{"id":106975,"date":"2024-02-26T11:56:12","date_gmt":"2024-02-26T19:56:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thegood.com\/?post_type=insights&p=106975"},"modified":"2025-05-21T08:08:38","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T15:08:38","slug":"directional-guidance","status":"publish","type":"insights","link":"https:\/\/thegood.com\/insights\/directional-guidance\/","title":{"rendered":"Directional Guidance: What It Is And How To Improve It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On any road, hundreds of visual and sensory cues offer directional guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speed bumps signal the driver to slow down, the rest stop sign reminds them they can take a break on a long trip, and rumble strips alert when they\u2019re swerving into dangerous territory. Curbs keep drivers and pedestrians on separate sections of the road, while curb cuts offer an optional designated crossing area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of these indicators intuitively keep us on the right path while occasionally offering alternative routes or opportunities we may not have been thinking of. Similarly, in digital experience design, directional guidance nudges users on a path toward their end goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It helps users find what they are looking for by adding visibility to elements that will increase their motivation or intent. It displays compelling options of where the user can go next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The placement of specific website elements can either guide a user toward their ideal product or take them off track. Strategizing and keeping directional guidance top of mind as you optimize can help direct users through a complicated digital journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is directional guidance in UX?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Directional guidance in UX is a sum of strategies, tactics, or elements that optimization experts implement to help users accomplish a specific goal on a website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s an umbrella term that encompasses anything put on a user’s path to help them find what they want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cDirectional guidance doesn\u2019t just increase the findability of what a user knows they want, it increases the discoverability of things a user didn\u2019t even know they wanted. It adds utility across a website so users can build a mental model of what is in the company\u2019s catalog and how to get there.\u201d<\/p>\nNatalie Thomas, Director of Digital Experience Optimization & UX Strategy at The Good<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In digital experience design, directional guidance can be as direct as a clear call to action and easy-to-use navigation or as indirect as personalizing recommendations and surfacing relevant content. It\u2019s like a personal website concierge telling you, \u201cright this way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Directional guidance is one of The Good’s six Heuristics for Digital Experience Optimization\u2122<\/a>. They are: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Priming & Expectation Setting<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Trust & Authority<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Ease<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Benefits & Unique Selling Points<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Directional Guidance<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Incentives<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    5 ways to improve directional guidance (with examples)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    So, what are some specific ways to improve directional guidance on your website?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Of course, we have to caveat that you should develop strategies relevant to your specific goals and users, but here are a few ideas to get the wheels turning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Add suggested products to predictive search<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Increasing the use of search is a great way to encourage intentional browsing, but often users need a helping hand to guide them to relevant products or pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Featuring popular or relevant products in search suggestions can improve product discoverability, increase the helpfulness of search, and help users quickly and easily navigate the site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"suggested<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Deeper customizations might include featuring different products based on user segment, search terms entered, seasonality, or geographic area of the site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. Change sort order<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Sort orders often default to standard settings that don’t support user goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Testing alternative default sort orders (by popularity, by price) can help users quickly discover the products that are right for them and improve directional guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For example, we tested sorting products by featured rather than families to improve the visibility of product listings and increase engagement on category pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This resulted in an 8.5% increase in conversion rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"filtering<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    3. Add quick links<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Even within a well-organized menu, users can struggle to navigate to relevant information quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Showcasing what actions users can take with \u201cquick links\u201d promotes directness toward relevant pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"exposed<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Improving directional guidance with quick links can encourage deeper page depth from paid ads, decrease bounce rates, and lead to increased transactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n