Optimizing a localized website with usability testing

Find out how brands can communicate with their prospects more effectively by involving actual local users and uncovering useful insights from their feedback.

This portfolio project was originally published on elisatrippetti.com.

As part of a UX writing course, I conducted a usability test on foodspring, an international wellness and fitness brand.

In particular, I involved 3 users to test the desktop version of their localized Italian website.

Here’s the process I adopted and what I found.

• Role: usability tester
• Language: Italian
• Tools: Google Forms, Figma, Pitch
• Timeline: 4 days

The context

From August to October 2022, foodspring.it went down from 700k to 460k visits, with users staying on the website for about 2 minutes and visiting 3 pages per session on average (source: Similarweb).

Making sure the content has a solid structure and is correctly localized can increase the amount of time users spend on a website while further improving brand credibility.

Pages from foodspring.it

Goals

With this test, I wanted to understand whether the localized website was accessible and easy to use for the Italian-speaking audience.

The feedback received would be able to support content design decisions on the Italian website as well as provide insight into other language versions.

These are the core aspects that were to be tested:

• Can Italian users easily locate all the information they’re looking for?
• Can they clearly understand what happens when they click on buttons and menu items?
• Is the content easy to understand on first read?

Users

M. (male)

• Experienced marketing consultant
• Regularly shops online
• Uses non-protein supplements

F. (female)

• Graphic designer and professional cook
• Has been buying and selling products online for years
• Uses a variety of supplements

F. (female)

• Translator and nutrition enthusiast
• Vegan
• Would like to start adding protein supplements to her diet

The process

I explored the website in depth and took note of potential gaps and hiccups in the experience.

Then I wrote a list of 14 tasks for users to carry out that specifically address those gaps.

Finally, I created a Usability Testing Plan outlining the test’s goals, participants, tools and tasks.

Once my mentor approved the plan, I was ready to administer the test.

Identifying parts of the website to be tested

1. I described the test’s context, structure and goals to the users
2. The users spent a few minutes exploring the website on their own
3. The users completed the tasks following a Google Forms script
4. I recorded and analyzed the users’ feedback to extract recurring themes

Usability Testing Plan

Pros for users

According to the users, searching for products on the foodspring website is easy and information is organized logically.

These aspects are important for savvy consumers when it comes to making informed purchasing decisions.

✅ Users liked:

• the product images and color palettes
• the nutrition facts, plans and tips
• the fitness recipes
• the ‘Bestsellers’ fold
• having multiple payment options

👍 The website seems trustworthy because…

• “it’s a well-known brand”
• “it feels like they understand user needs”
• “it conveys the idea that the products are of good quality”

Parts of the website users liked

Cons for users

Some users found certain sections overwhelming and confusing, with too much information.

In addition, they said using stock photos makes the brand look less authentic.

❌ Users didn’t like:

• the multiple stacked menus in the header
• the 4-column folds
• the charm pricing (–.99 €) and the prompts to spend more at checkout

🤔 What was hard to find?

• the ‘Storefinder’ page
• the ‘Loyalty program’ page
• the ‘Refer a friend’ page
• information on the products’ country of origin
• information on the shipping times
• information on subscription purchases

Parts of the website users didn’t like

My suggestions

Keep:

• the option to pick both your language and country. Users should be given a choice, regardless of their browser’s language or IP address.
• the search function. This offers real-time search results and inline validation. The search results page also displays a variety of content, from products and promotions to content marketing material.
• the articles, tips, recipes and workouts. This content supports user goals and makes the brand more recognizable and authoritative.

Improve:

• the product filters. Some users couldn’t find what they were looking for because of the number of available filters. Involve more testers for additional feedback.
• the CTA buttons and menu items. Use explicit language about what happens next so users know what to expect.
• the content discoverability. Rearrange hard-to-find information that keeps users in the brand’s ecosystem (storefinder, referrals, loyalty program, links to YouTube workouts).

The full report

To report on my findings, I created a report (available in Italian) for my mentor’s approval.

The full report includes all answers to the 14 tasks, as well as my observations, suggestions and a recap of the pros and cons shared by the users.

A page from the report on the CTA buttons

foodspring.it

Before you go…

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