UX Lessons From a Former Sign Designer
Fun fact: in a previous life before working in eCommerce web design full time, I owned a design studio and also a print shop. One of the things we did a lot of was wayfinding signage or signs that are used to provide direction. To me, a successful wayfinding design was always about finding a way to communicate in the simplest way possible, using the fewest number of words and without any complicated elements that needed more than about 0.3 seconds to understand. So, basically, it was the analog version of a great website! 😂
Finding your way online can be just as confusing as rolling up to a major intersection or trying to find your way into a big building you’re visiting for the first time. And in many instances, it can actually be even harder without the built world to lean on to guide the way. Below, three UX web design tips that I’ve gleaned from the world of sign design:
Assume Everyone is Lost
If everyone already knew their way around we wouldn’t have signs with street names or directories in building lobbies. We put those things there because it’s best practice to just assume that everyone is lost and provide direction accordingly. This is just standard practice in the real world but often missing online.
This is because when it comes to web design we don’t always treat our users the way we should: basically, like lost tourists. We’re familiar with our business/website content and the context so we assume it’s going to be immediately apparent to everyone else, too. Ever land on a website and wonder… “Wait? What are they trying to tell/sell me here?” You were a victim of someone else’s inability to show you the way. To prevent doing the same to your visitors, solicit feedback from people unfamiliar with your business/industry/website and see if they can accurately relay your mission. Can they identify the #1 call to action? Can they find their way to do whatever it is you’re asking them to do?
You can also help lost visitors by creating clear navigation areas and providing plenty of opportunities to get help if they need it. Keep menus simple and add hierarchy when it helps prioritize content instead of just adding unnecessary clicks. Add product tags & categories to all your products and incorporate links to them in your navigation and shop. Incorporate clear contact info or add a live chat bubble to the lower right corner so when in doubt people can just get in touch.
Understand That People Just Want To Be Reassured
I often told my clients that even in situations where they thought a sign would be too obvious that they couldn’t go wrong by putting one up. Sure, it may seem redundant or a little like overkill… but people want to feel reassured. They want to know that they are in the right place and doing the right things. They don’t want to worry or feel uncertain and confused.
Online, we need to provide even more reassurance than IRL and there are lots of subtle ways that you can build trust and boost confidence on your eCommerce website. (Check out this post for my top recommendations!) More than anything, I think it’s important to use clear language and provide clarity about what’s going to happen with each action you’re asking users to take. For example, if clicking on a button opens up a form make the button say… wait for it... Open Form. Call your blog a “blog” and your shop a “shop.” It’s not time to be cutesy and rename those things your “diary” and the “boutique.” People want to know what’s going to happen when they click on something and being opaque about the outcome does nothing but sink conversion rates.
Be Empathetic
This may encompass everything above but it’s such an important point that it’s worth standing on its own. When it comes to building a more empathetic online brand, there are several lessons we can learn from real-world wayfinding. Physical signage tends to take into account things like how far away a sign will be viewed and what external factors might affect comprehension. For example, when designing a billboard for the side of a busy freeway, we take into account the speeds drivers are moving at and try to account for how to communicate effectively to them while still allowing them to safely operate a moving vehicle.
Online shoppers and website users require similar levels of empathy; they may be viewing our sites while also keeping an eye on the kids or searching for solutions to a distracting problem. Let’s just hope they’re not also trying to drive down the freeway at 70mph though! 😨 In all seriousness, remember at minimum that people don’t read the internet, they skim it. Help visitors who are busy and probably multitasking to find what they need without having to filter through a bunch of fluff. Simple isn’t just a design aesthetic, it’s a specific design choice; one that’s made to improve user experience with the added benefit of optimizing conversion rates. Win-win!
Final Thoughts
If you’re getting feedback that your site is confusing or people aren’t clear on what you’re offering, listen to them! You would never have a brick-and-mortar store and not put up signs letting people know where to enter or how to order. It seems obvious in real life to provide direction and guidance to visitors. Treating your website with the same level of detail will make for happier customers and higher sales. Assume that everyone is new, knows nothing and that you have literal seconds to help reassure them. Adding some digital “wayfinding” signage to your eCommerce website will go a long way to help get everyone pointed in the right direction in style.
