Many companies, from startups to large enterprises, approach us with the same goal: increase conversion. It could be boosting sign-ups, improving onboarding flows, or optimizing e-commerce cart conversions. And their first instinct? Completely redesign the UI to make it more visually appealing, assuming that this will magically solve their conversion issues.
But here’s the truth: simply beautifying your UI isn’t going to move the needle. In many cases, the real issue behind low conversion isn’t about how your platform looks—it’s about how it functions.
TLDR; Contents
The Real Conversion Problem: Lack of Clarity
What really drives conversion is how clearly your platform guides users to take the desired action. Whether it’s signing up, completing a purchase, or filling out a form, if the process isn’t clear, users will abandon it. Clarity, not just aesthetics, is the key.
We’ve seen this time and time again. A common scenario is that a company approaches us asking for a UI overhaul because their platform looks outdated. The fonts, colors, and overall design feel stale, and they assume that’s why users aren’t converting. While a dated UI can be off-putting, the deeper issue is often that users don’t know what to do next. They’re unsure how to complete the required actions because the flow is unclear or confusing.
Clarity drives conversion and conversion-centered design. When the desired action isn’t obvious or the user journey isn’t intuitive, a visual refresh won’t fix it. In fact, conversion rates can actually decrease if the UX issues aren’t addressed. If users are still confused about what to do next, a prettier UI will only mask the problem, not solve it.
A Real-World Example: It’s Not Always About UI
We worked with a multi-billion dollar marketplace dealing in investment accounts. Their onboarding flow was long and outdated. Naturally, their initial approach was to modernize the design and clean up the branding, thinking that would help with conversions. But when we looked deeper, we realized the root issue wasn’t how the platform looked—it was the experience itself.
Their audience, typically more cautious when it comes to sharing personal information, didn’t trust the process. Users were being asked for sensitive data, such as Social Security numbers, without clear explanations of why it was needed or how it would be used. This lack of transparency and trust led to significant drop-offs, far above industry benchmarks. The problem wasn’t the outdated UI—it was the lack of clarity and trust.
How UX Research Led to a Solution
Before jumping into a redesign, we conducted thorough UX research. Through data analysis, user testing, and interviews, we discovered that the real issue wasn’t the visual design but the unclear communication in the user flow. The platform needed to better guide users and explain why certain information was required.
We didn’t just focus on making things prettier. We restructured the onboarding flow to be more transparent, breaking it into smaller steps and providing clear explanations at each stage. By addressing users’ concerns and building trust throughout the process, we significantly improved conversion rates. The solution wasn’t just about aesthetics; it was about creating a user experience that was clear and trustworthy.
The Bottom Line: For Conversion, Focus on UX, Not Just UI
If you’re experiencing low conversion rates, don’t assume a visual redesign will be the solution. The real issue is often deeper, tied to how well your platform guides users toward the desired action. UX research can help identify the true barriers to conversion, whether it’s a confusing user flow or lack of trust, and provide actionable insights to improve it.
Yes, an outdated design can hurt, but clarity, transparency, and intuitive user flows are what truly drive conversions. A beautiful UI may be the cherry on top, but a well-structured UX is the foundation that gets users to complete the actions you want.
Whether you’re a startup or a large enterprise, improving conversions is about optimizing the entire user experience, not just making things look good. And in some cases, like with our multi-billion dollar client, it’s about ensuring users feel confident and secure as they move through your platform. Beautify your UI, but don’t forget that clarity and trust are the real levers that will improve your conversion rates.
But, with all of this said, if you have any questions, reach out to us—we’d love to help.
This post was written by David Barlev, CEO and Chief Product Strategist @ Goji Labs.
