This seems like a simple question. Of course, user flows matter. So, why am I asking it?

We’ve all experienced Google search result pages being the place people turn to ask their questions. Queries are getting longer. Position 0 is super valuable. Flight shopping can happen, and forms can be completed. “Intent” is more important than ever and the search index is only growing.

On websites, it’s tough to find one that doesn’t have a mega menu. Landing pages from organic traffic are more varied meaning that people often aren’t starting at the front door (the homepage), but instead jumping straight into the content they’re looking for.

People are consuming more content on more channels as technology allows Facebook pages and messenger bots to get more integrated. Emails are introducing new features. Digital ecosystems are more fragmented than ever before. And ads often allow conversions without requiring a click (have you used forms in Google Search Ads?).

With all of these factors to consider, it’s important to think about the role user flows play in your ecosystem and really, how can you create user flows that work regardless of where a user enters the flow.

Let me reiterate, yes, user flows still matter. You may say they matter more now than ever before because of the complexity of most ecosystems.

Does the data support this claim?

Yes, hard data supports this claim.

Let’s start with the usability data from Neil Patel that shows that every second it takes a website to load can result in a 7% reduction in conversions. Conversion.com posted this article that talks share real examples of increased conversion rates when options are limited. Call this analysis paralysis, decision fatigue, overwhelming, confusing, or any other descriptor.

We all love choices, but with so many people visiting websites that have various understandings, dialects, etc. it can be difficult to provide value to everyone by just showing it all. I would take the 7% decrease in conversion rate due to site speed and apply it to usability metrics. All this is saying is that for every second that someone can’t or doesn’t act there is a 7% decrease in conversions. Too many options cause a delay, maybe in performance, but definitely, in the time it takes to make a decision.

Guiding people down their conversion path.

On a personal level, we’ve seen numbers increase by implementing a user flow and limiting options to users from the start. This means we needed to organize content meticulously. This can be a difficult discussion internally because people want to highlight all that they have or all that they can do. The reality is most visitors don’t care because they all have their own perception of who you are and how you can fit into their lives.

In one example with a nonprofit that helps individuals who have experienced identity theft we saw that people use their website when they are lost, so providing structure and a simple choice architecture was celebrated by users because they were already in a stressful situation and potentially even second-guessing some of their decisions. As a result, we’ve seen engagement metrics increase (time on site, pages/session, return users, etc.).

In another example, we’ve seen this shift in the perception of people about the size and scale of an organization. Maybe this is the old “less is more” mantra. But it’s something that we’ve collected data about from people who claim that the organization has grown a lot and is doing larger things. I believe this is due to the fact that simplified navigation and consolidated organization that was required makes people think of the organization as an expert in more areas as opposed to a jack of all trades.

User flows matter today more than ever, so it’s important to ensure that people feel like they have a next step and place to go when they interact with you online. The best way to do this is to reduce decision fatigue and empower people to navigate down their conversion path.