In UX design, it’s easy to get caught up in flashy features and high-level strategy. But if you really want to keep your users happy and engaged, it's the small things that matter most. We're talking about those tiny design decisions that, when overlooked, can spiral into huge problems for both users and businesses.
These little red flags might not seem like much on their own, but they can lead to frustration, confusion, and lost revenue. In this post, I’m going to dive deep into these often-overlooked details and show how they can cost you big if you're not careful.
Imagine you’re on a website, ready to buy something, and you finally decide to hit the checkout button. But... wait. It’s nowhere to be found. Or worse, it’s tucked away under a banner or squeezed into a corner of the page.
Seems simple, right? But this kind of small mistake happens more often than you might think. And when buttons or CTAs (calls to action) aren’t where users expect them, it causes frustration. People start to click around, and before long, they give up altogether.
When buttons are easy to find and placed where users expect, it reduces the friction and increases the chances of conversions. It's all about helping the user complete their goal with as little effort as possible.
How it Costs You:
Hidden or awkwardly placed buttons can increase your bounce rates, lower conversion rates, and, ultimately, cost your business sales. Users don't have time to hunt for what they need, they'll just leave and find a more user-friendly option.
We've all been there. You're using an app or website, and suddenly, something goes wrong. An error pops up, and all it says is something vague like “Oops, something went wrong” or “Error 404.” You’re left with no idea what happened or how to fix it. This is one of the easiest ways to lose a user's trust and patience.
When things go wrong, error messages should be clear, helpful, and offer next steps. Maybe a payment didn’t go through, or a form wasn’t submitted properly. The user needs to know why it happened and what they can do about it. Simple, right?
How it Costs You:
Confusing error messages create user anxiety, increase support requests, and lower customer satisfaction. If users don’t know how to fix an issue, they’ll simply leave and likely never return.
Here’s something you might have overlooked—small text. Maybe you’ve seen it on websites or apps where you have to squint to read anything. It’s one of those details that, while it may seem minor, can completely ruin a user’s experience.
Especially for people with visual impairments, small or unreadable text can be a major barrier. But even for people with perfect vision, it's a hassle. When text is too small, people end up either skipping content or abandoning the page altogether.
How it Costs You:
Users won't engage with your content if they can't read it. And if people can’t understand your messaging, they'll bounce off the page and go somewhere they can. The result? Missed opportunities and lower engagement rates.
We’ve all been there, filling out a form that just seems to go on forever. You’ve got to input your name, address, phone number, and then 10 other details that have nothing to do with your goal. And to top it off, the layout is confusing. Sound familiar?
The longer and more complicated your forms are, the more likely users are to abandon them midway through. People want things quick and easy, and when forms are too much of a hassle, they simply won't complete them.
How it Costs You:
Overcomplicated forms lead to higher abandonment rates. If the form isn't easy to fill out or asks for unnecessary information, users get frustrated and leave, taking your conversions with them.
We live in a world of instant gratification. If a website or app takes more than a few seconds to load, users will start to get impatient and they won’t wait long. Slow loading times are one of the sneakiest UX issues because they don’t always show up in the design itself, but they affect users big time.
It could be a poorly optimized image, a heavy piece of code, or just a slow server. Whatever the cause, a slow website is a major turn-off. Studies have shown that if a page doesn’t load within three seconds, most users will click away.
How it Costs You:
Slow load times lead to high bounce rates and lost traffic. And if you’re running an e-commerce site or any kind of business, that means lost revenue. A frustrated user won’t stick around long enough to become a customer.
When it comes to web or app navigation, simplicity is key. If users can’t quickly figure out how to get from point A to point B, they're going to leave. That might mean they can’t find your product page, they can’t check out, or they’re getting lost within a maze of menus. Poor navigation is an easy way to make users feel disoriented and frustrated.
A good navigation system should feel intuitive. The structure should be clear, and users should be able to get to where they want with minimal effort. If it's too complicated, it’ll feel like a maze, and your users won’t stick around to find their way out.
How it Costs You:
Bad navigation leads to frustration and abandonment. If users can’t find what they need quickly, they’ll leave often before they’ve even explored your site fully.
Think about the last website or app you used. Your eyes probably went straight to the most important parts of the screen, right? That’s because the design is structured to guide you there. But when there’s no clear visual hierarchy, users don’t know where to focus. Everything looks important, but nothing stands out.
A good visual hierarchy uses size, color, and placement to guide the user’s eyes to the most crucial elements. When it’s done right, it feels natural. When it’s done wrong, users get lost and confused.
How it Costs You:
Without a clear visual hierarchy, users might miss critical actions or important information. This leads to poor user engagement and reduced conversions.
When it comes to UX design, it’s easy to overlook the small stuff. After all, how big of a deal can it be if a button is a little off-center or an error message is vague, right?
Well, turns out, these little details add up. They create friction, confusion, and frustration that ultimately cost you users and money.
So the next time you’re designing a product, take a step back and examine the small stuff. Think about how your design decisions will impact the user, not just in the big-picture sense but in the tiny, everyday moments too. Because sometimes, it’s the little things that have the biggest impact.
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