Josh Tilley of Initials CX: leveraging usability for brand differentiation

In today’s digital age, the importance of designing for usability can’t be overstated. It’s not just a matter of legal compliance or social responsibility; it’s a crucial component of effective branding.

But many businesses fall into the trap of blending in with the crowd, overlooking the specific needs of their own audience. It can also be difficult to stand out when so many accessibility tools look the same.

From a branding perspective, accessibility shouldn’t be viewed as an afterthought but as a key factor in the design process.

Most brands will settle at compliance

But it’s the ones that adopt an innovative mindset and constantly strive for stronger connections with their communities that will get the plaudits in the long run.

What does accessibility have to do with brand differentiation?

You can have a distinctive brand offering, a great product and speak to the right people, but if you haven’t considered accessibility marketing’s effectiveness will be limited.

It’s the equivalent of the best TV ad ever being watched on the world’s smallest TV. The worst-performing part of your communication will be the bit many people remember.

And this isn’t just limited to consumers or users who need help. Usability impacts everyone. Think of level train platforms and minimising steps in transports hubs, which help people with accessibility challenges – but simultaneously contribute to a smoother customer journey for all.

By prioritising usability, you’re considering your whole audience and ensuring that no one’s excluded or alienated.

Accessibility is currently a watchword for brands. As a result, we’re beginning to see a knee-jerk reaction from brands rushing to make their digital platforms easier to use.

This means digital platforms are starting to blend in with one another as brands think more about experimenting around the edges of the challenge, typeface and colourways for example, than thinking holistically.

If only certain colours are available for improved readability, then there will be a smaller palette to pick from, so brands will inevitably start to choose the same ones.

Prioritising usability from the start helps counteract this; you’re able to work out the different components you can flex. Not only can you avoid knee-jerk reactions, you can create a distinct proposition that works for customers.

Considering it as an afterthought means you are suddenly limited to specific colourways and typefaces, as they are the only ones that will work with websites and other assets.

The same applies to website navigation and other aspects of improving usability

Apple is a great example of ‘usability by design’: it’s so easy to find the app you’re looking for.

The software giant has created icons that are unique and easy to understand. Email looks like an envelope; Books (above) is a picture of a book; Messages is a speech mark. What’s more, colour-coded key apps are instantly recognisable, making navigation even easier.

Not only is the whole Apple suite of applications clear, the colours and icons have become distinctive: a perfect blend of accessibility and brand differentiation.

How does an innovative mindset help brands connect with target markets?

Brands can find the prospect of innovation expensive and risky.

If you intend to adopt an innovative mindset you need to de-risk the process.

To do this, you must understand why consumers use your digital platform and the barriers they face. In this way, you gain permission to have that innovative approach because you know the issues that need solving – and that doing so can make a world of difference. From there you can shape the design, UX and CX around their feedback.

This is where data is critical.When it wasn’t available, the lack of a customer feedback loop made it difficult to tie usability to commercial figures. Imagine if someone dropped out of interacting with a call centre as they had poor hearing; you’d previously have had no idea why.

Now, data tells us at which stage of the journey consumers drop out and what accessibility issues they may be having. This explains why they can’t use various products and features.

For example, the founders of Tinder used data to recognise that a small subset of dating app users struggled to find the like/dislike button. Consequently, its developers furnished Tinder with a swiping function that has since become iconic and been introduced by other brands across various sectors.

Understanding and responding to usability issues such as this can help brands better connect with target audiences. The usability barriers that exist can be highlighted by data and customer feedback, then removed.

Imagine not being able to interact with a fifth of potential customers because you haven’t addressed something as simple as the checkout button being too small.

When considered in financial terms, we should question why brands haven’t been prioritising usability since the dawn of marketing. Combine that with the opportunity to create brand differentiation and connect better with customers, and it becomes a no-brainer.

Josh Tilley is brand strategy director of Initials CX.