Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. We see it in our homes, with the help of Google Home and Amazon Echo. We utilize it on our phones, with the help of Cortana and Siri.
And, heck, it’s even filtering into the design industry. Who’da thunk it?
But artificial intelligence isn’t all driverless cars and Elon Musk trademarks. Instead, the idea of smarter hardware that’s always thinking a step or two ahead can be applied to your company’s digital presence in several different ways – many of which are actually easily actionable.
In fact, capitalizing on artificial intelligence within your brand’s website design will likely work in your favor. According to Envato TUTS+, streamlining the flow and presentation of information will create a seamless UX by allowing company’s to better tailor to their users’ wants and needs (more on that later). And better user experience means more returning users and higher conversion rates.
You can’t argue with that.
Below are three simple ways to leverage the popularity of artificial intelligence within your website design. When executed properly, your AI will captivate consumers, creating an enjoyable user experience and turning those visits into purchases, stat.
1. Incorporate Chatbots
Despite heading online for everything from signing apartment leases to ordering groceries, people want to feel connected within a personal experience when they’re engaging on the world wide web. Chatbots are an easy way to achieve this.
Chatbots are particularly effective in elevating user experience because they capitalize on a conversational interface, so even if your users technically know that they’re speaking with a computer, it still has a dash of personality that will draw people in. It’s the same idea that encourages people to ask Siri for a joke, even though they’re all terrible and perhaps slightly insulting, too. (Hey, she talks back and uses my name – I can’t resist!)
Take Quartz for example. Their app design creates an extremely unique tone and creative design by presenting the daily news to users through popular memes, GIFs and emojis. They keep the conversation flowing and moving forward smoothly by offering suggested text for the user. However, this also helps control the experience. The writers, programmers and designers know exactly what outcomes will result from interactions with the app, but the whimsical chatbot keeps it exciting for the users, ensuring its captivating yet simple to enact.
Chatbots are also effective in reinforcing customer service – which, as we all have learned from Yelp, can truly make or break a young business.
There are several tools that can help you create a joyful chatbot experience on your desktop, mobile or app design, including Bot Society (which capitalizes on another trendy element: Video), Bot Frame (a program that lets you customize a conversation preemptively), and Octaneai (an e-commerce-based chatbot platform to help users complete purchases and track shipments).
I do also recommend having an actual person on standby (at least during business hours) to take over in case something goes awry, but typically, autonomous chatbots that are set up correctly are extremely successful in drawing users in on the reg.
2. Use An Artificial Intelligence Web Designer
No, no, I’m not suggesting you throw away your career as a designer so that a robot can take your place – that would be silly, counterintuitive, and ultimately never quite fulfill the need for the bit of je ne sais quoi that all designs need.
HOWEVER, if you’re hard-pressed for time or a full-time designer simply isn’t in the budget, you don’t necessarily have to skimp on your brand’s online identity.
We already know there are plenty of website platforms that create stunning templates and integrated e-commerce systems, and we’re well aware that we can enlist an agency to create the site of your dreams without any stress. But did you know that there are systems that can automate artificial intelligence on your website for you?
Nifty, I know.
Some programs, like Molly from The Grid, are so easy to use you can just drag and drop content into their mobile app from, well, anywhere! Molly will then find the perfect layout, animations, color schemes and more. Others, like Sacha from Firedrop (which created the design above) are voice activated, which arguably makes the design process even faster.
Regardless of the program you choose, these AI designers have created beautiful designs that you can peruse through before making the leap and transferring the workload to your new C3PO-like friend.
3. Capitalize On Machine Learning
Machine learning is a little different than artificial intelligence, but ultimately the idea is cut from the same cloth. Essentially, AI uses context clues to complete an action. Meanwhile, machine learning enables your web design/computer/whatever machine you’re using to actually learning the material on their own without too much guidance from a human.
For example, say you have a blog that you post selfies to. If you’re using a website design with AI, you may manually program your site to filter out images that have one eye closed, hair across your forehead, and so on. After you add in the parameters, your AI will get to work.
However, if you’re using machine learning, the system will slowly pick up (on its own) what an acceptable image is – and what should stay buried forever. You won’t need to go back into the code to add another parameter, because your site will likely be one step ahead of you and already know what you like and don’t like.
Overall, machine learning is a very cool, very advanced form of AI that fans of the Terminator trilogy may be slightly skeptical of. Nonetheless, when implemented properly, it can help you pick the most successful color schemes, target your audience with pinpoint accuracy and streamline the content you provide.
Not sure where to start with machine learning? Adobe Sensei (part of Creative Suites) can take digital experiences to the next level through several AI and machine learning features.
Conclusion
In a world that’s only getting more tech savvy, incorporating artificial intelligence into website design will soon be the norm for all big businesses hoping to boost their bottom lines online. But with these easy concepts, you can run with the big dogs and stay on top of the latest and greatest design trends, ensuring your company always appears user-centric more than anything else.
About the Author:
Stella Saroyan is an MBA student and a writer who specializes in startups and e-commerce.