Whether you’re developing the interface of a website, app, or similar digital platform, understanding the concept behind user experience, or UX, will increase your trustworthiness, and with it, your chances of success.

Modern users are bombarded with immeasurable amounts of stimulus while browsing the web, but it’s important to note that customers are not attracted to all types of content – just the ones they trust. But, what is the definition of UX and how does it impact trustworthiness and, ultimately, your success rate?

What is UX?

UX is a term used to describe how users interact with your content, website, product, service, and company as a whole. Depending on the context, UX can be used to assess the usability, design, accessibility, performance, emotional reaction, and other characteristics of your product or content.

The goal of actively studying and understanding UX is to create a better experience for your audience, which in turn, means higher engagement and better profitability. In some industries, companies can lose as much as 35% of their business to bad UX. There are a few characteristics of UX that are unique – for example, even though it attempts to measure and improve something that is very subjective like human behavior, it’s driven by data like behaviour patterns and user feedback. So, it doesn’t only have to do with visual aesthetics, but whether or not the overall structure and logic align with what users want and need. At the same time, your platform should also perform well, even if users are connected through an encrypted network. This article on VPN use, how encryption works and what it entails is a really good read.

How Does UX Impact Trust?

Now that we’ve defined UX, it’s time to answer the big question – how does user experience impact trust? And, is it possible to instill trust through design? The short answer to this question is yes, it’s possible to create design that goes beyond visual aesthetics and inherently injects users with trust. In short, whenever a user interacts with your content, product, and brand as a whole, this individual will also evaluate your company based on how seamless and easy the experience is. If your content is easy to digest and everything about your interaction goes smoothly, your audience will hold you in higher regard and trust you.

However, the opposite is also true – if your platform or content is not of the highest quality, it will have a negative impact on the way your audience perceives you.

The Link Between Trust and User Interactions

Every time your audience interacts with your brand, there’s an opportunity to earn their trust. And, this isn’t limited to chats and other direct forms of communication – every time a user fills out a form on your site, likes a social media post, or opens one of your emails, these micro-interactions influence how much they trust or distrust your brand. When your audience receives fast customer support that actually answers their queries, your brand appears as responsive and reliable. Delivering this type of positive interaction on a regular basis helps build trust gradually, which means that your audience will start taking what you communicate via social media and over channels as a fact.

Getting to this point is a big deal – but remember that you have to continue delivering excellent UX during every interaction to maintain this status.

How to Earn Trust Through UX Design

So, we’ve discussed elements that help transmit trust, but how can you implement these into your UX? Here’s what to do.

Make Navigation Simple

The first and most important part of your UX should be digestibility, because without it, your audience won’t be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Thus, your navigation should be simple, intuitive, and logical because it will help naturally guide users through your interface.

Don’t Skimp on Design Work

Next, you should avoid skimping on design work and invest time as well as resources into creating an interface that is beautiful and attractive. Here, it’s important to avoid hiding behind “minimalist” concepts that require little design work. Instead, you should only opt for minimalism if it aligns with your brand, product, and audience preferences.

Make Your Platform Fast

Last but certainly not least, slow loading time is one of the biggest barriers to delivering great UX. As such, you need to make sure that your site is as fast as it can be and that it delivers the same experience to users, regardless of their device, location, and internet speed. Here, it’s a good idea to test your site using different browsers and devices including both mobile phones and laptops. Some of your visitors will also use a virtual private network (VPN) so you should also ensure that your platform loads quickly when using this type of tool as well.

What Constitutes Good, Trustworthy UX?

Before delving into the elements that make for a great, trustworthy user experience, it’s important to note that bad interactions can corrode trust faster than you earn it. It’s estimated that 1 in 3 people will abandon a brand they love after a bad experience. Even a single negative experience can significantly influence how much your audience trusts you. And, while it’s true that negative experiences can occur, you should put a lot of effort into making up for any bad situations with your audience.

With that in mind, here are four elements that will instill trust and confidence in your designs.

Truthfulness and Transparency

The first and most obvious characteristic of trustworthy design and content is truthfulness an transparency. In other words, you should only publish content that is true and avoid associating your brand with false claims, shady statements, and wild theories. While it’s true that your audience may have its own collective opinion about a specific issue, your best bet is to always use clear language to communicate facts and avoid bending the truth in any way. This will make your audience feel like you can be trusted, even if they don’t agree with you.

Professionalism

Next, it’s essential to maintain the highest level of professionalism because it helps transmit brand maturity and integrity, which are pillars of trust. Keep in mind that the language and design elements are not the only ways to transmit professionalism in your content. It’s also important to use the right tone and language, along with an interface that reflects your brand’s leading approach.

Consistency and Dedication

Professional, trustworthy brands tend to create a consistent experience that helps users predict what’s going to happen. Using things like the same branding elements and word choice throughout your content makes it easier for your audience to digest individual bits of information while also establishing your brand as an entity they know and can therefore trust. Keep in mind that your brand voice and overall appearance should remain the same even when interacting with your audience across different platforms. In other words, if your digital platforms have different colorways and branding elements, it will create a conflict and make potential customers lose trust in your brand.

Security and Accuracy

Security and accuracy are two of the most important factors when trying to instill trust through your design, so your website and other platforms have to guarantee a certain level of safety for your audience members. Make sure that all certificates and other security features on your site are updated and ready to go. Here, it’s a good idea to use a VPN like Surfshark to learn what type of experience your competitors are delivering while maintaining high privacy levels.

Complementing UX with Content

Content is obviously part of your UX, so it influences the way your audience perceives your brand. Let’s take a look at a few ways to complement your user experience with content work.

• Visual Proof: Screenshots, screen recordings, and demo videos can help give your audience a real feel for your products and company as a whole.
• Other Trust Signals Including Testimonials: Reviews, ratings, and case studies can help bring attention to other audience members who are happy with your brand.
• Quality Content that Addresses the Users’ Collective Question: Publishing accurate and practical content that answers pain points directly can help you establish yourself as a valuable resource in your users’ eyes.

Creating a UX Interface that Engages Users: Final Word

There is no doubt that UX plays a major role in the success of any online platform or content, and yours is no exception. There are many different variables that impact UX and trust, but the good news is that you can control the vast majority of them. As we’ve discussed above, being trustworthy means that your target audience feels safe while using your platform, which means better engaging metrics and higher overall profitability.

Research suggests that UX can generate more than $100 for every $1 spent. As long as you focus on transparency, professionalism, consistency, and the other areas suggested in this article, you will increase your chances of engaging users and earning their trust. Finally, remember that big data is a great resource, so you should always implement it into your UX development strategies and make decisions based on the numbers you have at your disposal.