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The Link Between User Experience and Consumer Trust: What You Should Know

The impact of good or poor UX design goes far beyond the numbers, it’s also about what leads a consumer to trust. When people trust a company and their product then the conversions naturally follow.

In reality, user experience is all about trust. And much like in any relationship, trust is earned, strengthened, or broken down with every interaction. 

When it comes to brand growth, invest in meeting consumers’ expectations and growing their trust, which can happen through UX.

Four coworkers in a meeting looking at a whiteboard full of ideas on post-its

How Poor UX Impacts User Behavior

User experiences are the lifeblood of any successful digital product. Whether that be a website, mobile application, or software program, the UX design of a product can directly impact the behavior and decisions of individuals that interact with it. If this reality isn’t kept at the forefront of development, the consequences can be severe for businesses.

Below we address four of the most common ways that poor UX design and execution can negatively impact user behavior:

High Bounce Rates

A high bounce rate on a website or application can be viewed like walking out of a movie at a theater before it’s finished. It’s embarrassing and can be a negative sign to anyone who hasn’t seen the film that their money might be better spent elsewhere. 

When a website receives a high bounce rate, referring to the percentage of website visitors who leave a site after viewing only one navigation point, it gives signs to search engine crawlers and site authority platforms that the website isn’t providing a quality user experience. This usually leads to lower search rankings and lower organic site traffic.

Decreased Engagement

User engagement can be measured in various ways, including navigating menus, clicking through links, filling out contact forms, or even downloading digital materials. 

Poor UX design makes it difficult or impossible to complete these activities, which can be a significant deterrence when supporting customer actions at any point  of the sales funnel. Engagement levels have also become essential to how Google now ranks websites in their SERPS (Search Engine Results Pages) and has updated their ranking algorithms to include this metric.

Negative Word-of-Mouth

One crucial metric directly associated  with user experience is the impact that it can have on word-of-mouth marketing. 

It doesn’t matter when you’re searching for a car or trying to find the best new restaurant in town, word-of-mouth remains one of the most relied upon sources for decision making. As the saying goes, “people buy from people,” and the overall success of any application or web service is weighed heavily on the testimonials of individuals who have used them. 

UX significantly influences those reviews, either positively or negatively, and one bad experience usually outweighs ten great ones.

Lost Sales and Revenue

Of course, the most obvious consequence of poor UX design is that it leads to lost sales and revenue opportunities. Very few products or services online today are the only option for what a consumer is looking for. This makes unique user experiences an invaluable tool for differentiating brands from the rest. 

Poor site navigation, lack of accessibility, inadequate mobile designs, and slow loading times are some examples of poor UX designs that can turn someone off quickly from converting into new business.

A UX Discovery from Creed can help you and your digital product come back from bad UX and rebuild your credibility to not only your users but search engines to increase new visitors to your site.

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Understanding the Relationship Between Good UX Design and Consumer Trust

Modern-day consumers are much more aware and careful about the brands they choose to deal with. 

With economic uncertainty ahead and the prevalence of digital threats, trust in the companies you are dealing with, the level of service they offer, and the security of your personal and financial data are not only essential but required. Having the right UX design approach can help foster that trust and build strong relationships with customers well beyond competitive pricing or product availability.

Below are some of the ways that good UX design helps to impact consumer trust for the better:

Building a Positive Brand Image

Most people have visited a website or downloaded an application that feels “sketchy.” Usually, these sites or apps are poorly designed and lack the functionality users have come to expect. Broken links, outdated pages, or slow loading times may make many people feel uneasy when sharing their personal information or completing an order that requires credit card details. 

A well-designed and fully functioning website instills trust and reliability in the minds of modern consumers. When a brand associates itself with a positive and trustworthy design, it can help to build an overall positive brand image – one that holds high standards for customer service and security.

Side by side images of WCRA's homepage before Creed's redesign, and afters

Enhancing Credibility and Authenticity

A good UX strategy helps businesses execute their desired message clearly and effectively. It also allows them to show consistency and authenticity across all platforms, from mobile apps to website design. 

When a user experience is uninterrupted by frustrating pop-ups or ineffective redirects, it enhances the credibility of a website or application. It ensures customers can easily find what they need without feeling overwhelmed or confused. A seamless brand experience every time a user interacts with a digital product ultimately leads to longer customer relationships and a credible web presence.

Examples of Creed's own merchandise and branding, including hats, letterheads, and mugs, with the text
Improving Customer Loyalty

The secret to winning over brand-loyal customers is creating a top-notch user experience. By offering customers seamless and enjoyable interactions, you’re almost guaranteeing they revisit in the future. 

More than that, though, customers with an outstanding user experience when searching for new services or solutions are more likely to become brand advocates and share their positive experiences with others. Not only does this drive loyalty to the brand, but it also instills a sense of community and belonging in your customers.

It’s one of the reasons Creed clients continue to choose us over and over again. We have multiple clients who have been with us 5-10 years or even since the beginning of our agency. We’re loyal to you, and your customers can come to expect the same from your products.

Driving More Conversions

Creating a UX design that is easy to navigate and visually appealing can help your business  drive more conversions. A well-designed UX can provide a much more efficient buying or conversion process, making it easier for customers to get from point A to B without any friction or confusion. 

By giving customers a personalized experience with AI-driven recommendations, reward programs and other value-added services all connected in one place, you can have a more efficient purchasing process for customers and unlock new opportunities for your business.

Two women working on laptops at a table together

Sales Conversion Objectives and How UX Can Support Them

Creating an effective sales cycle depends on creating clear conversion objectives, and then incorporating a UX design that supports those objectives. When it comes to sales, this usually involves creating:

  • User-friendly designs
  • Clear CTAs
  • Improving mobile experience
  • Accessibility
  • And incorporating social proofing and other trust-building elements

Creating a User-Friendly Website

Creating a seamless digital experience for your customers is crucial for the success of your business’s online presence. By crafting a user-friendly website, visitors can effortlessly find what they’re searching for, building not only trust but a sense of ease and reliability in your brand. Crafting a positive first impression with simplistic and clear navigation increases the chances of customer conversion, ensuring that new sales can quickly transition to recurring sales.

Developing Effective CTAs

Are your customers having trouble deciding what to do next when they land on your website? Utilizing a clear, easy-to-find call-to-action (CTA) is the perfect way to guide them through the sales funnel. 

Not only should it be visible and instill urgency in visitors, but UX design also plays an important part in crafting successful CTAs that jumpstart conversions. Clear, concise CTAs should be placed on key pages, and visual elements like buttons, images, and hyperlinks can all be used to emphasize the importance of taking action.

Improving Mobile Experience and Accessibility

Ensuring your website or applications are mobile-friendly is a vital component of a great UX design. With more people using their mobile devices to browse and experience products online, businesses need to prioritize making sure the user experience is optimized for the most common screens, devices, and operating systems. 

Businesses should also be aware of accessibility and the importance of making sure their websites can be used by most users, regardless of any disabilities or impairments. Depending on the branch of industry many companies/digital products are legally obligated to make things accessible. By prioritizing mobility and accessibility when designing your user experience, you guarantee a smooth, enjoyable journey for all customers.

Using Social Proof

Integrating social proof can significantly enhance your ability to turn qualified prospects into loyal customers.

Sharing customer reviews, endorsements, and ratings allows your target audience to observe the quality of your offerings from neutral sources and fosters genuine trust in your brand. Social proof not only magnifies your business’s positive reputation but also instills a sense of confidence in potential customers, compelling them to convert

A couple people working on a card sorting testing

“Kudos for spending a bunch of time in the last few weeks interviewing… sales reps for the reorder app our team put together, and then presenting the findings back to them today. It amazes me how [you] can gather all that feedback and organize it in a way that is easy to understand for the client to prioritize enhancements!”

Build a UX Design Your Customers Can Trust

There is no denying that there is a strong correlation between the effectiveness of your UX design to the trustworthiness of your brand in the eyes of customers. 

An intuitive, well-designed UX can be a powerful instrument to drive conversions and create an effective cycle that will compel customers to revisit and become part of a loyal following. 

By incorporating user-friendly designs, effective CTAs, improved mobility and accessibility, and social proof into your UX design, you can help your business create a reliable and trustworthy environment for customers, ultimately helping to increase sales and drive revenue.

Interested in talking about how we can improve your UX/CX? Let’s Chat!