Websites and the importance of UX, UI and Programming
At Alterno Agency we have been creating and managing websites for clients in Puerto Rico and abroad for more than 15 years. In this time we have seen everything evolve: technologies, platforms and web design trends. But there is one thing that has not changed: The website is still the central base of your digital presence.
Although now everything sounds like social media, artificial intelligence, apps and automation, the reality is that even the most modern platforms, in the end, end up taking you to a website.
Has this ever happened to you? You are using an advanced application on your mobile device such as Netflix, Spotify or Airbnb, and at some point the system tells you: "For this change, please log in to your account on the website."
The website is still the central home and head office of the business, where accounts, subscriptions, data and essential processes are managed. Although mobile and responsive websites have come a long way, today more than 60% of global web traffic comes from mobile devices (Soax, 2024; Exploding Topics, 2024) and in some of the websites we manage at Alterno Agency we have seen up to 85% of traffic coming from mobile.
Even so, the desktop version is still the most complete and robust core. It is where all functionality is accessed without the limitations of screen size or certain mobile interfaces. Mobile makes it easier, but desktop is still the space where brands centralize and control their digital operation.
First things first: What types of websites are there and what are they for?
Although they are used as synonyms, not all websites are the same or serve the same purpose. These are the differences you need to understand:
Website
Your digital headquarters. That's where your brand lives, your business information, your complete offer, your SEO strategy, your blog, your campaigns, your reputation. It is your most important digital asset. Long shelf life.
Microsite
A mini-website for something punctual: launching a product, a campaign, a promotion. Limited lifespan. It carries a clear, direct and tactical informative message.
Landing Page
A single page with a specific objective: capture leads, generate sales, schedule appointments. Ultra focused on action and conversion.
Web-Based Platforms or Solutions
Robust systems: CRMs, appointment systems, educational platforms, complex e-commerce. Many live on the web, accessible via browser, even if they have an app.
Examples:
Netflix and Spotify have apps, but their websites are still functional and necessary for registrations, account settings, payments, technical support, and so on.
Why do design, UX, UI and programming matter in all these cases?
Design is not only aesthetics, it is creative direction.
When we talk about web design, we talk about the visual, creative and strategic direction of the entire digital ecosystem: colors, fonts, styles, images, icons. It is what gives cohesion to your brand visually, what allows consistency between your website, your social networks, your email and your presentation.
UX (User Experience): Experience is everything.
UX is not graphic design. UX is strategy, logic, empathy, data, human behavior. It is thinking about how your customer navigates your website, how they find what they are looking for and how they achieve their goal without frustration.
A good UX is like entering an organized store, with clear signs, open aisles, easy to get to the checkout. A bad UX is like entering a place with no map, no signs, where you can't find what you're looking for.
In a website the UX is:
Clear navigation
Understandable menus
Simple forms
Logical processes
Few frictions
Few steps
A good UX increases conversions and satisfaction. A bad UX scares your customers away.
UI (User Interface): It's not just "pretty", it's functional and strategic.
UI is visual design, but it is not the same as general website design. UI is the specific visual layer that builds the user interaction with your website. It makes sure that buttons are where they should be, that contrast is legible, that icons are intuitive, that the experience is pleasant.
While the visual design creates the identity, the UI creates the visual functionality for the UX to be fulfilled. A good UI is the difference between a button that is inviting to be pressed and one that goes unnoticed.
In a website the UI is:
Clear and accessible buttons
Correct reading contrasts
Eye-friendly typography
Well thought-out visual hierarchies
Programming: The invisible muscle that makes it happen.
In our experience, we have found that many people believe that when a website is designed there is some sort of magic printer that turns that design into a functional website the next day. Spoiler alert: there is no such thing.
This is where programming comes in. But what is it?
Programming is the set of languages and codes that give life to any website, app or digital platform. It is what connects the visual with the functional.
Basic web development languages:
HTML, CSS, JavaScript: The basis of any website. Structure, styles and interactivity.
PHP, Laravel (robust framework): For customized and robust projects.
React, Angular: Interactive solutions, SPA (Single Page Applications), dynamic platforms.
CMS (Content Management Systems) platforms:
These systems facilitate and speed up the process of creating websites without having to program everything from scratch:
WordPress: The most popular and flexible. From blogs to complex portals.
Shopify: Focused on e-commerce, quick to implement.
Drupal: Robust, technical, ideal for institutions or complex projects with much greater security.
These CMS platforms allow you to manage content, stores, blogs, forms, with ease and without relying 100% on advanced programming.
Why does all this matter so much?
Because your website is not only your showcase, it's your business running digitally.
A bad UX makes you lose leads. A bad UI makes you look outdated. Bad programming makes you slow, unsafe and invisible to Google.
Studies confirm this:
75% of users judge the credibility of a business based on its website (HubSpot - Website Statistics), while 88% do not return to a website after a bad digital experience (Forbes - Why Bad Websites Drive Customers Away).
Google also penalizes your ranking if your experience is not clear, fast and secure (Search Engine Journal - Google UX Ranking)
What have we learned at Alterno in 15 years?
Nothing replaces a well done website. That's why we have worked on websites and platforms for:
Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico
Aba Laser Hair Removal
Ferrero (Ferrero, Nutella, Tic-Tac, Crunch)
Ferré Rangel Group
Puerto Rico Medical Defense Insurance Company (PRMD)
Puerto Rico Association of Relationship Professionals (ARPR)
Easeway
3M
Professional Market Research, Inc. (PMR)
OPTI Manufacturing
And like these, many other brands know that it's not enough to have a beautiful website; you need real experience behind it. In the end, all projects share the same thing: if there is no UX, UI and good programming, the website does not work as it should.
Conclusion: Everything is connected.
UX is experience. UI is perception and visual functionality. Design is identity. Programming is performance. Website is strategy.
All together is what makes your customer find what they are looking for, make it easy, come back and recommend you. That's what we do at Alterno. Helping brands be where their customer is, with the right experience, at the right time.
Transform your brand with Alterno Agency.
Reference sources and recommended reading:
HubSpot (2024). Website Statistics: Data That Proves Why Your Website Matters.
Available at: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/website-statistics
Forbes (2023). Why Bad Websites Drive Customers Away.
Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/05/24/the-importance-of-a-strong-website-in-2023/?sh=623222173eaa
Search Engine Journal (2024). Google UX Ranking / Page Experience Update.
Available at: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-page-experience-update/
Soax (2024). Mobile Website Traffic Statistics 2024.
Available at: https://soax.com/research/mobile-website-traffic
Exploding Topics (2024). Mobile Internet Traffic Statistics 2024.
Available at: https://explodingtopics.com/blog/mobile-internet-traffic