Care to Beauty’s Post

🛍️ Why It's the Perfect Time to Pursue a Career in Ecommerce 🛍️ Have you considered diving into the thriving world of eCommerce? 🛍️💻 There's never been a better time, and here's why: eCommerce is booming like never before! 🚀 Thanks to rapid digitalization and evolving shopping habits, this industry is growing exponentially. And guess what? It's not slowing down anytime soon. From online merchandising and digital marketing, to data analysis and UX design, the opportunities are endless! 🎯 There's a spot for everyone, no matter your skills or passion. #ecommerce #jobs #hiring #resume #jobseeker

UX Research: A Case Against Using Panels (and for Recruiting Untapped Users Each Time You Want to Conduct a Study) ⁉ The practice of using online panels in UX research, borrowed from the decades-old traditions of market research, is now being questioned. While panels offer easy and cost-effective data collection on user attitudes and behaviors, their reliability is increasingly scrutinized. Historically, market research relied on surveys and CATIs (computer-assisted telephone interviews). However, UX research has evolved, and online panels now offer services for both moderated and unmoderated tests, online or in person. A growing concern in the UX research community is that professional testers can skew results. Psychological studies have also highlighted the issue of non-responders, who may display different attitudes and behaviors, yet are often overlooked in panel-based studies. There are four methods to recruit participants for UX research: 👯 Existing User Base: Inviting your users for studies is ideal but often obstructed by legal and administrative barriers. 🕸 Social Media Campaigns: Effective and versatile, though costs can vary based on screening criteria. 🦍 Guerilla Marketing and Promotions: Budget-friendly (standing on the street or a mall, directly inviting people) but challenging in enforcing screening criteria. 🤼 Commercial Panels: Widely used for their convenience, but they pose questions about the authenticity and quality of data. The most promising approach, using your user base, is often impractical in many organizations. Social media campaigns, while effective, can escalate costs. Guerilla marketing is an economical option but lacks precision in screening. Commercial panels, despite their popularity, raise doubts about participant motivation and data quality. From my experience, the key issue with panels is their potential to yield skewed results, especially when participants are primarily motivated by compensation. This skepticism extends particularly to B2B research, where it's improbable that high-level professionals are readily available for surveys. Moreover, the typically low compensation in panels (as recently shown in a wonderful post by Karine Pepin) further fuels my concerns regarding the quality of B2B participants. At rapid user feedback, we maintain our own panel with fair compensation and occasionally use partner panels for recruitment. While not entirely dismissing panel use, I advocate for careful consideration of how recruitment methods might impact research results. My heuristic is to recruit fresh, untapped users, particularly those who are not habitual panel participants but have a genuine interest in the product or app under study. I find social media recruiting an effective method to ensure diverse and unbiased participation in each research project. (Image prompt: Can you illustrate participant recruiting processes in an abstract and not too colorful way? Don't use words / GPT-4/ DALL-E)

User experience (UX) is a critical factor in digital marketing success. Creating a seamless and engaging user journey across all platforms can significantly impact your marketing efforts. To enhance user experience, there are several key elements to consider: 1. Clear and intuitive navigation: Ensure that your website or app has a clear and easy-to-use navigation menu. Users should be able to find what they are looking for without confusion or frustration. Organize your content logically and provide clear labels for menus and links. 2. Mobile-friendly design: With the increasing use of smartphones, it is essential to optimize your website or app for mobile devices. Make sure your design is responsive and adapts well to different screen sizes. Provide a seamless experience across devices so that users can easily access your content on their preferred platform. 3. Fast loading times: Slow-loading websites can deter users and lead to high bounce rates. Optimize your website's performance by minimizing file sizes, optimizing images, and reducing unnecessary code. A fast-loading website not only improves user experience but also positively impacts search engine rankings. 4. Engaging and relevant content: Create valuable and relevant content that meets the needs and expectations of your target audience. Use clear and concise language, break up text with headings and bullet points, and include visual elements such as images and videos to enhance engagement. 5. Consistent branding: Maintain a consistent brand identity across all platforms. Use the same color scheme, typography, and visual elements to ensure a cohesive experience. Consistency builds trust and recognition, making it easier for users to identify and remember your brand. 6. Personalization: Tailor the user experience based on individual preferences and behaviors. Use data analytics and segmentation to understand your audience better and deliver personalized content or recommendations. This can help create a more personalized and engaging experience for users. 7. Easy conversion process: If your goal is to drive conversions, make sure the conversion process is simple and intuitive. Reduce the number of steps required to complete a purchase or sign-up form, minimize form fields, and provide clear instructions along the way. 8. Regular testing and optimization: Continuously monitor user behavior and gather feedback to identify areas for improvement. Conduct A/B tests to compare different variations of your website or app and determine which elements perform better in terms of user engagement and conversion rates. By focusing on these aspects of user experience, you can create a seamless and engaging user journey that enhances digital marketing success. Incorporating UX design principles into your overall digital marketing strategy can help improve customer satisfaction, increase conversions, and build long-term relationships with your audience. #UXDesign #DigitalMarketingSuccess

Enhancing Marketing & CX Through Inclusive UX For Women 👄 👠 💄 🛍 👜 👛 According to a report by Forbes, women drive 70-80% of all consumer purchasing decisions. This includes not only traditional retail but also online shopping and other forms of consumer spending. Women are often responsible for buying not just for themselves but also for their households, making them a key demographic for marketers and retailers to target. Designing user experiences (UX) and conducting research for women involves understanding and addressing their specific needs, perspectives, and challenges. Here are some key considerations for UX design and research that support marketing and customer experience (CX) for women: 1. Inclusive design: Ensure that designs are inclusive and considerate of diverse gender identities and expressions, avoiding stereotypes and using gender-neutral language and imagery. 2. Representation: Include diverse representations of women in designs and marketing materials to ensure relevance and relatability to a wide range of women customers. 3. Accessibility: Consider unique needs and challenges faced by women, such as pregnancy, childcare, or mobility issues, and design with these considerations in mind for accessibility to all women customers. 4. Privacy and safety: Pay attention to privacy and safety concerns, as women may be more vulnerable to online harassment and abuse, implementing features to help them control their privacy settings and protect personal information. 5. Empowerment: Design features that empower women customers, such as tools to advocate for themselves, access resources, or connect with support networks. 6. Inclusive research practices: Ensure participant recruitment and interview processes are inclusive and respectful of women's diverse experiences, using inclusive language and providing gender self-identification options. 7. Intersectionality: Recognize that women are not a homogenous group, with experiences shaped by intersecting factors like race, class, sexuality, and ability, and consider these in research and design. 8. Collaboration and co-design: Involve women in the design process through co-design sessions, focus groups, and feedback loops to ensure products and services meet their needs and preferences. By incorporating these considerations into UX design and research practices, we can create more inclusive and empowering experiences for women customers, enhancing marketing efforts and CX for this important demographic.

Website Audit and Review - Fix Mistakes, Broken Links, and Usability Testing Usability testing is important for a website because it helps to ensure that the website is easy to use and navigate for visitors. This can be done by testing the website with real users and observing how they interact with it. Usability testing can help to identify problems with the website, such as broken links and buttons, misspelled words, or confusing navigation. These problems can then be fixed to improve the user experience and make the website more usable. In addition to usability testing, it is also important to spell check the website content and make sure that all of the links and buttons work properly. This will help to ensure that visitors have a positive experience on the website and are more likely to return. From a consumer point of view, usability is essential for a website. If a website is difficult to use, consumers will quickly become frustrated and leave. This can lead to lost sales and a damaged reputation. By conducting usability testing, businesses can ensure that their websites are easy to use and meet the needs of their target audience. -- A usability test might reveal that users are having trouble finding the information they need on the website. This could be due to poor navigation or unclear labelling. By fixing these problems, the website can become more usable and visitors will be able to find what they need more easily.  --  A usability test might also reveal that users are clicking on broken links or buttons. This can be a frustrating experience for users and can lead them to abandon the website. By fixing broken links and buttons, the website can become more reliable and users will be more likely to stay on the site. -- A usability test might also reveal that the website contains misspelled words or grammatical errors. This can make the website look unprofessional and can damage the credibility of the business. By proofreading the website content, businesses can ensure that it is free of errors and that visitors have a positive impression of the website. This Package Includes: Comprehensive website review that includes a consumer point of view, technical writing check, speed check, aesthetic appeal review, technical button/link check for broken links, improvement tips, and an action plan guide. Up to 20 pages of your website will be tested for mobile compatibility and W3C compliance. Included with this is a keyword generation report for SEO purposes. It includes all of the essential elements of a good website review, such as a consumer point of view, technical writing check, aesthetic appeal review, and technical button/link check. The mobile compatibility check and W3C compliance check are also important for ensuring that your website is accessible to all users. Please don't hesitate to contact me prior to purchasing if you have any additional questions about this service. This report is 35$ and lead time is 4 days. #wordpress

⚡️⚡️The Biggest List of UX Research Vendors Ever⚡️⚡️ Thanks to everyone who helped me grow this resource! I’ve broken the list up into what I see as the main categories of providers: UXR Agencies (which I define as mostly focused on UXR, though they may offer some other services, and they may be owned by larger conglomerates or PE firms), Non-UXR Firms That Do UXR (for example, a market research company that also does UXR); Software Companies That Offer UXR Professional Services; Freelancers / Micro Agencies; Staffing Agencies.  I will stick to North America-based providers for now, but I’ll try to follow up with some posts on services outside of the US in the future. (And see many great examples in the comments.) Please LMK if I've missed or mischaracterized any of these companies. UXR Agencies  ➤ Ad Hoc ➤ Amplified by Design ➤ Amplinate (formerly Authentique UX)  ➤ AnswerLab ➤ Baymard Institute ➤ Blink UX ➤ Bold Insight ➤ Centralis ➤ Conifer Research ➤ EchoUser ➤ End To End User Research ➤ Human Factors Consulting Services, Inc. ➤ Human Factors International ➤ Ignite 360 ➤ Interface Analysis Associates ➤ Key Lime Interactive, LLC (also offer testing software but they started with services so I’m putting them here) ➤ Lextant ➤ Loop UX (based in Copenhagen with a second office in Austin, TX) ➤ MeasuringU (also offer testing software but they started with services so I’m putting them here) ➤ Nielsen Norman Group ➤ Outwitly Inc. ➤ Proximity Lab ➤ Research Collective ➤ The Understanding Group (TUG) ➤ Usability Sciences Corporation ➤ User Research International Non-UXR Firms That Do UXR ➤ Applause ➤ Accenture ➤ ChaiOne ➤ Deloitte ➤ Delve ➤ GUiDEA ➤ Ipsos ➤ Khameleon Group ➤ MarketCast ➤ LRW: Now Material  ➤ Momentum Design Lab ➤ National Research Group ➤ Perpetual ➤ PwC ➤ Radiant Digital ➤ Rebel ➤ Screen Engine/ASI ➤ Slide UX   ➤ Tencentric (medical devices) ➤ Touchstone Research ➤ UEGroup ➤ WillowTree Software Companies That Offer UXR Professional Services ➤ dscout ➤ QualSights ➤ Qualtrics ➤ UserTesting / UserZoom ➤ Suzy Freelancers / Micro Agencies (There are too many for LinkedIn limits, but here are a few to know)  ➤ BellaVia Research ➤ Dan Berlin ➤ Blue Umbrella ➤ Brazen ➤ Brilliant Experience ➤ Jason C. ➤ Curio Research ➤ Curiosity Tank ➤ Delta CX ➤ DGCooley ➤ Dupla Studios ➤ The Enigma Bureau, LLC ➤ Ethnographic Insight, Inc. ➤ gotoresearch ➤ Halibut Flats Research and Development ➤ Lebsontech ➤ Marketade ➤ Mauro Usability Sciences ➤ Niamh Redmond ➤ Sage Research Design ➤ Steve Portigal ➤ Progress UX Research ➤ Carol Rossi ➤ Indi Young ➤ Usability for Everyone, LLC ➤ Usable Interface, LLC ➤ UX Researchers Guild (platform) Staffing Agencies that Provide UXRs (2 longer lists in the comments) ➤ Adecco ➤ Aquent ➤ Artech ➤ Creative Circle ➤ Experis ➤ The Forum Group ➤ Infosys ➤ PRO Unlimited ➤ TEKsystems ➤ UX Hires (I could not tag all due to LinkedIn limits.) #UXresearchvendors #uxresearch #userresearch #designresearch #uxr

Communications Studies and User Experience (UX) Design as a pairing. Is there a link between the two? 🤔 While not obvious at first, I believe these fields have much in common and can blend together cohesively, almost like a power couple👫. With my background in polytechnic (which sparked my passion for UX 🔥) and as a Communication Studies student at NTU’s WKWSCI, I find myself constantly drawing links between these fields. The key commonality between the two is understanding how humans react and problem solving. In Communication, the core is figuring the best way to get a message across attract support 🗣️. Be it selling a product or a sales pitch, you need to plan. To maximise outcomes, how do you appeal to your target audience? The sky's the limit ☄️, from drafting marketing plans, tweaking the business pitch📈 in accordance to audience preferences, to attaining a notable figure’s endorsement ☁️. Additionally, part of comms is Public Relations, building a positive brand image. How do you induce trust? This is a common dilemma. I recently saw some ExxonMobil ads, where they brand themselves as a company that can help with clean energy. I realised, this was how they wanted to pivot away from the negative press that their oil spills have given their brand. This was their solution to the problem.    UX 🧑💻revolves around understanding how they use a product. You design with the user in mind🧠, how and why they do what they do, to provide the best UX possible. There is a reason why most apps have no features on the top left of the phone screen📱, that is a position that can’t be easily reached 🤳. That is understanding how your user interacts with your product. Both fields are very human-centred and essentially operate in response to human nature. In UX, design thinking processes used are centred around user’s "pain points 😖” and "gain points 😊". Ideation is done to come up with ways to alleviate the user’s "pain points" aka problems that cause a negative user experience. For example, kiosks used to alienate wheelchair-bound👨🦽 users due to out of reach touchpoints at the top of the kiosk. This has changed since kiosks that can now angle or move down, solving the problem while improving the overall experience and improving accessibility 👏. The Future 🔮 I look forward 👀 to what other parallels I can draw. Personally, I think UX and Communications are both key aspects to our lives and shape our daily experiences. Combining and understanding both sectors will definitely be beneficial👍🏻. Especially in a job🧑💼 climate where versatility is key, being skilled in both is like marrying a corporate and a creative side to solve issues. Knowing the feasibility and nuances of each field and creating an interdisciplinary and well-rounded solution 🔑, will go a long way. 🤭 #UXdesign #communicationsstudies #ntu #ntuwkwsci #ux #designthinking #publicrelations #PRwriting #CS2101 #WritingforCorporateCommunication

What role does user experience (UX) play in SEO, and how can it be optimized for better search rankings? User Experience (UX) plays a crucial role in SEO because search engines aim to provide users with the best possible results for their queries. Websites that offer a positive user experience are more likely to rank higher in search engine results. Here's how UX impacts SEO and some strategies to optimize it for better search rankings: Importance of User Experience in SEO: Bounce Rate: A good user experience reduces bounce rates, indicating that users find your content valuable and relevant. A high bounce rate can negatively impact SEO. Dwell Time: Longer dwell times, or the time users spend on your site, are associated with positive user experiences. Search engines interpret longer dwell times as a sign that users find your content useful. Page Speed: Faster-loading pages contribute to a positive user experience. Slow-loading pages can lead to higher bounce rates and lower rankings. Mobile Friendliness: Mobile-friendly websites provide a better experience for users on smartphones and tablets, and Google prioritizes mobile-friendly sites in its rankings. User Engagement: User engagement metrics, such as social shares and comments, are considered by search engines. Engaging content tends to rank higher. Click-Through Rate (CTR): Attractive and relevant meta titles and descriptions can improve CTR, signaling to search engines that users find your content appealing. Strategies to Optimize UX for Better Search Rankings: Mobile Optimization: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly with a responsive design. Optimize images and other elements for mobile viewing. Page Speed Optimization: Use tools like Google Page Speed Insights to identify and address speed issues. Compress images, leverage browser caching, and minimize HTTP requests. Intuitive Navigation: Design a clear and intuitive navigation menu for easy site exploration. Implement breadcrumb navigation for hierarchical content. Readable Content: Use readable font sizes and styles. Break up content with headings, bullet points, and short paragraphs. Clear Calls-to-Action (CTAs): Place clear and relevant CTAs to guide users toward desired actions. Ensure buttons and links are easily clickable. Avoid Intrusive Pop-ups: Intrusive pop-ups that obstruct content can lead to a poor user experience. If using pop-ups, ensure they are well-timed and do not interfere with the main content. Quality Content: Provide high-quality, relevant, and informative content. Answer user queries and address their needs comprehensively. Engaging Multimedia: Incorporate engaging multimedia elements like images, videos, and infographics. Optimize multimedia for faster loading. Consistent Branding: Maintain consistent branding elements across your website. Use a consistent color scheme, logo placement, and overall design. Structured Data Markup:

UX: The Silent Sales Booster in E-commerce In the bustling world of e-commerce, where countless online stores vie for customers' attention, User Experience (UX) has emerged as a critical differentiator. It's not just about having a visually appealing website; it's about creating a seamless and enjoyable journey for every visitor, from the moment they land on your homepage to the final click of the "purchase" button. What is UX and Why Does It Matter? UX encompasses all aspects of a user's interaction with your online store. It includes: - Navigation: How easily can users find what they're looking for? - Product Presentation: Are product descriptions clear and informative? Are images high-quality and enticing? - Checkout Process: Is it smooth, secure, and hassle-free? - Customer Support: Is help readily available if needed? A positive UX leads to increased customer satisfaction, higher engagement, and ultimately, more sales. When users can effortlessly browse, find what they need, and complete their purchase without frustration, they are more likely to return and recommend your store to others. The Impact of UX on Sales - Reduced Bounce Rates: A well-designed website with intuitive navigation keeps users engaged and encourages them to explore further. - Increased Conversion Rates: A streamlined checkout process minimizes friction and makes it easier for users to complete their purchase. - Higher Average Order Value: When users have a positive experience, they are more likely to add additional items to their cart. - Improved Customer Loyalty: Satisfied customers are more likely to become repeat buyers and brand advocates. Key Elements of Effective E-commerce UX - Mobile Optimization: With the majority of online shopping happening on mobile devices, your website must be responsive and easy to use on smaller screens. - Clear Calls to Action: Guide users towards desired actions (e.g., "Add to Cart," "Checkout") with prominent and compelling buttons. - Fast Page Load Times: Slow-loading pages lead to frustration and abandonment. Optimize your website for speed. - Personalized Recommendations: Use data to suggest products that align with users' interests and preferences. - User Feedback: Gather feedback through surveys or user testing to identify pain points and areas for improvement. Investing in UX is Investing in Your Business In today's competitive e-commerce landscape, a great product alone is not enough. By prioritizing UX, you create a positive brand image, foster customer loyalty, and drive sustainable growth. Remember, a happy customer is a returning customer, and a returning customer is a profitable customer. So, take a closer look at your online store. Are you providing the best possible experience for your users? If not, it's time to invest in UX and unlock the full potential of your e-commerce business.

We all need to run research with non-users sometimes. Maybe you’re expanding to a new market, product, or audience. Or you’re using general pop panels because your customers just Do. Not. Respond. Recruiting is still a challenge, for almost everyone. Here are 5 great ways to recruit participants for your research: 🎮Online communities If you want to meet a group of fitness enthusiasts to try out your new fitness app, or find parents of teenagers for a fin-tech product, find those communities online first—try Facebook, Reddit, Instagram, etc. ✔️Start by googling your target audience and “community” (e.g., “UX research communities”). ✔️Participate in discussions, share relevant content, and politely introduce your research project. 🎮 Paid user panel tools UserTesting, Respondent, UserInterviews, and Askable are great options for this. You will have to be strict about screening to eliminate “professional testers”, and offer meaningful incentives. Recruitment agencies are also a great idea if you’re looking for more niche audiences. Ask researchers for references on communities like ReOps Slack to find the right agencies. 🎮 Run ads If you have some budget, ads can be a great way to draw out the right audience. Instead of looking for participants, let them come to you. While designing your ad, don’t put too much focus on the incentive—it can get you participants who are there just for the money. 🎮 Industry events Participate in industry events, conferences, and meetups where potential non-users are likely to gather. Use the time wisely—do quick coffee chats and informal interviews. End the chat with the ask to follow up: “Is it okay if we continue our conversation on [X] another time? I’m running some research on the topic and your insights have been invaluable!” Don’t forget to mention the incentives! 🎮 All hail Linkedin There’s nothing like LinkedIn for participants in B2B! Send personalized messages and explain why you reached out to them. Not everyone will respond, but some folks will be open to quick chats as long as you provide flexible scheduling & explain why their inputs matter. I’ve put together a detailed guide on how to successfully recruit non-user research participants. It’s full of wisdom, and includes: ✅Detailed reviews of popular user panel tools ✅Expert tips on recruiting participants yourself ✅Message templates for potential participants ✅A cute Canva template for user recruiting ads! Read the guide here: https://bit.ly/4blFZgm Do you struggle to recruit a specific audience? Tell us more in the comments! You never know who can help #research #ux #usertesting