The new year is right around the corner. Time to debrief! But we are not gonna look back on a year that has passed.
We make plans for the future. Have you asked yourself " How is that going to run your business and get impressive results next year?" " What major trends to follow to keep you relevant in 2020?" Well, we think we could safely say that things are going to revolve around user-centered flows.
Maximizing usability to affecting your conversion is truly consumer-oriented. There are tens of different effective techniques helping the customer to accomplish the task - to purchase. Don't you expect around 95 percent of all purchases to be? If you do, dive-right-in the article then.
We' ll show you what customers really want when they come to your site. It is gonna be illustrated by the case of the Argento template for the Magento 2 website. We consider the template as a benefit-oriented value proposition for each and every one of our clients. At least, they provide simple and action-oriented user flows in their stores.
Plus, this year we have successfully implemented an important project - a new website for the Argento theme. We just assume that this time tested theme is a nice sample of how to design effective user flow, so, path, that converts.
What's the beginning of the user journey? First impression matters
Basically, a user flow includes a series of steps that need to be completed in order for a goal. In our case, we talk about the purchase. We talk about the intuitive process that leads a customer. It includes a user-friendly search and navigation, the easy add to cart process, smooth checkout. But not only that. We can also mention here the page layout.
Argento layout stretches to the current user's window size which simplifies the user's visual attention from the very first glimpse. All elements are well arranged and structured with the Argento grid system that makes it easier for users to navigate the page.
Well, the user journey starts at the homepage as usual - where the first impression is made. Let’s see how your store with Argento feels the user behavior:
All the key information is visible above the fold. The easily recognizable search field icon, customer support service information, free shipping notification, navigation menu bar close to the page top. Your visitors have a good opportunity to avoid scrolling to start shopping or getting to know what your store is about.
All elements are of proper size and location for any screen resolution. Customers can also see the captions immediately next to the icons or photos. It impacts the overall aesthetic appearance as well as readability.
The convenience of forms for user interaction. There is enough space for typing. Besides, you can see the changed color on hover, which definitely helps users focus on action.
Argento’s homepage uses a bunch of widgets, that could be widely customized to match various designs. Such flexible customization builds the website as an inviting and friendly place where you may communicate clearly and simply with your customers.
What can be done to ensure a successful mix of store design and intuitive user behavior?
Focusing on the user's path needs, we understand the importance of design flow. With Argento, you invest in user-centered UX design trends and eCommerce UX.
It's the kind of thing where you get not only widely customizable forms, headlines, product descriptions blocks, color schemes, but also the outstanding guide to theming in Magento 2 and CSS tools included in the Argento theme editor.
From the very beginning, you benefit with a ready-to-use plan for visual presentations, so your next step is to choose from 7 designs available for Magento 2 version.
Every single website design available with the Argento template comes with a neat color palette and easily readable typography. Every theme crafts a universal visual language that enhances how visitors engage with your products.
At the same time, however, our premium Magento 2 theme enables you to play with different sizes and styles of typography as well as get the updated color scheme for instance for a homepage.
We have to remember that user flow is also about creating emotions caused by design elements. When interacting with the website, user actions can be attracted by icons, buttons, labels, controls. It's up to you to make them the customers want to press it.
Argento theme ensures improved user behavior when acting with CTAs. All they are catching the attention and inspire users to activate.
To come to the point, let's make a loud notice. We do show you….
Argento theme design highlights associated with trends for 2020.
Muted but saturated colors
Such a powerful design technique as a color really matters if you want to increase the website recognition. The color is good at evoking shopping moods, that is why it is still the biggest web design trend. Argento designs use the color in balance. You can choose the most suitable color palette that brings a unique client experience.
Oversized type and elements
Argento theme suggests using them to create a contrast and help your brand stand out. The fonts’ size plays a role in making customers definitely remember what was written in bold. Huge headlines and bigger text on CTA buttons along with nice-looking fonts build up the easy user flow that helps shoppers take action. Enjoy discovering one of the most brand-new Argento designs that deliver universally readable and visible fonts.
Organizing and labeling content in an effective way
Another web design trend is aimed to make the content presentation easier for better interaction with the user. We talk about breaking up content with subheaders and columns. With our Magento 2 theme, you can easily organize page elements such as change the number of columns, add a sidebar, apply boxed, full-width or standard page layouts. This is you who selects what content to include in each screen spot of your webpage. You can also customize header shadow and navigation styles as well as to modify top toolbar, content, and bottom toolbar parts in footer section.
Plenty of whitespaces
All 7 Argento theme designs are a lot easier to navigate for the users because of minimalist pages. The color blocks, the different visuals just complement one another without distracting the user view of the primary store messaging. Enough of whitespace is a proven web design trend to prevent straining visitors' eyes. That will definitely lead to lasting interaction with users.
How to let users easily flow through your site with our popular Magento 2 theme?
User flows focus on the way your customers will interact with the products and services in your store. The ease of access and use of every single website task is achieved by different practices. What can be done to help them get across all possible steps without confusion?
Well, first….When trying to understand the user's path he surfs the web page, you can simply be guided by your own requirements or habits as well as consider other visitors with dissimilar behavior. Viewing and navigating experience is highly personal.
And now let us show what the Argento theme offers to help your clients perform the tasks.
Easy search
Earlier in the article, we have mentioned that the Argento theme has an easily recognizable search field. Besides, it offers so many different tricks to help users search faster.
For instance, you can show the relevant CMS pages in suggestions, enable the filtering search results by categories, show the thumbnails for suggested items in a search box. All these features simplify the user search flow from the very beginning.
The advanced search functionality is provided by the Ajax Search Autocomplete module as a part of the Argento template. The extension enables easy, quick and appropriate for the search query search experience due to the new alternative search method.
Notice that a search can be also implemented within other website interfaces. We mean you can show users another direction to start searching for products from. So it can be:
- The available catalogs, listed in appealing blocks right on the homepage.
- The product listing block transformed into the slick carousel. Eye-catching images along with the categories are compelling to keep them explore then.
- Product listing blocks, shown on any page of your store. They draw the users' attention from the first glimpse. Everyone is able to start his journey right there: move to the product page or add to cart immediately. He follows through your website to complete a task, anyhow.
All functionality mentioned above is provided by the modules coming in package with the Argento theme.
Easy navigation
Visitors may surf your store different paths. By offering UX-friendly navigation you provide a smooth and clear follow-through. And keep in mind that your customers receive follow-up information differently. So, we recommend you to help visitors get where they want to go by providing various navigation alternatives.
According to the top consumer behavior studies, we consider natural navigational and purchase habits separately for female and male clients. We have to say, from the practice of the Argento theme, there are many available options to help users to achieve a particular action.
For instance, men are mostly focused on clear navigation by product categories. They like to receive the information fast and straight that makes their shopping process more efficient.
While the women need emotion. They like visuals as catchy icons in the navigation menu or appealing product labels with discounts, etc. The contrasted different options strike the eyes.
The men often start looking for the product, based on engagement with favorite brands. Help them to keep navigating by placing Shop by brands menu, by the display of brand logo slider, custom brand/option pages or eye-catching brand blocks. That way you highlight the advantages of your website - you do provide trusted brands or manufacturers. That will definitely create a memorable first impression in seconds.
When selling to women, take into account they seek also the customer reviews along with product photos as well as website testimonials. You can show them the link to all testimonials right on the homepage or at the top navigation bar, as well as provide testimonials slider and list page. It will look like a catchy factor that drives users to accomplish a step.
Smooth user flow is also about not overwhelming users with too much information. However, meantime, you have to show all the required details in the same place, that will help clients to make a purchase decision.
For example, you may show the information which arouses users' interest, in the product questions block. Let your customers add answers and questions on the products page. The results will allow saving users time to discovering the reviews. Plus, the product question block will boost the interest in your site products and would bring clients to take action.
You can also put all the required info into the custom product tab. Argento theme includes Magento 2 product tabs extension that allows creating the custom tab with content taken from CMS static block or product attributes. It enables adding tabs on any website page. Thus you can easily organize content and therefore simplify user journey through your website.
This module provides the ability to load content with Ajax. It leads to optimizing your web page performance. The Argento is powered by ajax functionality over all of this. As you know, this technique stands for a better and faster website. Every single customer would like to accomplish any action in only a few clicks.
How to optimize user flow on mobile?
We saved this discussion for later, but mobile compatibility is very important when it comes to a super convenient shopping process for users.
Magento 2 will be more mobile-friendly in 2020. Good news that the Argento theme follows the best practices to help mobile customers easily flow through your website.
- First of all, the template supports Google Accelerated mobile pages, which definitely brings the fastest search experience. We can state for sure that most of your mobile traffic will flow to the AMP version.
- The second very important point in mobile usability is the navigation provided by the Magento 2 Navigation Pro extension as a part of the Argento. So you can easily add a “Link Bar” menu for mobile devices with top category links. It will be shown under the header. That would nice to show awesome icons for all of your categories. It is quite easy to do with the Iconic menu type.
Understanding the mobile-first design strategy, the Argento template actually provides many more ideas on how to improve user journeys on all touch devices, tablets, and phones. Among them, you can also see implementing overlays, sticky elements, tricks for the input field, etc. Learn more about by reading the fascinating post.
On a final note
Working out the details in advance — search, navigation paths, user-friendly interfaces — improve the interaction and gives visitors the minimum flow steps to enjoy your website.
Inside the post, we have shown you how our favorite Magento 2 helps create an intuitive online user flow. Starting from typography, space, layouts, and color, the Argento becomes closer to your customers. And, it is there every step of the way users move towards saying Yes to your products.
The user flow is not only a trend for 2020 but also a foundation for your business success and profits. You always have a choice which tools to use for enhanced usability in user flow practice. We offer you to try the profit-creating power of the Argento theme. It includes plenty of creative ways to increase the total percentage of steps from the meeting website step to Place Order actions.
Would you like to share with us your comments on the article? We love your feedback. Let us know what else would be relevant for your e-commerce business.
