How To Use Graphics In Websites For Better User Experience?

Intro

Graphics are already the most notable part of quality user experience. Tik Tok and Instagram are proof that pictures are worth a thousand words, but how else can a good website leverage graphics for excellent user experience?

Here are 7 proven steps on using graphics to create the best user experience for your website.

1. Data Visualization Over Text

Data plays important roles in general user experiences. It is one of the best ways to help your audience understand your product’s benefits. But no one wants to read through lines of collated data. It cramps the page up and reduces your website appeal.

Create the ultimate user experience by distilling your data into graphics. Help your readers understand the data by using storyboards, infographics, and short clips instead of endless texts and obscure charts.

Presenting the interpreted information in a graphic story form helps your users process the data faster. You may also improve the user experience by highlighting key information in the data and pointing out their connection to your product or service.

2. Colour Scheme

It goes without saying that your colour scheme holds as much sway over user experience as other graphics options. Your choice of colour regulates your users' responses to the websites. The right colour scheme can drive your users towards urgency and provoke instant responses, while poor palette choices may delay their commitment to your product.

Use your colours to nudge the reader toward your goal. Let the colours be indicative and offer necessary guidance as the readers scroll through the page. The right amount of white spaces, fair use of contrast and saturation, and a consistent colour scheme may be all you need to pass your message.

As a rule of thumb, monochrome is one of the best colour schemes for websites, but you can always employ some brighter shades. Subtle accents are also excellent choices. We don’t see enough earthy shades and natural hues, but some websites have done well with combining vibrant and dark colour. The goal is to maintain a colour scheme that promotes your contents and enthrals your visitors.

3. Use Relatable Designs

There is no shame in admitting that your website is not for everyone. In fact, the best websites only appeal to their target audience, and they should be your primary focus. So your first job is determining your customers and figuring out how to make your website appealing to them.

Your research and surveys will show you what works for your desired demographics, and how to design your website to fit their preference. Websites with more “corporate” interactions should naturally use more words than images, but it would be a terrible idea to overwhelm your sales page with texts.

Every web page should naturally resonate with its target audience and this is why it is essential you keep up with the latest design trends. Create relatable website prototypes with procreate brushes for free to attract your users and hold their attention with your beautiful contents.

4. Manage The Image Resolution

Your choice of image is necessary for proper product description, but these images are not worth much if they are blurry. Your image resolution affects how your audience perceives web contents and products, as they associate high resolution images with quality services.

You can manage your target audience’s attention by giving them well-edited and high quality images. Pictures from your smartphone may pass for quality pictures if you employ them appropriately. Clipping masks are excellent ways to maintain image quality, as they keep the images in specified frames without stretching or affecting their resolution. You may also download royalty-free stock pictures to ensure you have the best images.

5. Interactive Icons

We all love those interactive icons, especially the ones with moderate animation and responsive colours. Let your vectors and icons guide your visitors through the page. Your cursors and menus should help them see where they have been and point out the next steps.

If you combine interactive icons with a responsive colour scheme you have an interface that seems to predict where the user should go next. You should guide the visitor from the welcome page till they subscribe for your product.

Unfortunately, some websites tend to overkill the interaction simply by employing too many animations, overloading the site and causing lags as the users scroll through. Your best option is to maintain moderate animation and only with icons that highlight necessary features. Let your icons guide the users instead of overwhelming them.

6. Prioritize White Spaces Between Graphic Elements

Most websites seem to dread the idea of having white spaces on their interface. Perhaps the blank background reminds them of some awkward emptiness that should not exist. But white spaces are some of the best features of website design.

White spaces allow you to present your graphics with detailed, defined borders that help your users distinguish the different contents and highlight your pressing areas.

A moderate use of white spaces would make your images more elegant with better visualization and highlight to create optimum user experience. However, the trick is to be consistent and moderate with the white spaces. Where an overcrowded webpage may discourage the user, using more white spaces than content would irritate the visitor.

7. Intuitive Graphics

Create the ultimate user experience with simple graphics instead of complex designs. Your landing page should contain intuitive features that anyone can navigate without external guidance.

Your primary focus should be accessibility and easy navigation. Your clear designs should help your user start and complete the process without any interruption or delay. Study the users to understand their website preferences - this is another reason you should conduct quality market surveys before developing your website.

Drop-down menus, card sorting, and navigation tools would help you regulate the user experience. But you should also pay attention to analytics and track interactions with the website to see how the users respond to your interactive features.

8. Be Strategic With Your Choice Of Graphics

Beyond the display of designing skills and data analysis, an effective design strategy is your surest bet to retain your users' attention. You should know if artistic images work well for your brand or maybe you need some real life photography to take up your web space.

It is alright to take cues from other websites; most of the internet are almost replicas of one another. But you should also maintain some originality.

Only employ graphics that help you stand out, but try not to change conventional features unless you are certain they would work.

Final Thoughts

Websites and digital products have always thrived on graphics. There are no better ways to express our intentions and attract those sales conversions, but we can always improve on them.

As you prop your website up, slide your statistical data into a table or use infographic charts to visualize reports over bland texts. Choose your color well and integrate graphical yet intuitive icons. Lastly, manage your resolution and avoid using large images that can slow down your website's speed.