What is meant by the term "user experience" (UX) in web design?

User experience (UX) in web design refers to the overall satisfaction a user experiences when interacting with a website. This encompasses a wide range of factors, including the website's usability, accessibility, and the emotional response it elicits from users. A positive UX means that users find the website easy to navigate, visually appealing, and capable of meeting their needs effectively. It considers how intuitive the layout is, how quickly information can be found, and how enjoyable the interaction feels overall.

While aspects like visual appeal and technical performance are important in their own right, they contribute to the broader concept of user experience rather than define it. The visual appeal of a website can enhance UX but does not encapsulate the entirety of what a user experiences. Similarly, the technical performance of the web server is crucial for ensuring fast loading times and reliability, but it's just one component that affects UX rather than the complete picture. Marketing strategies can help draw visitors to a site, but they do not directly influence the user’s experience while using the website itself. Hence, the overall satisfaction derived from interactions with the site remains the core of user experience.