10 Small Changes to Improve Your User Experience

10 October 2017

Improving your user experience isn’t about adding a few premium features to your website - it’s about making your user journey as straightforward and hassle-free as possible, so that you can increase your click-through rate and conversions.

What’s more, you don’t have to spend a lot of time or money to see results - according to IBM’s report Cost Justifying Ease of Use, “Every $1 invested in usability returns between $10 and $100”. Sometimes it’s the smallest changes, such as adding a button, or changing an image, that can make all the difference.

We’ve lined up 10 small changes you can start making to improve your user experience.

Map your user journey
Your product or service is likely to have different types of users, with different motives for using it - which means the way that they navigate your site should be different. Instead of directing everyone to the same pages and information, direct different types of users to dedicated landing pages, where they can find the information most important to them.

Improve your navigation
If your user can’t find what they’re looking for, then they will quickly drop-off your website. The three-click-rule suggests that your user should be able to find any information within three mouse clicks.

Ensure your Call to Action is clear
Your Call to Action button is the most important button on any page - it takes the user to the next stage of the buying cycle. It pays to A/B test different sizes, shapes, colours and copy to find the most effective solution. Simply changing the colour could increase your click-through rate two-fold.

Make sure you’re on brand
Inconsistency in font, colour and style can make your user feel uneasy. Keeping your branding consistent will help to portray a trustworthy business with a strong and confident identity that your users will feel familiar with.

Select the right imagery
The use of outdated imagery or cheesy-looking stock imagery can have a negative impact on a user’s perception of your business. Updating your website with some fresh new photography could have a great impact on your website’s overall look and feel, making visitors want to stay for longer.

Make your website mobile responsive
27% of internet usage is via mobile devices, and with that figure set to rise, if your website is not mobile responsive then it won’t be providing the best possible user experience.

Add social buttons
Being able to share products or information on social platforms could be a key driver for your users. It also offers your business opportunity for free exposure - which could be worth hundreds of pounds.

Fix 404 errors
Don’t see 404 errors as dead ends - use them as an opportunity to redirect your user to the right page. 404lovers.com has some great examples of 404 pages done differently.

Don’t be scared to ask
Providing users with incentives such as vouchers or money is a great way of gaining detailed feedback on their experience of your website. This could be via interviews or questionnaires, or online surveys.

Test, test, test
There are various different software programmes available to help you analyse how users are navigating your website, and which elements of your pages are working or not. Straightforward, low budget options such as luckyorange.com provide a great visual introduction to testing.

If you’d like help creating a better user experience for your customers, why not talk to Wida? Call us today on 0115 921 4797, or fill in the form below to book a consultation.