First click testing

First click tests allow you to evaluate the effectiveness of your site’s page navigation and linking structure in helping users complete tasks.

An introduction to first click test

First click tests reveal how easy it is for users to navigate your site, and whether or not they’re able to find the information they need on the first go. By clarifying the paths that users take when using your site, you can prioritise on-page content to facilitate that journey.

The test itself involves presenting your user with your webpage, and asking them to complete a task. For example, if your brand sells homeware products, you might ask your testers where they would first click in order to find mirrors. Wherever they click first will show you where users’ attention focuses, and what elements are important in creating a seamless user experience.

An important milestone in the research process to guarantee user-friendly designs, first click testing has the potential to uncover a multitude of information, including:

your testers’ first impressions of your site
which elements are the most important for navigation
suitability of language and labelling
placement of elements like buttons and banners.

When to use first click testing

Pathfinding

Identify what paths your users go down when they first interact with your site

Usability

Evaluate how easy it is for testers to use and understand your site

Validate designs

At any stage of the design process, this test can be used to guide decision making

How to run a First click?

1

Decide what to test

You can perform a first click test with any page on your site, but a home page – which tends to contain a lot of information – works especially well. First click testing helps to identify the paths users are most likely to take when they’re performing a task – whether that’s signing up to your service or finding a specific page. The great thing about first click testing is that it can happen at any stage of the design and research process – use it to test live pages to further optimise them or concepts in the pre-development phase.

2

Create tasks

Crafting the tasks you ask users to complete in this test is vital for collecting the right information. If you want to evaluate the placement of buttons and links, make sure you write tasks that involve those elements. You can also use this test to assess how successful a page’s design is in achieving its overall goal or customer action – be it a sign up, purchase or enquiry.
Your users always come to your site with an intention, which is why it’s important to tap into that and write tasks in a way that’ll encourage them to take the desired action to the best of their ability. Create simple, easy to follow scenarios to give your testers a better understanding of what they’re trying to achieve.

3

Build your test

To create your first click test, you’ll need to upload a mockup of the web page you’re testing and your tasks. UserQ will generate a preview where you can make any changes if needed – it’s really that easy to set up!

4

Launch test

When testing the usability of your web pages, it’s a good idea to test with as accurate of a tester panel as possible. Fortunately, with UserQ’s extensive MENA-based panel, you can easily recruit testers that fall into the right demographics of your target audience, or share the test link with your own group.

Analysing the results

When it comes to looking at the results of your first click test, the process couldn’t be easier. UserQ’s data overview provides a bird’s eye view of your test results, complete with touch maps that show where testers most often clicked, and percentages you can use to justify any design adjustments. You’ll also have the option to download any data you choose to further inform your designs.

Your results will indicate:

how many testers clicked on the right place or element to complete task
how many testers failed to find the right answer
how long users spent considering their decision before clicking
if there are two possible correct clicks – which was more popular.

The results will tell you how easy it is for users to complete their task, as well as if there’s any confusion or overcomplication in your current design – allowing you to create easy to navigate digital experiences, every time.

Start uncovering insights today with UserQ – sign up with us and run your own tests.