Avoid Bad Graphic Design and Common UX Mistakes with Our UX Audit Template
Creating a compelling user experience (UX) isn’t about leveraging cutting-edge design; it often comes down to avoiding common pitfalls that detract from the user’s journey on your website.
Our extensive UX audits have uncovered a series of recurring (common) issues that can significantly impact user engagement and conversions.
This article delves into common UX mistakes and provides insights on how to address them.
1. Lack of social proof and confidence-building mechanisms
How bad graphic design can affect a user’s confidence in you.
a) Missing user reviews
A frequent oversight in digital platforms is the absence of user reviews.
Reviews are a potent form of social proof that can significantly bolster user confidence by demonstrating the positive experiences of others.
Neglecting to include these reviews may result in lost opportunities for building trust and credibility, both of which are foundational elements for improving conversions.
2. Confusing navigation and inaccessible features
An example of bad UX regarding ease of navigation.
a) Unclear navigation design
- Relying exclusively on minimalist navigation icons, such as the hamburger menu, without providing clear and intuitive primary navigation can perplex and frustrate users.
- Transparent navigation is fundamental to a positive UX, allowing users to navigate your site with ease.
b) Inaccessible search functionality
Making users perform additional actions to access search functions can severely degrade their experience. A prominently accessible search box encourages user interaction and simplifies site navigation.
3. Ambiguous messaging and unclear communication
Good graphic design communicates value in a clear and concise manner.
Undefined value proposition is when you don’t properly define the value behind a product or service. Doing so means you leave users uncertain about its benefits.
Communicate the value of your products or services clearly to help guide users towards making informed decisions.
4. Disjointed design and lack of visual consistency
a) Overcomplicated design elements
A bad design example is when you use wide array of design elements, such as various font styles and colours, without a cohesive strategy. You can easily overwhelm users and detract from their experience. Inconsistent image quality can also disrupt the user experience, creating an unprofessional appearance.
Be consistent with visual elements – they are key to a polished user interface.
5. Poor usability and performance issues
a) Slow website load times
A slow-loading website is one of the most significant deterrents for users, often leading to high bounce rates.
Enhancing site speed is a critical aspect of UX, affecting user satisfaction and engagement levels.
Ideally, every page on your site should load in under 3 seconds.
b) Absence of effective CTAs
Neglecting to include clear, action-driving call-to-action (CTA) buttons can drastically affect conversion rates. CTAs are crucial in guiding users toward desired outcomes, whether making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or another action.
Bad UX example featuring an ineffective Call-to-Action
c) Low price visibility
Incorrectly positioning product pricing information can hinder decision-making for users. Place the price near the “Add to Basket” button to streamline the user’s decision-making process and take advantage of the impulsivity surge they might have.
Example of poor graphic design with pricing in the wrong place (Left) and in the right place (Right)
Enhance your UX with our audit template
Our UX Audit Template is a crucial tool for uncovering and addressing the UX mistakes we highlighted above. It helps evaluate key areas such as:
- user feedback
- navigation
- content
- performance
- visual design
a) Key features of our UX audit template:
- Comprehensive coverage – Examines critical aspects of UX to ensure a holistic audit.
- Actionable insights – Provides clear, actionable recommendations for improving each identified issue.
- User feedback integration – Prioritises real user feedback to align improvements with user needs.
Our UX Audit Template has led to transformative results for many users, from increased engagement to higher conversion rates:
“The audit template didn’t just highlight our site’s UX issues—it provided a clear path to enhancement, leading to an uptick in both user satisfaction and conversions.“
Download our UX Audit Template today to refine your digital platforms
Along with the template, we provide comprehensive support to help you effectively implement the recommended improvements and achieve your UX objectives.
Use our UX Audit Template to identify and correct common UX mistakes, dramatically improving the user experience on your site. Enhance your site’s UX today with the insights and tools from this post – get increased engagement, greater satisfaction, and ultimately: higher conversion rates.
Takeaways
- Poor navigation, ineffective CTAs, and slow site speed reduce user satisfaction.
- Identifying and fixing UX issues can enhance usability and increase conversions.
- Our UX Audit Template helps systematically identify and address UX problems.
- Ongoing UX improvement is crucial in the competitive digital landscape.
- Regular use of the UX Audit Template maintains site effectiveness and user engagement.