Almost every single person in this world is interacting with websites and smartphones to perform different tasks. From turning on the laptop to refreshing the page, every single action occurs in micro-interactions. It can change the whole web design into something so productive for business. 

Nowadays, brands use touch-screen navigation features called micro-interactions to gain the audience's attention, increase conversions, and influence user experience. Yes, micro-interactions exist online on your website. Every brand makes the best use of micro-interactions to engage the users and make the online world look more friendly. 

Do you also want to improve your website user experience by harnessing the power of micro-interactions? But don't know how? You are at the right place. In this blog, we will take a deeper insight into website micro-interactions. 

But before we understand how to improve website user experience using Micro-interaction, let's get familiar with the term micro-interactions. 

What are Micro-interactions? 

“Micro-interaction“, the word itself, says tiny moments that interact to accomplish a particular task. Interacting with a website using micro-interaction makes life easier for users to understand the flow of the website and make users engage with its tiny features and movements.

When it comes to design, we have to be precise in using micro-interactions in our UI/UX design because users are going to feel your website by communicating with your website and may convey preventing error and provide Support.

Micro interaction delights users and creates an engaging moment that inspires the audience to stay on the website for a longer time and use it for a better purpose, which may further encourage the user to buy your product, like your content vice versa, to share, save and comment on your product or content, etc. 

Basically, website micro-interactions help in achieving three important tasks:

  • Better communication and feedback 
  • See the results of people's actions 
  • Improve direct manipulation

Being in the website designing and development field, it is observed that many people get confused between features and micro-interactions. Do you also think the same? Well! It's not the same.

Indeed, both micro-interactions and features are used in website designing, but both have different features. 

If we compare the size, then micro-interactions are way different from features. Features are usually time-consuming, less engaging, and complex in design. Whereas micro-interactions are simple, effortless, and essential. This is the reason why most designers and developers go for micro-interactions over features. 

Parts of Micro-interactions

Basically, micro-interactions are divided into four different parts, including trigger, rules, feedback, and loops & modes. 

Trigger: Triggers help to initiate the micro-interaction. It is of two types: a user-initiated trigger in which action is initiated by the user and system initiated trigger in which software initiates the action. 

Rules: Rules help to determine the happenings when micro-interaction is triggered. 

Feedback: Understanding how users feel when micro-interaction is happening is through feedback. 

Loops and Modes: It helps in determining micro-interactions meta-rules.  

Now that you understand what micro-interactions stand for, it's time to know a few things that micro-interactions provide at the time of interaction. 

Navigation: Creating predefined navigation in a website is difficult according to the user's point of view, but making it a fun way makes them feel easy to use. Moreover, it also allows them to move easily from one section to another section or page. 

To make the navigation task easy, designers prefer thinking of all the possible ways to figure out how the user will use it.

For example, click the UP arrow button to move above without actually scrolling. 

Feedback: It is being observed that users should enjoy using tiny engaging things on the website as it will help the user in using the website easily. This can be possible by giving feedback and taking feedback instantly from the movement of ting features or objects.

For example, successful submission of a form, error.

Tips: Providing tips on the website is another way of navigating things according to the provider/ producer, not acc. to the user. It helps in making things without complicating them and without actually taking proper feedback from the user.

Encourage: Micro-interaction encourages users to take advantage of the service or product by getting feedback at every checkpoint of the website. It can be possible by making users engage with the website and creating the most encouraging websites from a user point of view, just like online shopping websites. 

Uses of Micro-interaction

  • Completing a single task (Payment success/ login/signup)
  • Connecting different devices together
  • Setting adjustment (Modes)
  • Turning any function or feature ON or OFF (Switch (Active/inactive))

Real-life Examples of Micro-interaction

  • Stock increasing and decreasing graph
  • Payment success
  • Dribble loading images
  • Linkedin like button

Now let's understand how you can increase user engagement by using micro-interactions in web design. 

How to Improve Website User Experience with Micro-interactions? 

Let's begin!

Helps Users to take the Right Action 

It won't be wrong to say that a website is a powerful tool to generate sales. By including micro-interactions, you can easily help visitors know where to go without actually begging and getting confused. With just a simple animation, you can easily inspire the visitors to take the next step. 

Give a Sense of Control to Website Visitors

Normally, people show their interest in things over which they have control. This can be done with the help of micro-interactions. It will allow the website visitors to stand in your game. 

Say if your website includes micro-interactions, then it will give users a strong sense of control and make them feel more engaged as they will not be visiting a static page. 

Let Users know the Changes 

Many times it is found that visitors leave the website in frustration only because the link added to the page is not opening. Have you also gone through the same situation? If yes, then you might understand the hassle. 

If you don't want your audience to feel the same challenge, then micro-interactions can help you out. Micro-interactions will help the users know their actions. Even if there is a small activity performed by the users, just like link color change, then also users will get notified for the same. Once the user gets something to engage with, then it will surely boost your sales. 

The Final Say 

Well! Using micro-interactions is not a cakewalk, but yes, once implemented will lead to a lot of benefits. Also, it is very exciting for designers also. Yes, it's a new way to engage the users and inspire them to take the required action. 

So, if you also want your website to be interactive and appealing, then you can surely make the best use of micro-interactions. If you find this article useful, don't forget to share it with your friends and relatives. Also, if you have any concerns or need website designing and development services, feel free to contact us. 

                                                                                                                                      Editor: Divya

Frequently Asked Questions

A great website user experience is characterized by ease of navigation, fast loading times, clear and engaging content, intuitive design, mobile responsiveness, and a seamless flow from landing on the site to completing actions or goals. It should prioritize user needs, ensuring that visitors find what they're looking for effortlessly and enjoyably.

A great website user experience is characterized by ease of navigation, fast loading times, clear and engaging content, intuitive design, mobile responsiveness, and a seamless flow from landing on the site to completing actions or goals. It should prioritize user needs, ensuring that visitors find what they're looking for effortlessly and enjoyably.

The five layers of user experience, according to Jesse James Garrett's model, are:

  1. Strategy (defining goals and user needs)
  2. Scope (outlining content and features)
  3. Structure (organizing content and navigation)
  4. Skeleton (developing layout and interactions)
  5. Surface (focusing on the visual design and aesthetics)

The 7 pillars of user experience include:
Useful (the site's content and functionality should meet user needs), Usable (the interface must be easy to navigate and understand), Desirable (aesthetics and branding should appeal to users), Findable (content should be easy to locate through navigation or search), Accessible (all users should have equal access to the site), Credible (users must trust the information), and Valuable (the user experience should provide value to both the user and the business).