How AI can help improve your user experience

Feb 13th 2024ux

They say you get one chance to make a great first impression. With visual design on ecommerce web pages, this applies in spades.

How’s the typical first impression of your web design for potential customers?

You could be providing the best user experience (UX) possible to help your prospective customers find what they want, go through checkout and buy it, and then perhaps stick around or come back later to see if they want anything else.

You could be, but if statistics — such as the fact that 70% of small-business websites don’t show a call to action are any indicator — you aren’t.

Pain points to consider

There might be another UX issue if your customers aren’t converting.

I am not referring to the white space between your text elements, mobile friendliness, or slow load times. Those are real issues, too.

Instead, I’m referring to the ways information is delivered. Poor results and product listings will compromise your user experience, and, very likely, impact your metrics and prospective revenue.

More importantly, how can you fix this UI design problem, and fast, without doing a million hours worth of A/B testing?

AI to the rescue

Search AI is one viable answer to the question of how you can upgrade your user interface design. While you can provide a great user experience without AI, it’s likely to be a time-consuming exercise marked by extensive usability testing and constant monitoring. To stand out in a crowded marketplace, you need AI’s analytical user research and brain power. AI can exponentially improve the user experience on your site, transforming the many ways your shoppers interact with your digital platform.

Your competitors may already be on the search AI bandwagon. Ready to get aboard yourself and start providing the engaging experiences that your customers expect?

Make smart design choices

AI leverages your store’s data to make informed decisions about which products to display for fine-tuning the journey to each user’s needs.

For example, consider an online home-decor store leveraging AI-powered personalization. The first thing you might notice is personalized landing pages that change their stripes based on a shopper’s behavior and preferences. If someone often searches for art deco–style furniture, then the next time they visit the site, the home page dynamically showcases deals on art-deco chairs and sofas.

This store could also employ AI to track which menu items shoppers most frequently click on the user journey path. Using this data, the store could reorganize its navigation menu, placing the most-often accessed items (like new arrivals and top sellers) in prime positions.

This approach — ensuring that every aspect of user experience design elements is backed by data — leads to more-user-centric digital experiences.

Provide intelligent user interfaces

Voice recognition, natural language processing, and predictive text input. What do they have in common?

They’re related to how AI is being integrated in intelligent interfaces to help accurately align interaction with people’s natural communication styles. With AI, digital companions can expertly “understand” and anticipate people’s needs, resulting in more-user-friendly online experiences. For example, a shopper might use a voice assistant to search for something like “tweed coat men” and quickly find a variety of items that match.

Capitalize on predictive analysis

AI can anticipate what your shoppers want through its powers of predictive analysis. It can accurately forecast a shopper’s next steps, with AI-enabled systems proactively adapting and responding based on data such as prior searches.

For instance, let’s say someone who likes wearing high-quality makeup is frequently searching a site for organic skincare products. When they search, based on their previous interactions on the site, they see suggested items. If L’Oréal, Olay, and CeraVe have been their top search terms in the past, those are some of the brands that pop up.

Predictive intelligence streamlines searches, minimizes friction, and creates an intuitive-feeling experience. This proactive approach by AI can elevate your website’s user experience, making it more personalized and responsive to individual cues.

Optimize your content

From marketing copy to images, banners, and videos, the right content helps make your products and services more attractive. Here, too, AI is helping: it automates key aspects of content development, crafting material that is not only relevant but fine-tuned for the best search engine optimization (SEO).

Let’s look at a sports-gear retailer that uses AI to generate unique and compelling product descriptions. AI functionality analyzes current fashion trends and key product features to create item descriptions that not only appeal to the target audience but are optimized for search engines.

The same fashion retailer could use AI to create personalized email marketing content. For instance, if a shopper often buys handbags they see being carried by celebrities on social media, the AI algorithms can zero in on this proclivity. They can help marketers craft email featuring what’s hip in handbags, plus talk about new arrivals and exclusive offers, and supply reminders about items languishing in their shopping baskets. This means more engagement for shoppers and an increase in the likelihood of repeat purchases.

This AI-driven approach ensures that every piece of content serves a dual purpose: to captivate your audience and enhance your platform’s online presence. The content becomes more than just information; it turns into a strategic tool that extends your site’s visibility and reach.

Boost personalized experiences

In ecommerce, personalization is now crucial, as the majority of shoppers expect it.

AI-driven features can help you deliver the best personalized experiences possible. This approach goes beyond general trends, diving into the nuances of individual preferences. By analyzing individual user behavior and engagement patterns, AI algorithms can craft recommendations that resonate.

For example, picture an online bookstore that uses AI to analyze shoppers’ past purchases, browsing history, and time spent on different genres. Based on this data, the AI algorithm suggests new books tailored to shoppers’ expressed interests. If someone regularly buys mystery novels, then before they start actively searching for their next read, the algorithm might recommend the latest thriller from a popular author.

The result? Satisfied shoppers finding exactly what they’re looking for, maybe even before they realize they wanted it. This can significantly increase the likelihood of conversion, reduce your bounce rate, and encourage long-term loyalty.

Revolutionize support and assistance

AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants are redefining customer support. These innovative tools provide uninterrupted 24×7 help, instantly addressing queries, solving problems, and guiding shoppers through complex processes (and even to a human helper, if needed). This instantaneity is key to driving satisfaction on websites and in apps. AI chatbots don’t just make for cute animations; they’re particularly beneficial for shoppers who aren’t tech savvy or are new to online shopping, making their experiences less intimidating.

For example, let’s consider a technology retailer that employs an AI-powered chatbot on its website. The chatbot interacts with online shoppers, asking specific questions about their needs and preferences. Based on the responses, it recommends products — maybe laptops, dresses, or video games — that fit the shopper’s requirements, budget, and past purchasing trends.

In addition to answering questions, AI assistants can help deepen shopper trust of the retailer. They symbolize a commitment to customer care and signal that you’re always available, and responsive. Every interaction is a reassuring experience: when using AI chatbots, nearly 90% of companies globally have seen measurable improvements in the speed of complaint resolution.

Get AI-driven results with Algolia

The question remains: how good is your site’s user experience?

If your stakeholders conclude that it’s anything less than positively stellar, it’s time to think about how you can get on track.

One option: give your shoppers fulfilling experiences that take them to exactly what they want with AI Search solution.

Interested in discovering how Algolia could help you create a much better user experience? Contact us to get some specifics.