Data Points That Will Make You Better Web Designer

1. Device Type and Size

Because most designers are most likely assuming that the majority of users (or at least a significant number) browse the internet from a mobile device, they optimize their websites for small screens.

Do you have a sense for which mobile devices are popular? What sizes of screens do customers use? Is this assumption valid?

The answer might have an impact on how you plan the design and test it. That little data point, device type, can assist you make a variety of different judgments. It may influence how you plan for dark mode or body text size, among other things.

Then there’s the audience category. In some sectors, mobile usage isn’t as widespread or powerful as in others. Is that the case with your project? (Data and analytics can provide an answer.)

Take a look at the current device type split, such as desktop, tablet, and phone – and compare it to how things may have changed six months ago, a year ago, and two years ago. What does the trend line indicate? This can assist you in determining how to prepare for the audience’s future.

2. Location Information

A website’s user location data may reveal a lot with regards to the design. It might be especially vital for e-commerce and pricing planning for shipping charges. If a significant portion of visitors to your site are local, you may offer local pickup; but if they are all far away, you can skip free delivery.

The mapping of content to locations also helps us figure out language preferences. (Do you need to offer the website in more than one language?)

Finally, location information may be a crucial instrument for determining how marketing or advertising efforts are performing and whether your targeting is on target. If you want to target people in a certain area and all of your website traffic comes from somewhere else, this is an excellent place to start looking into where a campaign went wrong (or if you had a pleasant accident with great success).

3. Page Flow and Visits

The movement of visitors on your website may be determined by data. What happens after they’ve arrived at the design, whether it’s through a campaign or by accident on the home page, is crucial. Do they proceed to another page or click a link? Or do they bounce away?

Analyzing your website’s page flow and frequent patterns might assist you in determining if people are going to the site in the ways that you intended.

The other statistic to consider is the website’s total page views and visits. This is divided into two categories of people: first-time visitors and returning visitors.

Both are valuable in different ways.

This statistic is most effectively compared over time. You’d hope to have more returning visitors as your website (and business) get older, especially if you take reservations online or conduct e-commerce. These are your regular consumers. However, a healthy mix of new and returning visitors is beneficial because you are reaching out to a larger audience.

If the numbers shoot up one way, that might be an indication of a problem. (Unless there is a corresponding increase in traffic driven by an online, marketing, or email campaign.)

4. Bounce Rate

Let’s consider page flow and visits, as well as a phrase mentioned in the article. Bounce rate is another term that comes to mind.

Bounce rates vary from one page to the next, which is normal. Some pages are intended as entry points for other material, and their bounce rates should be lower.

This is one of those statistics that might be worrying. Do far too many people exit a website or page as soon as they encounter it, or do they browse around for a while before leaving?

Start with the data and context before you worry.

Here’s an example of how to use the data: A high bounce rate might be ideal if you’re running a direct campaign to a specific page on your website with a conversion action (such as fill out a form or buy a product), and users take this step before leaving. The bounce rate is no issue here.

You’ll want to examine bounce rate data over time. Is there a lot of fluctuation? (This might suggest an issue.)

To determine if users are navigating the site logically, look at bounce rate in conjunction with page flow. Do they know and understand what to do? Is this a good UX?)

5. Interaction Times

The goal of many designers is to improve their understanding of user intent through data in the design process. And it’s quite amusing. (How can you ever really know what a person is thinking?)

There are a few hints and takeaways to be found. Interaction times are one of them. On many blogs, including a note with an estimated reading time has become a standard practice.

Use it to your advantage. What does the data have to do with how much time users spend on the page? Are they reading it? (Closer to the predicted time.)

Is it possible to make it simpler for readers by using bullets or lists, or other data? Does this aid in retaining customers on the site closer to the (new) estimated reading time?

The tiny morsels of information might assist you in enhancing the usability and comprehension of your website.

6. Completed CTA Items

To figure out what percentage of visitors complete tasks, you may use a calculation for page visits to completed conversions for each CTA on your website.

This strategy can be used to analyze a variety of metrics across your website’s audience, including the number of unique visitors who come from each source.

This data point can be used to evaluate the performance of these goods and whether the design motivates people to take action.

7. Traffic Referrers

What is the highest traffic day for your blog? What was the most popular article on your website last month? Where does your website’s audience come from? How do they find your website?

Using Google Analytics and tracking traffic referrals can help you get a clearer picture of your visitors. Here’s how to make use of it:

• Return to these websites and recommend them to your friends.
• Take a look at the design and content of your website.
• Consider how it relates to the function of your design.
• Consider how design features may help you strengthen the connection between you and your audience.

8. Goal or Event Conversions

This might be a more sophisticated data point to consider, but it can be beneficial. Use Google Analytics goal or event conversion tracking to see if the design of calls-to-action or other buttons is effective.

These data “events” might assist you in determining if individuals are executing what you want them to do on a certain webpage.

If they aren’t converting, it’s a signal of a design problem.

Conclusion

Numbers and statistics are more than simply a method of assisting you in making design choices; they can also help you validate (or invalidate) options and get the website to function best for you.

It may also be a method to assist you in locating and filling holes in your design so that you can put out the greatest website design you’re capable of.