Developing products with the everyday consumer in mind
Hey guys! So, if you're looking for the next cool thing to invest in or create on the internet, you should consider making it easy for people who aren't tech-savvy. Companies like Groupon and Pinterest have become popular because they made their websites simple enough for anyone, not just tech experts. If you want your product to be a hit with everyone, not just a small group of techies, you should keep these three tips in mind when designing it. Let's make technology easy and fun for everyone to use!
Why was this created?
When explaining your service to new users, keep it straightforward. Don't try to impress them with fancy jargon or brag about your company. Just tell them clearly what your service does and how it can help them. Make sure they understand when and why they might need to use your service in their daily lives.
When you first sign up for Twitter, they say, "Welcome to Twitter. Find out what’s happening, right now, with the people and organizations you care about." And on Facebook, they tell you, "Facebook helps you connect and share with the people in your life." It's pretty cool, right? So basically, Twitter is for staying up-to-date on what's going on, and Facebook is for chatting and sharing stuff with your friends. Easy peasy!
Which area should I exert force on?
So, like, we get it. You might be thinking, "Facebook and Twitter can just use short taglines because everyone already knows about them." And yeah, that's true, but that's the whole idea. Nowadays, most people find out about websites from their friends. Your goal is to show them right away that your service is exactly what they're looking for. Make it clear and make it awesome!
So, how can you make sure new users really like your website? Think of it like taking them on a fun adventure. The website should show them around, kind of like going for a nice walk, so they can see all the cool things it can do. Some companies just let new users figure things out on their own after signing up, but it's better to help them out. Treat your new users like you're trying to impress them on a date, and help them get to know your website smoothly and easily. Especially for people who aren't great with technology, it's important to show them how to start, move around, and make the website their own. And it's nice to be forgiving if they make mistakes - things should be easy to fix if they mess up.
Let's say you just signed up for Twitter. They make it super easy for you to learn how to use the app and they even ask you what you're interested in. Then, they use that info to show you stuff you'll like. They also make sure to only show you the important stuff, so you're not overwhelmed with too many options. It's like having a personal guide to help you get started!
Independent but never lonely
Sometimes when you're trying to sign up for a website, they make you use your Facebook account to log in. This can be annoying for both newbies and pros. Newbies might not have many online friends, so they don't want to connect with just anyone on Facebook. And some people just don't want to use Facebook at all. On the other hand, tech-savvy folks are getting tired of apps that want to spam their friends. When a website forces you to log in with Facebook before you even know if you want to use it, it might lose you as a user forever.
It's important to make sure people like your website before asking them to log in with Facebook. Websites should be fun and helpful to new users even if their friends aren't using them yet. For instance, Pinterest lets people look around without signing up first. They only have to log in with Facebook if they want to join. And once they do join, they can start pinning, liking, and commenting right away, with or without their friends being on the site.
It's super important to think about who will be using the products you design. Even if your target user is good at using the internet, it's still a good idea to make sure your website is easy for anyone to use. Everyone likes it when a website is easy to figure out and helps them know what to do next. If you want your product to be popular, it needs to be simple and easy to use. It should work for people who just want to get things done without worrying about all the fancy technology stuff. There are still lots of opportunities for people who can make simple solutions to complicated problems. And don't forget about Grandma and Grandpa - they might have some good ideas too!
