Retaining online audiences requires an emotional touch
Even as a digital native, I occasionally find it difficult to comply with the digital landscape. In the pursuit of engaging content, it’s possible to end up on websites that feel completely dead. They are uninspiring, cold, and too digital.
As digital magazine publishing continues taking form, there is an expectation for all websites to have a human element. And this isn’t just about being able to share content socially with your friends, it’s about a natural way of interacting with the content we are exposed to.
Back in late March, Chuck Longanecker wrote an article about websites with soul. In this article he discusses emotionally intelligent interactions and defines them as, “any state (or change in state) of a website/app where the messaging or functionality includes attention to details that create a user experience that feels organic or human.”
[text_ad]
Three examples Longanecker gives are:
-Instructions: Give website or app users detailed instructions on using your products, especially for their first time. In the example he provides, Bottlenose, a web-based Twitter client, uses buttons with phrases like “Makes sense”, to create a humorous experience.
-Copy: Written communication that doesn’t stray from professionalism is a standard for most websites. That doesn’t mean you can’t throw in prose, expressive language on buttons or poetic sentiments from time to time. Longanecker cites a number of examples in his article.
-User-experience: Every website activity should consider the user experience. When making any changes to your website, always know the intention behind them. How will the user benefit from the changes? This is a question worth asking yourself before any redesign goes live.
What over ways are you putting a human element to work on your website? Please share your tips in the comments below.
