We’ve all got our favorite websites and apps, and can easily call out what we like about them — the content, the design, what they help us accomplish. These are the most obvious attributes, but what about the more subtle details that keep us coming back? Much of this magic lies in UX decisions that affect how these favorite sites and apps look and function, but are so seamlessly integrated that we don’t think much about them.
These four tricks are a just a few simple ways to delight users with great UX. Think about your favorite sites. How many of these do they incorporate? Now think about your company’s site. Could it use a little more UX magic?
Think Like Your Users
Sure, as marketers, we have our own agendas, messages and products to push. But what does our audience really need to see or hear to engage, connect and buy? Doing the research to understand your audience and how they make their purchase decisions is key to creating experiences that will resonate with them and help you meet your goals.
Personalize It
Whether you’re serving up content based on a user’s location or their last session on your site, personalizing the experience to feel like it was made just for them adds wow factor. It also gives a sense that your brand really knows them, which can help to deepen their connection to you.
Keep it Simple, Consistent & Orderly
“Intuitive” is probably an overused way people like me describe digital experiences. What it means is that features and content are organized in such a way that they are easy to find and move through, behave in familiar ways and remain the same throughout the experience. Clean design with clear visual hierarchies and consistency in elements like buttons helps to create an elegant experience. If a user has to overthink how to navigate your site, you’ve probably lost them.
Incorporate Interactive Content
And speaking of short attention spans, engaging users with content like quizzes and video is an effective way to hold their interest. The more they want to interact, the better their impression of the overall experience. Once again, simplicity wins. Your interactive content doesn’t need to be elaborate — in fact, sometimes the least complex interactions are the most fun.
