Top 10 UX Complaints And How To Resolve Them(In 2023)

Hello again!

User Experience (UX) is a vital aspect of web design that refers to a user’s overall experience when interacting with a website, application, or digital product. 

It encompasses a variety of factors, including usability, accessibility, performance, design/aesthetics, utility, ergonomics, overall human interaction, and marketing. 

Exceptional UX isn’t just about creating a beautiful and intuitive interface—it’s about understanding and addressing the user’s needs, expectations, and behaviors most efficiently and satisfyingly.

The importance of positive UX goes hand-in-hand with Search Engine Optimization (SEO). 

A great user experience makes your website more enjoyable and intuitive for visitors. 

It plays a significant role in your website’s ranking on search engines. 

Google’s algorithm has evolved to favor websites that offer high-quality, relevant content and a seamless user experience. 

According to a study by Sistrix, a good UX design can boost the organic click-through rate by up to 37%, driving more traffic to your site. 

In this digital age, positive UX is not just a nice-to-have—it’s a fundamental requirement for any successful online presence.

In this blog, we will dive into the top 10 UX complaints, and how to solve each so your website’s UX is in top shape!

Here we go!

Complaint 1- Slow Website Loading Speed

One of the most common UX complaints is slow website loading speed. 

A website’s loading speed refers to how quickly the content on a web page is displayed to the user. 

While it might seem minor, website speed is essential. 

Today’s internet users have come to expect quick, seamless access to online content. 

Even a delay of a few seconds can significantly impact their experience on a website.

The impact of slow loading speed on user experience cannot be overstated. 

According to a report by Google, 53% of mobile users abandon websites that take longer than 3 seconds to load:

If your website doesn’t load quickly enough, over half of your potential visitors may leave before seeing your content. 

Such a high bounce rate hurts your site’s engagement metrics and can negatively impact your search engine rankings.

Resolving slow website loading speed often requires a multi-faceted approach. 

First, it’s crucial to identify the issues causing the slowdown. 

This can be done through website speed test tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, or Pingdom. 

These tools provide insights into what might slow down your website, such as large images, excessive scripts, or too many HTTP requests.

Once the issues have been identified, you can implement strategies to improve your site’s speed. 

To improve your website’s performance, some helpful measures include reducing the file size of images by optimizing and compressing them, limiting the use of unnecessary scripts and plugins, utilizing browser caching to store parts of your site’s files locally for quicker loading, and utilizing a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to distribute the delivery of content.

Improving your website’s loading speed not only enhances user experience but can also give your site a boost in search engine rankings.

Complaint 2- Complicated Navigation

Complicated navigation is when a website’s menu system is complex, confusing, or difficult to use. 

This can be due to various factors, such as too many menu options, unclear or vague labels, poorly organized content, or a lack of essential navigation elements like breadcrumbs or a search function. 

Complicated navigation can be incredibly frustrating for users and is a significant barrier to a positive user experience.

The impact of complicated navigation on user experience is significant. 

Users come to a website with a specific goal or intent in mind. 

If they need help finding the information they’re looking for due to poor navigation, they’re likely to leave and not return. 

In fact, according to a study by Ko Marketing, 50% of potential sales are lost because users can’t find information, and 40% of users will only engage if the layout is attractive.

Simplifying website navigation begins with understanding your user’s goals and how they would naturally look for information. 

Start by conducting user research or usability testing to identify everyday tasks users want to accomplish on your site. 

From there, organize your website’s content to align with these tasks.

Once you’ve reorganized your content, focus on the navigation menu.

Keep menu items to a minimum, use clear and descriptive labels, and ensure that it is easily accessible on every page of your website. 

Incorporate secondary navigation elements like breadcrumbs, a search bar, and footer links to aid site navigation. 

Continually test and refine your navigation for the best results. 

A well-organized, intuitive navigation system can significantly enhance the user experience, leading to higher user engagement, improved satisfaction, and increased conversions.

Complaint 3- Inadequate Mobile Optimization

Inadequate mobile optimization, or poor mobile responsiveness, refers to when a website’s design does not correctly adjust or respond to different screen sizes and orientations, particularly on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. 

This can result in content being cut off, the text being too small to read, buttons or links needing to be more significant to tap, or the layout needing to be more organized and easier to navigate.

The impact of inadequate mobile optimization on UX is profound. 

As of 2023, over half of the global web traffic is mobile, and users expect seamless experiences across all devices. 

In fact, according to a study by Google, 61% of users are likely to return to a mobile site they need help accessing, and 40% would visit a competitor’s site instead:

This means that a poorly optimized mobile site can cost you more than half of your potential visitors, damage your brand’s reputation, and negatively impact your search engine rankings, as mobile responsiveness is a ranking factor for Google.

Improving mobile UX starts with adopting a mobile-first design approach. 

This means designing for the smallest screen first (mobile) and then scaling up for larger devices. 

This approach ensures that your website delivers a solid user experience regardless of the device used.

To identify issues, test your website on various devices and screen sizes. 

You can use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool to analyze your URL and report if the page has a mobile-friendly design. 

Next, focus on implementing responsive design principles, which ensure your site adjusts to fit the screen it’s viewed on. 

This might involve adjusting your site’s layout, font sizes, button sizes, and navigation menu for small screens. 

Also, consider the speed and performance of your site on mobile, as slower loading times can worsen or make a problem more severe on mobile networks. 

Lastly, keep testing and refining your mobile experience to meet user expectations. 

By prioritizing mobile optimization, you can provide a better user experience, increase your reach, and improve your SEO performance.

Complaint 4- Poorly Designed Forms

Poorly designed forms refer to input fields on a website that needs to be more convenient for users to fill out. 

This can occur for various reasons, including forms needing longer, asking for unnecessary information, having unclear or missing labels, displaying error messages clearly, or needing to be mobile-friendly.

While forms might seem minor, they often serve as a critical touchpoint for users, whether signing up for a service, making a purchase, or contacting your business.

Poorly designed forms can dramatically impact UX and your website’s performance. 

According to a study by the Baymard Institute, an average of 27% of users abandoned an order solely due to a “too long/complicated checkout process.”:

This clearly illustrates a poorly designed form’s negative impact on conversion rates and user satisfaction.

Designing user-friendly forms begins with considering the user’s needs and expectations. 

Minimize the number of fields users must fill in; only ask for necessary information. 

Too many fields can feel overwhelming and deter users from completing the form. 

Be sure to use clear, concise labels for each field to eliminate any guesswork for the user.

Proper error handling is also crucial for a good user experience. 

If a user makes an error when filling out the form, ensure the error message is displayed clearly and explains what needs to be corrected. 

Lastly, make sure your forms are mobile-friendly. 

This means fields and buttons should be large enough to be easily selected on a touchscreen, and the form layout should adapt to a smaller screen size. 

Regularly testing your forms and making necessary adjustments will ensure they provide a positive user experience and support your website’s goals effectively. 

By giving attention to form design, you can significantly improve UX, increase conversions, and enhance overall user satisfaction.

Complaint 5- Poor Readability and Web Design

When a website’s text content is hard to read and understand, it’s called poor readability and web design. 

Factors like difficult-to-read fonts, low contrast between text and background colors, large unbroken blocks of text, or a cluttered and disorganized design can cause this.

These design issues can make it hard for visitors to quickly scan and understand your website’s content, which is critical in an online environment where users often skim rather than read deeply.

The impact of poor readability and web design on user experience is significant. 

A website is primarily a tool for communicating information. 

Users who struggle to read or understand that information will likely become frustrated and leave. 

Indeed, according to a study by Neil Patel, a one-second delay in page response can result in a 7% reduction in conversions:

Poor design frustrates users, negatively impacts their perception of your brand, and can lead to lower engagement and conversion rates.

Improving readability begins with choosing the right font. 

Sans-serif fonts like Arial, Helvetica, or Verdana are often easier to read on digital screens than serif fonts. 

Ensure your font size is large enough to read comfortably on all devices; a minimum of 16px is a good rule of thumb for body text. 

Also, attention to line spacing or leading; a 1.5 to 2 ratio is generally considered optimal for readability.

The color contrast between your text and background is also crucial. 

Tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker can help ensure your text and background colors have sufficient contrast. 

Break up large blocks of text with headings, subheadings, bullet points, images, or other visual elements to make your content more scannable. 

Lastly, ensure your web design is clean and uncluttered, with plenty of whitespace to give your text room to breathe. 

By prioritizing readability in your web design, you can significantly improve your site’s user experience, boosting engagement and conversion rates.

Complaint 6- Non-Intuitive Search Function

Non-intuitive search function refers to a search feature on a website that is either difficult to locate, hard to use, or doesn’t provide relevant results. 

On e-commerce websites or content-heavy sites, users often rely on the search function to quickly find what they’re looking for. 

However, if the search function is up to par, users may be able to find the information or products they seek.

The impact of a non-intuitive search function on user experience is significant. 

According to a report from Smashing Magazine, up to 50% of users are “search-dominant,” meaning they prefer to use the site’s search function over browsing through categories or menus:

If these users find the search function hard to use or if it yields poor results, they are likely to become frustrated and may leave the site altogether.

To improve the search function, start by ensuring it’s easy to locate. 

Typically, users expect to find the search bar at the top-right corner of the website, so following this convention can help users find it quickly. 

For example, the online marketplace Etsy features a noticeable search bar at the top center of their homepage, facilitating easy access for visitors:

Make sure your search function is robust and intelligent. 

It can handle typos, suggest relevant terms, and deliver accurate results. 

It’s also crucial that the search results are well-structured and easy to navigate. 

Implementing filters can be a valuable way to help users narrow down their search. 

Finally, ensure your website’s mobile-friendly search tool, as many users access websites from their mobile devices. 

By improving your site’s search function, you can significantly enhance the user experience, leading to higher user satisfaction and potentially increased conversions.

Complaint 7- Auto-playing Videos and Sound

Auto-playing videos and sound refer to multimedia content automatically playing when a user lands on a web page. 

While this feature may seem an excellent way to engage users or immediately draw their attention to particular content, it often has the opposite effect.

The automatic play of videos and sound can negatively impact the user experience. 

It can be disruptive or annoying to users browsing in a quiet environment or who may have yet to expect sound from their device. 

According to a study by Pew Research Center, 80% of adults who use the internet find autoplay videos annoying. 

This irritation can lead to users quickly leaving the site, increasing your bounce rate.

The more user-friendly approach to integrating multimedia on web pages is to give users control over the experience. 

This means videos or audio should not autoplay upon page load; instead, let users decide whether to play the multimedia content. 

For instance, the New York Times often embeds videos in their articles. 

Still, it allows the user to press play, ensuring the reader isn’t caught off-guard by sudden sound or movement.

In addition to giving users control, it’s also crucial to ensure that multimedia content is adequately optimized not to slow down page loading times, which can also negatively impact UX. 

Ensure that video and audio files are compressed, and your website’s code is optimized to load these elements efficiently. 

It’s also a good idea to include alternative content for users who can’t or don’t want to view multimedia content, such as text transcripts for audio or video content. 

Balancing multimedia integration with user control and efficiency will lead to a more positive user experience on your website, increasing user engagement and satisfaction.

Complaint 8- Intrusive Popups and Advertisements

Intrusive popups and advertisements abruptly interrupt a user’s browsing experience on a webpage. 

This could include anything from newsletter signup prompts to full-page ads that mask the underlying content. 

While these tactics can effectively achieve specific marketing goals like building an email list or driving ad revenue, they can also significantly disrupt the user experience if not used thoughtfully.

The impact of intrusive popups and advertisements on user experience can be quite negative. 

According to a study conducted by the Nielsen Norman Group, 95% of users reported that their experience was negatively affected by popups:

Intrusive ads can lead to user frustration and increased bounce rates and damage a brand’s reputation over time.

However, this doesn’t mean that popups and ads should be entirely avoided. 

Instead, they should be used judiciously and designed to minimize disruption to the user experience. 

One strategy is to time the popup to appear when a user has spent a certain amount of time on your site, signaling that they may be more engaged and receptive. 

Neil Patel’s website employs this strategy, presenting a popup after the user has scrolled down a certain distance, indicating engagement with the content.

Another tactic is to use exit-intent popups, which only appear when a user is about to leave the site. 

These can be a last-ditch effort to engage the user without interrupting their browsing experience. 

Moreover, ensure your ads and popups are easy to close, and never use deceptive tactics like hiding the close button. 

Lastly, consider the visual design of your popups and ads, making sure they fit with the aesthetic of your site and are visually appealing. 

Implementing these strategies can help you balance your business’s goals with your users’ needs, leading to a better overall user experience.

Complaint 9- Insufficient Accessibility for All Users

Insufficient accessibility for all users refers to when a website is not designed or built to be usable by people of all abilities, particularly those with disabilities. 

Accessibility is a fundamental consideration in UX design, ensuring that a website is inclusive and accessible to all users, including those with vision, hearing, motor, or cognitive impairments.

The impact of insufficient accessibility on user experience can be significant. 

According to the World Health Organization, over a billion people, or roughly 15% of the world’s population, have some form of disability. 

These users may struggle or even be unable to interact with a website if it’s not adequately accessible, leading to a poor user experience and potential exclusion from accessing online information and services.

To improve web accessibility, there are several guidelines to consider. 

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are widely accepted standards for accessibility and provide a good starting point. 

These include providing text alternatives for non-text content, making all functionalities available from a keyboard for those who can’t use a mouse, and ensuring text is readable and understandable.

Examples of accessible websites include the BBC, which has an extensive accessibility guide and allows users to adjust the website’s appearance to their needs.

Another example is GOV.UK, which uses simple language, high-contrast text, and large touch targets to make the site accessible to all users.

Additionally, tools like Google’s Lighthouse and the WebAIM checker can help evaluate and improve your website’s accessibility. 

By prioritizing accessibility, you can improve UX for all users, ensuring your website is genuinely inclusive and potentially expanding your user base to include those with disabilities.

Complaint 10- Lack of Clear CTAs (Call-to-Actions)

A Call-to-Action (CTA) is a statement designed to provoke an immediate response from the user. 

They typically take the form of a command or action phrase, such as “Sign Up Now” or “Download the eBook.” 

However, a lack of clear CTAs on a website can confuse users about where to go or what to do next, severely impacting the user experience (UX).

The impact of unclear or absent CTAs on UX is significant. 

According to a study by Small Business Trends, 70% of small business websites lack a clear call to action. 

With clear guidance on what action they’re expected to take, users may feel safe, motivated, and interested, leading to decreased conversions and higher bounce rates.

To create compelling and clear CTAs, start using strong, persuasive words. 

CTAs should be action-oriented and convey a sense of urgency or importance. 

They should also stand out visually from the rest of the webpage to catch the user’s attention. 

For example, the streaming service Netflix uses a bright red button with the simple yet compelling CTA text, “Try 30 Days Free.“

In addition to this, make sure the CTA’s value proposition is clear. 

Users should know what they’ll gain by taking the suggested action. 

A/B testing different CTA styles, placements, and text can also help you optimize for the best performance. 

Lastly, CTAs should be strategically placed throughout your website where they’re most relevant. 

This might be at the end of a blog post, product page, popup, or header banner. 

By employing these techniques, you can improve your website’s user experience and boost conversions.

Well, that is it for this one! If any questions, please reach out to us here. 

Till next time!