User Experience In A Online Wellness Program

When creating an online program one of the most important things to consider is the user experience. That is the experience a person in your program has while going through the program. But it can be difficult to decide what makes a good user experience.

I've created several wellness programs and helped several coaches set up programs. One of the things I pay attention to is user experience.

What is a user experience?

Have you ever purchased a course and didn’t finish it? And you probably feel guilty about that, but it might not be your fault. If the user experience is lacking you will find it difficult to complete the course. And user experience is also somewhat individual, although there are some things that generally create a better user experience. And some things you want to avoid.

Some aspects of user experience in an online program include:

Is access immediate and automatic?

If your program is something that can be purchased from your website or a landing page then you’ll want to make sure that the process of getting access is seamless. 

So simply having a PayPal button on your website is not going to work. You will get notified that someone has purchased your program, but if you are not at your computer you won’t be able to add them to the welcome email automation and give them access. So from a user standpoint they have paid money and get no feedback that the purchase is good.

You’ll want to use a payment platform or course platform that automates this process.

Even if you are using a discovery call to add clients to your programs make sure that the process of giving them access is smooth and worry free.

Is it easy to navigate

Once a user is in your online program, it should be easy to find their way around in. You don’t want navigation set up that is hard to get out of or hard to get to the next step.

Is there a clear success path

People buy your programs because they want success, so just like the overall navigation, the path to success should be clear. Bonuses are great, but they can detract from the success path if it is not clear how you use them.

It should be visibly appealing

Since you want people to spend time in your program, it should be visibly appealing. Fonts should be easy to read, colours should be coordinated and images and videos should be chosen well.

Does it support the way your client learns best (or multiple ways)?

People have several different learning styles and may need to apply more than one to really get some topics. Some people are visual learners and like charts and visual representations. Others are auditory learners and learn best while listening. Others learn by reading and writing. The last learning style is the kinesthetic learner who learn best with a more hands on approach.

Are you prompting the user to take action?

When a user joins an online program they are expecting to get a result. And this means the user will need to take action. So having clear actions for the user will help make the user experience a good one.

Is there an ability for users to interact with each other?

Whether you include this aspect of user experience will depend on your program. If it’s a do it yourself online program, then this is a nice to have but not necessary. If it’s a group coaching program then this is an essential part of the program. 

Accessibility

Does your program accommodate users with disabilities? This could mean things like including transcripts and/or captions of videos and audio versions of your text. 

Why is the user experience important?

There are several reasons that user experience is important:

• Users are more likely to buy from you again if they have a positive experience
• People in your programs are more likely to get results if the program has a good user experience
• They are more likely to recommend your programs when the experience is good
• Users will spend more time working on the program if the experience is good

Here are some ways you can make sure you are providing the best user experience:

• Survey your program participants. Do they like the program layout? Was it easy to understand? Easy to follow?
• Try it out yourself
• Try other programs and courses and note what you like and don’t like about the user experience
• Listen to your users and if they have issues follow up to make sure they’ve been fixed
• Consider online courses and programs you’ve taken yourself. What did you like about the experience? What did you dislike? What prevented you from being as successful as you could?

Other things to consider

Is there a mobile app? Or is the mobile experience good?

If you expect your user will be using a mobile device for some or all of the program, make sure that the mobile experience is good. If using a browser, the mobile site should be quick and responsive. If your platform has an app then make sure that the experience with the app is positive. And consider what type of device a user might be accessing your program on. 

Beta testing

I’ve often heard that your Beta program doesn't have to be on your final platform. I have to disagree on this point. The beta test should be testing all aspects of the program and one of those is user experience. You can use the beta test to work out the kinks in the program and in the user experience. 

That doesn’t mean you can’t decide to change the platform if you don’t like the experience in the beta test. That is what beta tests are for.

Is it easy to steal your content?

While it may be tempting to provide things like audio and video downloads to provide a better experience, you’ll want to be careful how this is done. Coaches often take courses from other coaches to get some inspiration but some have goals that are not so benign. Having material copied or stolen is not unheard of.

What platforms do I recommend for a good user experience?

Because of the flexibility, customizable options and options for questions I find that MemberVault is one of the best platforms for user experience. I host all my digital products on MemberVault. They now include a community option and so many other ways to engage with your audience. 

Summary

When creating your online program don’t make user experience an afterthought. It should be something that is part of your program creation.

References

bluehost.com/blog/what-is-user-experience-and-why-you-should-care/?gclsrc=aw.ds&nclid=0ofnZ…aIVj