Here’s How I Use AI to Level Up My Website’s User Experience [+ Guide]

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As a web developer, I've been tracking the growth and adoption of AI tools. And wow, the last two years have been a whirlwind. For so long, AI felt like far-fetched science. Now, AI tools have made using the internet and getting things done worlds easier.

So, of course, everyone is scrambling to make the most of these tools. It's become a snooze-you-lose situation. Plus, netizens are starting to expect intelligent chatbots, smart search, and all the trimmings of an AI-powered website. So, if your site isn't on the cutting edge, it's time to make some changes.

In this blog post, I'll briefly explain the impact of AI on a website and show you the different kinds of AI you can use to enhance the user experience. Let's dive in.

Table of Contents

• Why Add AI to Your Website
• Types of AI You Can Add
• Step-by-Step: Adding AI to Your Website
• Adjustments are part of the process, so refining the AI's settings and data inputs only makes it smarter and more user-friendly.
• Best Practices for AI Integration

Why Add AI to Your Website

I've noticed a growing number of websites and businesses adopting AI. That may be through AI-powered chatbots or virtual assistants to enhance customer service. Or perhaps the team is leveraging AI as data analysts to extract insights and improve decision-making processes.

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The data backs this up too. McKinsey & Company found the increasing reliance on generative AI across key business functions, such as supply chain, inventory management, and marketing. The report found that these tools deliver significant operational improvements. There was a 66% boost in performance and revenue growth exceeding 5% in critical sectors like sales and service operations.

As a web developer, I always advise my clients to implement AI on their websites because of all the benefits they stand to gain, such as:

• Automation. With AI, my clients can automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks such as handling their customers' inquiries.
• Improved User Experience. AI features, such as AI-driven search bars, are now very common. I find them very helpful as they assist users in finding what they are looking for on my websites, thus improving users' experience.
• Personalization. AI can enable my website to bring personalized content or recommendations based on my users' behavior; this is very common on e-commerce websites, blogging websites, etc. It helps boost sales and also increase the retention time of users on my websites.

Types of AI You Can Add

On the best website, AI integrates seamlessly. You may not even realize you're interacting with an AI feature. Here are some AI tools you might find when surfing the web - notice it or not.

Chatbots and Virtual Assistants

I've found that this is the most common use of AI on websites. I see chat windows pop up all the time when I'm searching the web. I can conveniently ask questions, seek customer support, or request a demo from a sales representative. We even use AI chatbots here at HubSpot to connect interested visitors to the product that best fits their needs.

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AI chatbots are more than just a nice bonus for site visitors - they can save your team time. Let's look at customer service. Your chatbot can point concerned customers to helpful knowledge-base articles so they can solve their own problems. If an issue is complex, the chat system can then route the customer to a qualified member of your service team.

The data backs this up. Our research found that 78% of service professionals strongly agree that AI helps them focus on more critical tasks.

The same benefits can be applied to sales. Your reps don't have to waste time scheduling a demo. A chatbot can do that instead. Now, your reps have more time to prep for that demonstration, earning more value for the business.

Recommendation Systems

If you've ever scrolled on social media or browsed a streaming service, you've definitely encountered AI recommendations. Let's use YouTube as an example. I don't use my work YouTube account for much, but I like to play background music to help me focus while I code. So, my YouTube homepage and recommendations are all focus music or study tracks.

How does this work? AI recommendation systems use machine learning to gather data about what you do on a site. For YouTube, that includes what you click, how long you watch the video, and what you check out next. The AI learns about your behavior so it can best predict what you would like to engage with next.

So, my hours watching the lo-fi girl results in dozens of recommendations for chill music.

Amazon and other ecommerce sites use similar technology. Their sites suggest products based on what I've looked at and my behavior on the site. If I see something that pairs well with my recent purchase, I'm more likely to buy it.

I just bought an espresso machine, so I can make fancy lattes at home. I browsed a few accessories, including the cups that hold the espresso that comes out of the machine. Apparently, they're called demitasses. Amazon both knew the name and that I was looking for the right one, so it served me up these options.

Text-to-Speech (TTS) and Speech Recognition

I love reading blog posts and news articles that help me stay on top of online trends. However, I don't always have time to actually read them. Sometimes, it's more convenient to listen to an article while I'm doing the dishes or folding the laundry. That's where text-to-speech comes in. TTS converts text into natural-sounding speech, allowing websites to read aloud content to users.

Meanwhile, speech recognition allows visitors to talk to a piece of technology directly. AI can then interpret the text and turn it into a meaningful command. Think of Alexa: If I ask my Alexa to add cleaning spray to my shopping card, I'm actually interacting with AI technology.

Image and Video Recognition

AI can automatically analyze and classify images or videos. This is especially useful for improving accessibility (e.g., alt text generation) or enabling features like visual search and content moderation. These AI tools are used in more advanced websites and allow the websites to recognize objects in images, categorize content, and even help detect harmful content.

Dynamic Pricing

If you've ever rolled your eyes as ride-share costs surge, you've come face-to-face with dynamic pricing. Here, AI changes the prices without human intervention based on certain factors.

Let's look at Uber. Dynamic pricing can be used to set a price for users based on demand, time, and location. Adding this functionality to my website could help me optimize prices in real-time.

Step-by-Step: Adding AI to Your Website

1. Choosing the Right AI Tool

When I add AI to a website, I always think about the use case first. What exactly am I hoping to accomplish? Do I want to add a chatbot? Or am I more focused on dynamic pricing? Knowing my mission will help me choose what tool to deploy.

For most websites, I recommend adding a chatbot to improve user engagement and a personalized product recommendation AI. I often recommend OpenAI's GPT for the first task and TensorFlow.js for the latter.

I choose tools based on ease of use and how well they align with my website's needs. OpenAI stands out for its natural language capabilities, while TensorFlow.js is perfect for client-side processing.

2. Preparing the Website

Next, I ensure my website is ready to integrate AI features. I check if my hosting plan can handle additional load and update backend frameworks to support modern AI tools. I also make sure my site's frontend is adaptable for displaying interactive features like chat interfaces.

Compatibility can be a challenge here, so I take the time to address any technical constraints before moving forward.

3. Setting Up the AI Platform

Once I know the AI feature I would like to implement, I have to obtain access credentials like API keys from the platform. This step requires me to dive into the documentation of the chosen platform to understand how to make the integration seamless.

For example, while working with OpenAI's API, I'll have to configure how my website communicates with it. I will map out user inputs (e.g., a question in the chatbot) to generate relevant outputs, ensuring the responses feel intuitive and helpful.

4. Embedding AI Features

At this point, I'm ready to embed the AI into my site. Embedding this feature simply involves creating a component for this feature and adding it to the actual website where it will be used. It also involves connecting the backend AI service to my site's interface.

5. Testing and Refining

After setting everything up, I will rigorously test the AI features to make sure there are no lapses. Initially, there may be some hiccups - like the chatbot misunderstanding certain queries or the recommendation system suggesting irrelevant items. These issues can be frustrating, but it is also an opportunity to fine-tune the AI settings.

Another challenge was managing user data responsibly. AI features often require analyzing user behavior, so I prioritized transparency and complied with data protection laws like GDPR.

Adjustments are part of the process, so refining the AI's settings and data inputs only makes it smarter and more user-friendly.

7. Launching the AI Feature

Depending on the AI feature, I can notify users of the changes I have made to my website, or if it is something as basic as a chatbot that has nothing to do with my users' data, then I can simply just add it to my website.

Best Practices for AI Integration

Define clear goals.

Before I consider integrating AI on my website, I like to do a little bit of evaluation. This process involves me stating the reasons why I need a certain AI feature on my website. By setting these goals, I can ensure and ascertain if the AI feature is enhancing my project.

Maintaining customer data.

Data is the lifeblood of AI systems - from recommendation algorithms to chatbots using LLMs. While you want a system that works efficiently, you want to balance these outcomes with user trust. If you collect data, your customers should know how and what you do with that information.

Beyond that, there are legal repercussions that you must be aware of. The E.U.'s General Data Protection Regulation and the California Consumer Privacy Act regulate how sites can use their visitors' information. Even if your website is hosted outside of Europe or California, you'll need to comply.

Start small and scale smart.

It's tempting to implement every cool AI feature available, but I've learned that starting small is better. I focus on one impactful feature, test it thoroughly, and gather feedback before scaling. This approach saves time and avoids overwhelming both me and my users.

Enhancing user experience.

I've also learned that users don't really care about how advanced their AI is if it complicates their experience. Whenever I integrate AI features, I focus on simplicity and functionality.

Whether it's a chatbot, recommendation engine, or personalization feature, I ask myself, Does this actually make the user's journey better? If the answer isn't a clear yes, then I have to reconsider my decision.

Test and iterate.

I treat every AI integration as a work in progress. Regular testing helps me identify bugs, refine functionality, and improve performance. I also make it a point to gather user feedback-it's invaluable for making AI work smarter.

Balancing AI with simplicity.

This part took me time to figure out. Early in my journey, I got excited about cramming as many AI features as possible into a project - because, hey, AI is cool, right? But I quickly learned that less is often more. The goal is to make things smarter, not more complicated. I now prioritize seamless integrations that feel like natural extensions of the product. For example, I'll choose an AI tool that automates repetitive tasks over one that overwhelms users with too many options.

Ultimately, AI should feel like an invisible helping hand. It enhances without drawing too much attention to itself. For me, the balance lies in making sure that every feature has a purpose and that users always feel in control.

Harnessing AI with Purpose

AI can refresh your user experience. However, every AI addition should tie back to a user benefit. How does AI simplify and personalize a user's experience on your site? Don't just add shiny new automation without a reason. AI should be a bridge to better solutions and better experiences.

So remember, AI should feel natural and intuitive, simplifying tasks without adding friction. Once you start building, remember to loop users in and ask for their feedback. From there, you'll know whether your venture into an AI-enhanced site hits the mark.

Topics: Artificial Intelligence

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