12 Tried and True Ways to Improve User Experience

12 Tried-and-True Ways to Improve User Experience

Poor user experience leads to lost opportunities when it comes to conversion rates.

In fact, a study conducted by Walker, entitled simply “Customers 2020” revealed that customer experience is on course to overtake both product quality and price as the key brand differentiator.

The importance of user experience has never been more prevalent.

Any development team looking to create a successful app or website needs to focus its activities on meeting and exceeding the needs of its users, as well as give them a channel through which to address their complaints.

Here are a few ways that can help you improve user experience and increase customer satisfaction:

Information Architecture

This relatively new branch of science has to do with structuring and organizing the content of social media, mobile and web applications and websites in general.

If your primary goal in business is to provide excellent value to your customers, your information architecture should focus heavily on user satisfaction.

However, implementing an effective information architecture can be very challenging, which is why many companies choose not to give it the importance it deserves.

UX Copywriting

User experience copywriting revolves around communication between the users and the product/interface. It indicates all possible communications and messages displayed to users.

Each button text, link, error message, label, notification, description, etc. should be written with adherence to the best UX practices.

Every message the user encounters can have an impact on their experience, which is why keeping everything clear and informative is very important.

Content Readability and Structure

Always keep your target audience in mind. The level of complexity when it comes to your content should always be adjusted to the part of your demographic with the least experience.

Precise language is your friend here, and so are shorter sentences.

Try to present your content in a manner that is well-organized and easy to navigate. Keep your paragraphs short and digestible.

Performance

A gorgeous-looking website or app is not going to be enough for a great user experience unless it is backed up by a snappy and satisfying level of performance. Users have had increasingly high expectations when it comes to speed over the last few years.

If a website takes more than 3 seconds to load, 40% of users are likely to leave. Your app’s or website’s performance can affect customer satisfaction greatly, so this is something you should definitely look into if you’re planning on improving UX.

Aesthetics

The organization of the content on a website as well as the simplicity of its design both contribute to the clarity and attractiveness of the message delivered.

Therefore, it is highly recommended that you use a minimalistic approach and steer clear of visual distractions.

Users tend to associate the superficial attractiveness of a website with its practical function even when there is no actual correlation between the two. This phenomenon is known as the aesthetic usability effect. Even so, the practicality should never be sacrificed for the sake of pure aesthetics.

Animations

Adding meaningful animation to your website or app can bring numerous benefits. It can help explain the user’s actions intuitively without having to resort to textual explanations, thus lightening the cognitive load and preventing confusion.

The most helpful animations to use in general include loaders that show progress and status, pop-out clickable components and intuitive transitions.

UX Research

Building a product with the support of user data allows you to perfectly target it to its audience. UX research is a way to collect that data and discover user expectations, behaviors and needs. All of this will make the success of your project more likely.

The main focus of UX design is to create a user-centered product. There’s no better way of achieving this than through UX research.

Navigation

When it comes to navigation through your website or app, there’s a pretty straightforward rule to follow — the simpler the better.

You should consider a few factors when creating navigation including the relative importance of all your menu options, how far you can limit the number of elements and how frequently each menu item will be used by your customers.

Mobile Optimization

Mobile internet usage surpassed desktop for the first time in 2016, which signified a huge change when it comes to the importance of mobile devices.

Optimizing the design of your website for mobile is essential, and failure to do so could lead to lost business.

The key to great mobile user experience is understanding the differences of this platform compared to desktop. Always keep in mind that users are likely to be on the move and distracted by external factors.

Onboarding

Landing pages of websites and apps must do their best to show the value proposition of your product, aside from being impressive and beautifully designed. The most crucial question for the customer needs to be answered right away, and that question is “What does this do for me?”

Smooth onboarding can show users how your app can help them with their goals while conveying your brand message at the same time.

Testing

Testing is an integral part of the development of any product. It is carried out to determine how well a product does when dealing with realistic conditions.

Even the best designers are not infallible, which is why it is important to get real users to validate the product before its release.

High-quality UX design is about continuous improvement and iteration on potential errors, so as to make the product meet users’ needs to the highest capacity.

Competitor Analysis

Finally, in order to identify threats and opportunities, it can be beneficial to verify competitors’ weaknesses and strengths in relation to your own.

This type of analysis can include all relevant aspects of business, such as promotions, types of services and products, marketing campaigns, etc.

If you really want to know your competition, every relevant bit of information can help.

The Bottom Line

There are a multitude of ways to improve user experience. However, in order to do it right, you need to select your specific areas of focus.

Some changes might require more resources and time than you initially expect, but they are likely to be worth the investment.

With proper research and a high level of commitment, you can make changes that will bear fruit in the future. This will help you build a loyal customer base.

About the Author

Maja Dukadinovska is a content specialist at Digital Silk. She writes for business and for pleasure, focusing on design and digital trends. Allergic to fluff and poor WIFI. Loves dogs and everything cocoa-based.