4 reasons why a UX-centric approach is key for startup growth

Fundamentally, we can see what value UX adds to startups. However, it is a good idea to dig deeper to understand why startups must prioritize UX and make it a staple part of their growth strategy in the increasingly fierce startup market. 

Here are some key reasons why startups in the Middle East cannot afford to sideline UX. 

1. Customer expectations have evolved

The post-COVID era has presented fertile grounds for digital-first startups, particularly in the Middle East, where around 91% of consumers are digital converts to e-commerce. Further, nearly 88% of brands have tweaked their customer experiences post the pandemic and are predominantly focusing on catering to the various stages of the sales cycle. 

With digital literacy in the region at its peak and more and more people continuing to devote their trust in digital platforms, it has never been a better time to invest in UX for startup growth. It is time to replace outdated and clunky products with an intuitive UX strategy that acknowledges regional nuances, emerging UX trends, and global usability standards to provide flawless and familiar, yet gold-standard user experiences to Middle East users. 

2. Investing in UX yields long-term results

Early-stage startups typically operate on tight budgets and therefore may not invest significant resources in UX. However, it is worth noting that the return on every dollar spent on UX can potentially yield around $100 – that is an ROI of 9900%. 

Although it may appear that ignoring UX in the initial stages is cost-saving, it will eventually result in higher expenses in the long run due to negative customer and app reviews, poor user churn, and steep redesign costs. 

Further, the conversion of startups that focus on UX has increased by around 200-400%, indicating the value of offering seamless user experiences and good design. 

3. Competitive edge

With over 98,000 registered startups in the Middle East, the race to establish a solid foothold in the market is intense than ever before. As mentioned earlier, good products and services can only take a startup till a certain point. Ultimately, startup development hinges on several aspects, including product design, UX, quality of support, etc. 

Additionally, venture capital (VC) firms and angel investors make investment decisions based on their quantitative analysis, confidence in founders and products, and experience. Startups, especially in the pre-revenue and early stages, should harness UX to validate whether their prototypes are intuitive and also create a robust usability testing framework to showcase market readiness to VCs. 

Apart from building investor confidence, a user-centric startup growth strategy indicates that the company is well-positioned to scale and stay competitive in the increasingly crowded startup market. 

4. Increasing government support to create digital-first ecosystems

One of the major drivers of the flourishing startup ecosystem across the Middle East is the strong backing from governments across the region to create a digital-first and startup-friendly ecosystem. There is immense support for startup development in the Middle East thanks to the robust presence of various support structures, including incubators and accelerators. 

The advent of tax-free zones, golden visas in the UAE, and government-backed incubators is expected to drive startup development and growth in the Middle East. Apart from attracting interest from startup founders and investors, several initiatives are aimed at empowering early-stage startups and minimizing the risk of failure. 

Initiatives and strategic efforts, including Dubai’s DIFC Innovation Hub, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, Startup Bahrain, and Startup Qatar, have all played a major role in creating a vibrant startup culture and environment in different Middle Eastern countries.