What makes users stick to their favorite website, instead of replacing it with another one in a short span of time? Silky-smooth experience is the answer! We'll share practical methods and explain what Usability Testing exactly is to help you boost conversions.
Key takeaways 👌
Timely usability testing can boost conversion by a whopping 75% just after 6 months of implementing changes
A well-designed UX is a great way to cut your spending on support by up to 90%
Moving some interface elements around based on usability tests can pretty much half key action time by 50%
Introduction
Remember that time when you struggled with purchasing something nice off the internet due to a terrible UI? The cart button is god knows where, checkout feels like doing taxes, and clicking BUY for some reason transfers you to the owner's private blog page? Yeah, we’ve all been there. Meaning in this situation, not some particular blog page. That’s why usability testing is actually a thing - it transforms some truly confusing websites into a cozy and intuitive experience. Let’s throw in some metaphors to make things more understandable.
Interesting fact 👀
It takes users around 10 seconds to decide whether they like what they’re seeing and decide to stay or keep scrolling down the Google Search rabbit hole in search of a better option.
What is usability testing?
So imagine you're launching a nice and cozy cafe, and you want to do a bit of testing before the grand opening. You'd probably invite good buddies of yours to try the food, the coffee, and give honest feedback about the interior, right? Website testing works the same way - you invite real people over and watch them interact with your website, noting where they get stuck or lost, collecting all the info regarding what works and what needs fixing along the way.
A great UI is very similar to a very good waiter - hiding in plain sight, yet always exactly where you need them offering exactly what you've been looking for
Strong usability testing becomes especially valuable when a website grows into a real service platform. Insights from user behavior help shape clearer flows, fix friction points, and improve product logic. This is why structured online service development always begins with understanding how users actually interact with the interface.
Testing methods
When talking about improving UX, there are a couple of tried-and-true methods to keep in mind:
- Live tests with real users - similar to the cafe tasting (also known as cupping, by the way) - you closely watch how people interact with your website and gather much-needed feedback.
- A/B Testing - you design two different versions of the menu and show them to your guests, asking which one is to their liking.
- Heatmap Analysis - what types of Cinnabon disappear the fastest at a buffet? Which drinks get picked more often? Heatmaps show where visitors look, click, and especially misclick the most.
- Expert Evaluation - just like an expert coffee brewer and the owner of the most profitable coffee shop in the area critiques your questionable cup design choices, UX experts analyze your website to spot underlying issues and adjust whatever's missing.
Usability insights become even more powerful when paired with a professional interface evaluation. A detailed UX/UI audit helps uncover deep structural issues—navigation bottlenecks, visual hierarchy problems, and inconsistencies that simple testing sessions may miss.
How to implement testing
Putting coffee metaphors aside, the toughest part of usability testing is often just getting started. However, it’s not as daunting as it seems. You just need to round up five to seven friends (clients can work as well), provide them with a list of tasks to complete on your website, and watch what happens. While this method is quite simple, it can reveal around 80% of usability problems!
And once core usability problems are identified, the next step is ensuring consistent experience across all user devices. Modern businesses often reinforce their web UX with cross-platform app solutions, allowing users to seamlessly interact with the product whether they're on mobile, tablet, or desktop.
Don't make users think about how to use your product. They came to solve their problem, not solve the riddles of your interface.
— Steve Krug, usability expert
Want to make your website even more convenient and faster? Check out our article How to improve JavaScript performance: Tips and best practices
Recommended reading 🤓
"100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People", Susan Weinschenk
A scientific look at how people interact with interfaces and why they make certain decisions when using websites.
На Amazon
"Rocket Surgery Made Easy", Steve Krug
A practical guide to conducting usability testing, written in simple and clear language.
На Amazon
"The Design of Everyday Things", Don Norman
A classic book about intuitive interface design principles that will forever change your view on design.
На AmazonConclusion
Seeing conversion numbers going up is certainly a nice, warm feeling. However, we do ask you not to lose yourself in this endless optimization process - there are real people out there, with very real feelings, aspirations, and frustrations (especially these). So talk with them and ask them what they think about your website design choices - this one small conversation can save tons of analytics and other hassle.
And yes, design is important, but only when it’s practical. A UX-friendly website is all about genuinely caring about your users above everything else. Follow this simple thought process and your conversion will skyrocket in no time!
Artyom Dovgopol
Usability testing isn't just about checking ease of use. It's a way to hear your users and create a product they'll love. At Toimi, we start every project with exactly that 😉