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The way users experience your website has changed. Has your site kept up?
For most businesses, their website is still their main sales tool. But the rules of engagement have changed. With the rise of AI-powered search, faster decision-making from users, and an increased demand for tailored experiences, traditional websites are showing their age.
If your site hasn’t been redesigned in the last 3 years, it’s likely:
- Not structured for AI search visibility
- Slower to load and navigate than modern expectations allow
- Missing conversion opportunities because user intent has evolved
Let’s break down what’s changed and what your business needs to do about it.
1. AI Search Has Changed the Game
The old SEO playbook doesn’t cut it anymore.
With Google's AI Overviews, Search Generative Experience (SGE), and the rise of semantic search from engines like Bing and Perplexity, content is no longer just ranked — it’s interpreted. These engines are looking at how well your site answers questions and segments content, not just what keywords it uses.
“Search is no longer about matching strings of text, but about understanding user intent and surfacing structured, relevant answers.”
— Search Engine Journal
That means UX and content design are now integral to SEO. Pages must be easy to scan, contextually clear, and highly responsive. You need clear content blocks, answer-driven layouts, and targeted micro-journeys that align with how AI is parsing your site.
Users Make Decisions Faster Than Ever
We now live in an age of scroll, scan, decide. Research shows that:
- Users form a first impression of a site in under 0.05 seconds
(CXL) - 70% of mobile users leave a page that takes longer than 3 seconds to load
(Google Mobile Insights)
This isn’t just about speed. It’s about clarity. UX now needs to be:
- Laser-focused on intent
- Quick to deliver answers
- Designed for skim readers
- Optimised for conversion in fewer steps
If your navigation is cluttered, if your key messages aren’t immediate, or if forms are hidden or clunky, you’re losing business. Period.
3. Tailored Journeys and Smarter Landing Pages Are Non-Negotiable
Generic homepage > about page > contact us just doesn’t cut it anymore.
Modern UX is about mapping specific user journeys to specific business goals. Whether someone lands on your site from a search query, a paid ad, or a voice assistant, they should hit a page that speaks directly to them.
- You need AI-friendly content structure (clear H1/H2s, answer-first blocks, schema markup)
- You need landing pages built for campaigns, not recycled from your homepage
- You need conversion points optimised for the stage of the journey your visitor is in
Tools like Hotjar, Microsoft Clarity, and Google Analytics 4 now let us track exactly where users drop off or hesitate. This data should directly inform design decisions.
4. Faster Websites Mean Higher Conversions
Site speed is UX. Full stop.
According to Portent, conversion rates drop by:
- 4.42% for every second of load time between 0 and 5 seconds
- And that effect is even worse on mobile
Old sites, especially those built before Core Web Vitals became a ranking factor, are dragging. Slow scripts, outdated CMS setups, and bloated plugins are silently tanking your performance.
If your site isn't scoring 90+ on Google’s PageSpeed Insights, you're already behind.
5. Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) Is Part of UX Now
UX and CRO are no longer separate strategies. They're part of the same system. When UX improves, conversion rates naturally follow. And when you design every touchpoint with intention — from copy and forms to CTAs and checkout — you get more ROI from your traffic.
At Higher Ground, we’ve delivered CRO uplift projects with:
- 4x increases in bookings for service-based companies
- 30 to 90% higher conversions on tailored campaign landing pages
- Significant wins through redesigns optimised for AI search intent
Our work on Fettle and Trace Basement Systems are real-world examples of this.
What To Do If Your Website Is 3+ Years Old
You’re probably due a full UX and search-readiness audit. Not just for cosmetic improvements, but to realign your site to how customers find and use websites today.
Ask yourself:
- Is our content structured for AI understanding?
- Can users land, learn, and convert in under 10 seconds?
- Are we tracking what parts of our site work (and what doesn’t)?
- Do we have separate landing pages for different audiences, products, or campaigns?
- Is our site still technically fit for purpose?
If not, it’s time.
Start With a Discovery Workshop
At Higher Ground, we run CRO/UX discovery workshops that identify:
- Friction in the user journey
- Search performance blind spots
- Missed conversion opportunities
- Content that AI can’t read (but should)
We’ll show you where your site is losing value and help you build a roadmap to unlock it.
Book a no-pressure discovery call
Or see how we’ve helped others on our case studies page
The internet has changed. Your website should too.
