Typical UX Mistakes to Avoid

In the present scenario, we’re all dying for each other’s attention, websites grab a hold and don’t let go. Whether it’s basic or bizarre, entertaining or enlightening, one can engage their audiences in the newest and exciting ways with these virtual experiences.

And trust me, living in a world of insurmountable choices and lagging brand loyalty, the user-friendly experience is of paramount importance.

If you ask me to define user experience in simple words- I will say that it acts as a core element that differentiates products (both actual and virtual) from one another. Let us assume that you want to engage in some online activities, say shopping. You performed a search, stumbled upon a random site and something repulsive got in the way.

It can be a massive wave of irrelevant ads, half-baked product information, or even five different colors that don’t complement each other. Basically, any element that can be a major turn-off! And what we do is switch to other sites, does this make you mean? No, not at all! In fact, we all do the same when we don’t like what we found, and we will go back and search for another site. So think before calling your end users mean.

Instead of playing the blaming game with your end users, think where you lack behind. What’s compelling your end user to call off the entire site? Does your website incorporate elements that hold attention? If not, it’s time to design a kickass user experience. Don’t expect people to forgive and forget you if you offer them a poor user experience. Falling too short for even once can sometimes mean falling off the favorites list for a long time. Try adding some substance to the experience. Make sure that it provides some value in the end.

However, website UX covers a wide range of factors but what matters the most is the human experience. Being the core anchor of your digital marketing efforts, your website must encourage them to buy or – at least – subscribe.

Imagine yourself owning a brick-and-mortar store; I am sure you will be concerned about things like sales support, end cap displays, aisle navigation, signages and so forth. Similarly, when it comes to online- your efforts can be bifurcated into observing, tracking and draw your conclusions objectively through analytics.

Speaking of today’s marketing landscape, nothing can beat an interactive, attention-grabbing website. It’s a 24/7 salesman, one of your most powerful asset and a prized centrepiece to feel proud of. But at the same time, there’s a good chance that a few basic UX issues can turn your metrics around.

Down below I would like to shed some light on a few signs stating your app’s UX design needs a refresh.

UX Mistakes #1: Are you losing money now and then?

Every year, inflation hits the global economy but not when it comes to your website. It seems to remain flat or sinking. It’s time to take charge, do something! Get in touch with a reliable web design company or hire an individual who can save you from drowning. The UX should allow its user to navigate easily, browse relevant products and pay in the simplest and quickest manner possible. This probably leads to the conclusion that if sales are falling off, chances are there that your app or website itself might be standing in the way of transactions, instead of facilitating them.

• Too many clicks
• Difficulty in finding the shopping cart
• Too many steps involved in selecting, purchasing and checking out

These are some of the most common possibilities causing potential customers to bail before they reach the end. So it’s essential for you to make sure that the entire process of making the purchase is easy and pleasant one for customers.

UX Mistakes #2: Adequate Loss of Customer

Another significant indicator is the dropping rate of visitors. Your app is being uninstalled or website being shut at a fanatic pace. And retaining back becomes a significant issue. Well, everything depends on how well you present the value of your website to your end users. You must understand that users visit your site keeping a specific purpose in mind, and if it doesn’t offer what they are looking for, they are more likely to switch and won’t come back. So how to address this issue?

Simple, at the initial stage when fewer people are found downloading your app, learn which are the most engaging parts of your website and bring them right in front of the end user. Ask them for relevant feedback, ask them which experiences have little to no engagement and remove them. Remember its User Experience – What are users experiencing when they use your app?

UX Mistakes #3: Focusing on “Impressive Design”

Everybody dreams of creating an app or website to make a big splash in no time. In simple words, creating a buzz by wowing your target audience. And you ask your web designer to come up with an impressive design thinking that your end users will be blown away the way it looks because you did.

Wrong! Your user is entirely different from you. Unfortunately, business owners want the product to wow users, but understand your users want to use the product. Can you spot the difference?

Instead of focusing on impressive designs, websites incorporating a usable architecture that provides the user with simple, easy to understand tools. Because even if you grab the attention of users with the wow impact, you’re going to lose them at the very next point with your unusable interface.

UX Mistakes #4: Not offering a value

I have happened to stumble upon a few sites that force people to sign up without providing any value in return. As soon as your visitor opens the site, he or she gets stuck in the signup process. It feels like you are giving them no choice sign up or leave. Nobody would love to give their personal details without even knowing that what the website all about is. This can lead to a major decrease in regards to conversion rate.

As soon as they hit that signup wall, you might lose people to a great extent. Of course, you may find people willing to sign up to try your app, but in the end, you will be building a user base of potentially uninterested users.

The conclusion is to give visitors as much as you can before asking for their information. Set them free, allow them to browse in their own way. You can prompt them for login details if they take an initiative to interact with it.

So, What Makes A Great Website?

Without a shadow of a doubt, it seems that UX has become more granular. Everything should look in a balanced manner, adding just one unnecessary field can result in a high bounce rate. After all, all you have is less than one minute to hook your visitor, so make the most of it. Here’s how!

• Craft an inviting homepage
• Speed matters the most (loading speed)
• Give some legroom space
• Effective Call to Action
• Let the visuals speak – Images and Videos
• Fix all the broken links
• Get rid of unnecessary elements – improve the general look and feel

Apart from these consider these analytical components:

• Bounce rate
• User behavior
• Search usage
• Customer surveys
• A/B testing

Of course there are many other analytical components, but these are already great to get you on your way.

Final Word

Surviving in the online business world isn’t going to be easy. It will take too long to be on top of your game. Don’t try to focus more on technical aspects; it can overlook user experience. Here’s a secret sauce for you- To building an intuitive user experience is all about blending the conceptual model of your product with the mental model of your audience. If you get this done right, nothing can stop you from succeeding.