Memorable experiences are built with the user in mind. Today, brands have to go beyond satisfying a consumer's purchasing habits; they need to leave the consumer with a positive impression that keeps them coming back to their brand again and again.
In the 21st century digital age a product alone cannot sell itself. Digital marketers need to take into consideration several elements that can catapult a brand's reputation above the competition. Overall design, mobile compatibility and content creation are just a few factors that differentiate successful brands from mediocre ones. Brands need to move beyond usability and approach marketing through the lens of the consumer experience. Content that is valuable, informative and credible is what will grab your potential customer's attention and also help your company's SEO performance.
As a consumer, here are several things I look for that make a memorable user experience:
Your Content Should Tell a Story
With ever changing algorithms on Facebook, Google and various other social search engines, marketers are putting an emphasis on storytelling. "Today's real-time social media engagement makes it so easy and addictive to tell your brand story," says Phil Tadros, founder and CEO of Doejo, an innovative studio passionate about creating platforms, brands and memorable experiences for users. "Everyone is publishing and choosing whose stories they want to follow." Content that is valuable to consumers is likely to reach a wider audience than content that is promotional or focused on sales. This includes incorporating multi-media content such as photos and videos to draw in consumers. As a customer I want brands to inform me of their products but I don't want to read lengthy articles and publications all the time. A picture here and there or a video explaining your brand to me is more effective than providing pages of informative text. The strongest brands are the ones that tell a compelling story that resonates with and drives engagement with consumers.
Optimize Your Landing Page
Landing pages need to tell a seamless story that directs users to a call of action. It should also be clear and easy to decipher for any visiting customer. If I click on an online advertisement, does the landing page it takes me to align with the message on the ad? Similarly, does the content on the landing page make sense to me as a potential consumer? As a user, I should be able to quickly glean the information I'm looking for from the landing page without having to decipher foreign terms or icons. If you include a form on your page, keep your questions short and concise. I should be able to leave a landing page without feeling like it was a waste of time and with all of my questions answered.
Make Sure Your Website is Mobile Compatible
With the abundance of smartphones, it's likely consumers are using their phones to search for new products and experiences. Whether it's a mobile app or a website, your brand's content should be responsive and function smoothly on all devices. "Responsive design is a must," Phil Tadros emphasizes. "If you care about customer service then you need to care about how you engage digitally. Invest in user experience design and development. The longer you wait to take it very seriously, the faster you're falling behind." As a consumer, there's nothing worse than trying to search a business' website on your mobile phone only to discover their website isn't formatted to fit on a tiny iPhone screen. Part of crafting a memorable user experience is paying attention to these little details that don't exclude new customers who do most of their searching on their phones. In fact, mobile is no longer optional for brands; it's a necessary component of your development plan.