conversions
At the end of the day, nothing is more important than conversions in a digital strategy.
That is why any company invests in Digital Marketing and focusing on the design of the interfaces, as well as the complete experience , is what guarantees the return on this investment .
The best thing is that after seeing positive results, it is possible to continue optimizing efforts and achieve even greater goals on a regular basis.
In conclusion
Now that you know the UI UX design agency, you know that they are closely connected, but they are not the same thing. Keep in mind that the secret is to use the two together to strengthen your digital strategy.
In the end, if your audience had an excellent experience, you will probably have more conversions.
Did you like to learn about the universe of UI and UX design? Then take advantage of our content on UX writing and learn a lot about it.