First use experience

What is first use experience you ask? It is the experience a user has the very first time they arrive on your website. It starts with the users initial introduction to the service you are providing through your site and should finish with them using that service, ie, buying a product, subscribing for news etc. Unfortunately it is difficult to get 100% conversion on a first use but ensuring you do the following will help. 

Be clear

Ensure you are very clear about what the service is you are providing and the reasons why someone should use that service. This information should be provided in clear concise language and should cover who needs it, key benefits and any points of differentiation from similar services or products. Think about using images and small chunks of text as descriptive tools. If a person can’t identify what you have on offer after looking at your home page for approximately 5 seconds you’re doing something wrong.

Don’t lose them

Once you have sold them your site you need to ensure that don’t get lost within it. Incorporate functionality for the different types of users – those who know what they want and those who want to be shown. The former rely on a well laid out navigation and search functions while the latter will be looking for step by step guidance (including video), well designed browsing functionality etc.

Make it easy

Ok so they have found their way through your website to the thing they’re after. Congratulations you’ve almost done it! Number one rule at this point is make it easy for them. If are selling them a product ensure the functionality to choose a colour, select a quantity is simple. Any signup or payment processes should be streamlined to include the minimum amount of fields and steps. Ensure you are clear throughout what is coming up and summarise what has been completed. Remember that the first use experience isn’t finished until they receive a confirmation email in their inbox.