Do you have an interesting offer, a polished website, you care about content quality and SEO , and you're active on social media, yet you're still not satisfied with your conversion rates? Perhaps the problem lies with your website's usability. A UX (User Experience) audit can help you identify and fix errors that may be discouraging your customers from taking advantage of your offer.
Interested? Learn more! Also, discover the most common UX mistakes on websites – you might find a way to improve your website here. A usability audit will make your website visitors more likely to perform the actions you want!
What is UX?
UX (User Experience) is a concept based on the concept of usability, primarily used to evaluate websites and applications. Useful websites are those where you can easily find the information, products, or services you need and quickly convert them, such as making a purchase. The concept of usability also involves intuitiveness – the website should be easy to use and unambiguous.
The term "user experience" is used to describe users' experiences and impressions when using a website. It boils down to assessing the user's ease of interaction with the website and its accessibility. UX is comprised of many factors , from design and aesthetics, through navigation, to the quality of information.
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This topic has recently received increasing attention, primarily due to its impact on the effectiveness of websites and applications. Attention to UX (User Experience) typically translates into higher conversions because it ensures the website meets visitors' expectations.
In addition to user experience, it's worth noting the concept of user interface. This refers to all the elements that enable interaction with a website (e.g., page layout, graphic design, typography, colors).
UX and UI are sometimes treated as synonymous concepts, but more often they simply coexist, playing a significant role in how users perceive a website. A website usability audit/user experience audit should encompass both elements.
A website UX audit will allow you to identify areas for improvement, analyze the website's usability, and ultimately provide you with guidelines to operate more effectively.
UX audit – what is it?
Even if you think your website is user-friendly, sensible, and intuitive, it may not appear that way to random internet users who stumble upon it. So how can you assess user experience? The best way is a UX audit conducted by an experienced user experience specialist.
A user experience audit involves examining websites or applications to ensure they meet the expectations and needs of their visitors. Such a website audit requires knowledge of, among other things, user habits, trends, and communication clarity. A UX audit is a rather complex procedure, but it can yield numerous benefits:
- allows you to learn about the strengths and weaknesses of a given website,
- indicates errors made and their potential impact on conversion,
- also indicates opportunities and threats for the future,
- suggests what actions should be taken to develop and improve the effectiveness of the website.
The tests carried out during the audit should include, among others:
- website structure and navigation between individual tabs,
- page views, especially in terms of readability,
- clarity and unambiguity of the information provided,
- website usability – the ability to obtain necessary information, place an order, contact the company, etc.
They are carried out in various ways, but they always require expert knowledge and experience.
UX expert audit – what does it look like?
A UX audit is conducted using various methods. Combining several of them yields the most reliable results. The first step should be an expert analysis , i.e., in-depth website research conducted by UX experts equipped with the appropriate knowledge and experience. Several established UX methodologies are used in this case. Which ones?
Heuristic evaluation
It involves checking websites for heuristics, or specific rules and guidelines. The most commonly used are the so-called Nielsen Heuristics, described in 10 points. They provide very general guidelines for the functionality of a given website or application:
- Show system status.
- Maintain consistency between the system and reality.
- Give the user full control.
- Stick to standards and maintain consistency.
- Prevent mistakes.
- Allow you to choose instead of forcing you to remember.
- Ensure flexibility and efficiency.
- Take care of aesthetics and moderation.
- Ensure effective error handling.
- Provide support and documentation.
However, you can also use Schneiderman's 8 golden rules of expertise, Connell's 30 principles of usability, or Gerhardt-Powals's 9 cognitive rules. All of these guidelines convey similar content, but are formulated slightly differently. Which principles are applied during the audit is not particularly important.
Cognitive walkthrough
This method, also known as a cognitive walkthrough, involves testing scenarios of a user's potential journey through the website. In this case, the expert assumes the role of a first-time visitor. Adopting various scenarios allows for the examination of each path through the website, identifying many problem areas or obvious UX or UI errors.
Usability checklist
This method involves checking a website against specific points from a checklist. The checklist is usually quite detailed and establishes guidelines for the website's design. It is also objective, which is certainly a plus, but it is also rarely tailored to a specific website, which can prevent it from detecting certain errors. The checklist procedure is relatively simple, but often time-consuming.
User testing can also be part of a UX audit . These procedures allow us to see how "regular" internet users navigate the website. The test can be moderated (conducted by a specialist) or unmoderated (where the user navigates freely). After the test, the participant is asked to complete a survey and provide feedback regarding the website.
This type of test can be combined with analysis of eye movement, clicks, scrolling, and other data, which is used to create heat maps. This allows us to identify not only the biggest obstacles faced by website visitors but also their most important points of interest.
What is worth checking first?UX Audit Results
The result of a UX audit is typically a comprehensive report that should precisely identify errors, areas for improvement, and recommendations . Typically, errors are divided into three categories:
- critical errors – have a significant impact on the functioning of the website and require immediate repair,
- mean errors – important, but to be repaired later,
- basic errors – minor details noticed during research, which, however, do not have a significant impact on the functioning of the website.
It's also common to categorize errors by type (e.g., communication, visual, logical, etc.). This allows them to be immediately assigned to the appropriate teams and implement necessary changes more quickly.
It's also worth remembering that the audit report should include both quantitative data (e.g., statistics) and qualitative data, obtained, for example, through user research. The more information included in the website analysis results, the more complete and objective a picture can be obtained. Consequently, any improvements made have a greater chance of having a real impact on conversion rates and user satisfaction.
What happens after a UX audit?
After the UX audit , it's time to implement its results and conduct further usability testing to determine the effectiveness of the changes . It's worth preparing UX mockups showcasing the elements requiring improvement, followed by A/B testing.
A/B test implementation after UX auditThis procedure involves presenting two groups of users with different versions of a website—ideally, they should differ by only a single element. Participants' behavior is then observed to determine which version achieves higher conversions.
Once you have completed the modifications to your website, you can perform a re-audit to check its effectiveness.
The most common UX mistakes – what should you pay attention to?
Every website is different, but there are some mistakes that are made all too often . If you're looking to conduct a basic, do-it-yourself analysis of your website, be sure to check out our list and see what to avoid!
Interface not adapted to user needs
A website should, above all, be clear and easy to navigate. Difficulties in this regard, especially those encountered at the outset, can effectively discourage users from staying on the site. This really matters! To make a website user-friendly, you must first and foremost know what you want to achieve by publishing it. It's worth asking yourself questions about what the page is about and how the user should navigate it, keeping in mind that conversion shouldn't take too many steps.
Some websites even create obstacles for their users, making it difficult to find basic product information or pricing, and then dragging out the conversion process indefinitely (e.g., requiring users to click through several subpages before reaching the registration or purchase tab). It's also worth remembering that the interface should allow for future expansion of the website, for example, with additional categories, products, services, or language versions.
The triumph of form over substance
A related mistake is style over substance. This is primarily the result of an overly ambitious design approach or a desire to showcase one's skills as a developer. The result can be a website that looks great at first glance, but falls flat upon further exploration.
Overly complex structure, lack of readability, animations, and other visual "tricks" actually only distract from the page's core message . Simple really is sometimes best—especially when it comes to usability.
Failure to adapt to reading patterns
The human eye typically "scans" a presented image according to one of several so-called reading patterns. The three most common are the Gutenberg diagram, the Z pattern, and the F pattern. These describe how the human eye travels.
Knowing these principles allows you to place important elements (e.g., buttons leading to registration, purchase, etc.) in places where the user's eye will almost certainly fall. However, many designers completely ignore them and opt for solutions that may look good on the surface, but certainly don't deliver the desired conversion rate.
Lack of responsiveness
According to the Digital 2020 global report, more than half of all website visits occur via smartphone. Meanwhile, some websites are still not adapted to users with screens no larger than a few inches! If your website is unreadable on a phone, it's no wonder you're experiencing poor conversion rates. Importantly, it's not just the presence of a mobile version that "sort of works," but above all, its quality that matters.
Content and features from the desktop version copied into a smaller version won't work. It's worth carefully considering the arrangement of individual elements, and if necessary, eliminating less important ones to achieve a clearer and more user-friendly design.
Ignoring the fold line
This point is somewhat related to the previous one. The fold line is a line that delineates the area of the website that is visible without scrolling down. Above all, it should be inviting. Some people, unwilling to risk users leaving the page before reading the most important information, place the bulk of their content here. However, this is a big mistake, and a UX audit can be the first to reveal it.
It's also worth remembering that the fold line is located in a completely different place on a computer, tablet, or smartphone screen. Therefore, the amount of information above it and its graphical representation should be adjusted separately for each screen size. Remember – less is often more.
Content overload
Content is king – at least that's what marketing experts' insightful analyses suggest. However, this doesn't mean you should bombard website users with information, and a UX audit should also address this.
Long, detailed product descriptions or instructions for your services can be a selling point, but they also need to be presented properly. Otherwise, no one will read them, and many people will leave the site, never to return.
Instead of huge blocks of text, use short paragraphs and bullet points. Highlight key elements with appropriate graphics or pictograms. Add CTA (call-to-action) buttons.
If your page has too much content, why not break it down into several sections about specific services, products, or aspects of your offering? This can also be beneficial from an SEO perspective if you use the right keywords.
Complicated forms
Forms are a real minefield, especially for inexperienced website developers. If you expect website users to fill out a form (e.g., registration, quote, contact), make it as simple as possible! A UX audit often prioritizes forms because this stage is so critical for website users.
The rule in this case is quite clear: the more fields, the less likely they will be filled in. Labels, additional comments, and buttons must convey a clear message . If a date is required, specify the format it should be entered in. For weights, measures, etc., be sure to specify the unit used.
After creating a form, carefully review it and remove all unnecessary fields. Where possible, use checkboxes and radio buttons. Accurately labeling errors is also essential. If, after completing and submitting all the fields, the user receives feedback stating an error (without specifying which field or what), they will likely not only abandon further action but also become irritated.
Incorrect arrangement of important elements
The most important elements of a website should be placed in prominent locations, so users don't have to guess "what's next" or search for the right button (e.g., to add a product to the cart). There's probably nothing more discouraging than a page that piques interest but then hinders conversion. A UX audit highlights these customer journeys and identifies the correct flow and navigation throughout the website.
It's worth remembering that there are certain unwritten rules on the internet – all approval buttons ("OK," "Next," "I agree") should be on the left, while those with negative actions (like "Cancel," "Remove," etc.) should be on the right . It's also common practice to place the button allowing you to add a product to your cart near the price. Making life difficult for users really isn't worth it – even if you think it makes your website unique.
User experience audit – who handles it at Verseo?
To be carried out correctly, a website user experience audit requires acquiring a large amount of theoretical knowledge about how we operate in the areas of websites – e.g., Nielsen heuristics, as well as extensive experience in using measurement tools such as Hotjar or Smartlook, as well as advanced skills related to correct data analysis, e.g., in Google Analytics.
The combination of theory and practice provides us with someone who can conduct a website UX audit reliably, based on real, not wishful thinking. Experience is equally important to creating a detailed report after the audit, one that is both accessible and rich in data to support hypotheses. At Verseo, website usability audits are conducted by the following individuals:
Anna Tratnerska has been involved in marketing, data analysis, and UX for over 15 years. She is a lecturer at Collegium Da Vinci in Poznań and Head of Business Development at Verseo.
Adam Kluska has been involved in user interface analysis and graphic design for over 7 years. He considers usability audits to be the best way to achieve quick wins, meaning quickly acquiring more customers by eliminating barriers on a website.
If you're looking to increase your conversion rate and entrust your website UX audit to experienced specialists, you've come to the right place! A quick case study to confirm:
Take care of UX and success will follow
Creating effective websites isn't as simple as it may seem. Awareness of this issue is growing, and the website UX audit is becoming an increasingly widely used tool in marketers' work.
Success is a combination of many factors that must work together perfectly. However, focusing on user experience will definitely pay off. A functional website means higher conversions and a better brand image – meaning both short- and long-term benefits. Interested in conducting a UX audit? Have questions? Schedule a free consultation now!
Frequently asked questions about UX audits
A UX (User Experience) audit is a detailed, expert analysis of a website or application in terms of its usability. The aim of the audit is to identify errors and bottlenecks that make it difficult for users to navigate the site, find necessary information, or complete a purchase.
The need for an audit is primarily determined by hard analytical data. Warning signs include a high bounce rate, a short time spent by users on the site, a high percentage of abandoned carts (in the case of e-commerce), and a low conversion rate despite driving valuable traffic from advertising.
Eliminating UX flaws directly translates into business results. A website that is user-friendly and intuitive builds trust faster, retains users longer, and more effectively guides them to their goal (e.g., making a purchase or submitting an inquiry). Improving UX is often the fastest way to increase conversions without having to increase advertising budgets.
Yes. Google is increasingly focusing on how users interact with websites (behavioral factors). Sites that are useful, fast, and secure are rewarded in search results. The introduction of Core Web Vitals has made technical aspects of UX an official ranking factor in the search engine's algorithms.
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- UX is about designing positive experiences and intuitive user interactions with a website, which directly increases its effectiveness and conversions.
- A UX audit is a professional analysis of a website in terms of user needs, which allows you to identify errors and indicate specific corrective steps to increase the effectiveness of the website.
- An expert UX audit is a multi-stage research process combining specialized analyses with user testing, culminating in a report with specific implementation recommendations.
- The most common UX mistakes include lack of responsiveness, content overload, convoluted forms, and a non-functional interface, which all combine to make navigation difficult and reduce conversion rates.
- Investing in a professional UX audit and optimization actually increases conversions and builds a positive brand image, bringing long-term business benefits to the company.
