Many businesses across the globe invest heavily in designing web and/or mobile apps. Angus Loten of the Wall Street Journal quoted an analysis from Okta Inc. last 2019, saying that major firms across all industries globally have deployed 68% more software apps in just four years time.

It is important for web/app designers and UX design companies to create engaging user experiences that help users to accomplish tasks. Usability, accessibility, and the overall functionality are important considerations. Otherwise, users will just leave and never return.

According to Techtic, around 88 percent of web visitors and app users do not return when they leave due to bad user experience. Knowing the common mistakes that turn off users can help developers avoid them. That being said, here are the top 5 biggest UX mistakes that turn off users:

• Complicated navigation
• Lack of mobile optimization
• Slow loading times
• Too many ads or pop-ups
• Lack of clear calls to action

Complicated navigation

Dan Gingiss of Forbes quoted Basch of Tank Design saying that complicated navigation is a proven way to failure. A major factor for users to leave the site and go elsewhere.

The navigations on the website or app need to be user friendly so that users can easily find their way around and accomplish their task with pleasant experience. Careful planning, using clear and descriptive labels for menu items and organizing the content in a logical way are needed. It is also a good idea to test the navigation with smaller users in order to get feedback and make necessary improvements before launching the site or app.

Lack of mobile optimization

With more and more users accessing the internet on their phones, it is important to ensure that the website or app is fully optimized for mobile usage.

Mobile optimization is crucial in today’s digital landscape. More and more users are accessing the internet using mobile phones. If the company’s specific website or app is not fully optimized for mobile, there is the risk of alienating a large portion of the audience. Mobile optimization involves a range of factors including design, layout, and performance. Some key considerations for mobile optimization include:

• Responsive design. It ensures that the website or app adjusts to fit the screen size and resolution of the device it is being viewed on. Whether in smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer, it is important that users have a consistent and seamless experience across all devices.
• Fast loading times. Users expect websites and apps to load quickly, and on mobile devices, slow loading times can be especially frustrating.
• Easy navigation on a small screen. It is important for users to easily find what they are looking for. A clear hierarchy, intuitive navigation, and large buttons can all help improve the user experience on mobile.
• On a small screen, it’s important that texts are readable. Using a font size that is large enough to be legible, and using a color scheme that provides sufficient contrast between the text and the background.

Slow loading times

If the website or app takes too long to load, users are likely to get frustrated and go elsewhere.

Brian Sutter of Entrepreneur says that typical users leave the site if it does not load in a second. Slow loading times can be a major issue for websites and apps, as they can lead to a poor user experience and drive users away. Some factors that contribute to slow loading times include large images and other media, a large number of requests to the server, and inefficient code.

Too many ads or pop-ups

Too many of them can be annoying to users. It can make the site or app difficult to use and can drive users away.

Having too many ads or pop-ups on a website or app can make it difficult to navigate. It also causes distractions that can lead users to leave. Thus, it is important to strike a balance between displaying ads and maintaining a positive user experience.

Lack of clear calls to action

If it’s not clear what you want users to do on your website or app, they are likely to get frustrated and leave. Make sure to include clear calls to action, such as buttons that say “Sign Up” or “Buy Now,” to guide users towards the next steps.

Clear calls to action are an important part of any website or app design. They help guide the user towards the desired outcome and make it easier for them to take the next steps. Some tips for creating effective calls to action include:

• Being specific. Instead of a generic “Submit” button, try using a more specific call to action such as “Sign Up for Our Newsletter” or “Download Our App.”
• Using actionable language. Use words like “Start,” “Get,” “Discover,” or “Learn” to encourage users to take action.
• Making them stand out. Use color and design to make your calls to action stand out and grab the user’s attention.
• Using them sparingly. Too many calls to action can be overwhelming and may dilute their effectiveness. Choose the most important actions and focus on them