6 Actionable Ways to Take Your Software to the Next Level
Tags: productivity, softwaredevelopment, software, ux
Published: 2024-03-03 00:46:38

Are you a developer or business owner who wants to learn how to take your software to the next level? If so, you've made it to the right place.

I've spent over ten years developing, improving, and selling some of the most-used WordPress plugins on the market, and I want to help you find success.

So, at this point, you've spent time crafting a product that adds value to your customers' lives. People are buying, and scores are so-so. People aren't asking for refunds, nor are they all leaving raving 5-star reviews. While this might not sound too bad at first, it's worth considering the impact that this situation will have on your long-term growth.

If you're not continuously optimizing and fine-tuning your software, you'll start to see people lose interest, which means fewer opportunities to connect with your audience.

The two keys to good software development are to listen to your customers and optimize as much as you can. Today, I'm going to share 6 actionable strategies that will help you gradually improve your product and, by extension, create better experiences for your customers. 

### Streamline Navigation and UI

If you want people to keep using your app, you need to focus on streamlining navigation and building an intuitive user interface. A solid UI and user-friendly design ensure everyone has the chance to enjoy your website and can easily find what they need.

I like to start this process by reviewing our internal software map (which is essentially a [sitemap](https://aioseo.com/docs/how-to-create-an-xml-sitemap/)) and menus to make sure they have a logical flow and all the links work. A rule of thumb we follow is users should never have to make more than three menu clicks to reach their destination.

This gives us the opportunity to go through our software with a critical eye, reduce clutter, and eliminate distractions. Things like excessive menu options, cluttered dashboards, and notifications don't provide value and can actually cause choice paralysis. Keep your interface [clean and minimal](https://thrivethemes.com/fundamental-web-design-principles/#t-1706645663158), and you can expect to see more people spending time on your software.

I also suggest thinking about ways to make it even easier for users to find what they're looking for. One small design change that had a massive impact on us was [adding a search bar](https://www.wpbeginner.com/plugins/how-to-add-a-search-bar-to-wordpress-menu-step-by-step/) to our app. This seemingly simple change led to an explosion of new engagement and sales. 

### Optimize for Different Devices

If you want to reach and maintain a wide audience, your software needs to work on any device. Once you have a responsive design, start building a flexible user interface that dynamically adapts to different screen sizes. This step will ensure your app will display well whether someone is using a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer.

Speaking of smartphones and tablets, you'll want to make sure your site works on different operating systems and screen sizes within this space. We found that [73%](https://wpforms.com/digital-marketing-statistics/#Mobile_Commerce_Statistics) of people will leave an app or mobile website if it's poorly designed and optimized. When you consider that there are [over 5.48 billion](https://smashballoon.com/social-media-marketing-statistics/) smartphone users, it's easy to see how failing to address this situation could result in countless lost sales and engagement opportunities.

You can optimize for mobile by simplifying the interface for smaller screens, increasing tap target sizes, and optimizing load times. You should test the display on the most popular mobile platforms like iOS and Android to identify any issues.

Don't exclude a specific subset of users because their device doesn't support your app. Optimize for different devices, and there's a good chance you can avoid this common but avoidable pitfall.

### Fix Bugs and Improve Stability

Fixing bugs and improving stability is one of the most important things you can do to keep people engaged with your software. If there are glaring issues that need to be addressed, you need to work on fixing these problems before you start working on new features.

People will stop using your program if a bug or glitch happens often enough for them to notice and has a significant impact on their experience. The longer this problem is around, the more people will be affected. If enough people run into the same issue, software traffic could crumple.

Eliminating troublesome bugs should be an ongoing process from the inception of a product all the way through the end of its life cycle. 

### Offer a Robust Onboarding Program

A strong onboarding process is key to user retention and satisfaction. If people can't figure out how to use their app or how it will help them, they will quickly stop using it. When users first download your software, I suggest providing them with the tools and resources they need to understand your software and how it will add value to their lives. 

You can do this by sending an onboarding eBook, [online course,](https://wp101.com/best-wordpress-lms-plugins/) or in-app overlay that explains different features and functions associated with your software. 

Depending on your industry and how much users can do with your software, you may want to consider using more than one of these methods to create a well-rounded onboarding system.

If your software is a paid service, you may also want to set them up with a customer success manager to ensure there's someone available in case they have questions or concerns. Otherwise, you'll need to have a strong [customer service](https://www.groovehq.com/blog/customer-service-tools) team on standby that can help when customers have a question or problem. 

Keeping users engaged from the moment they sign up is critical to your long-term success. By investing in a robust onboarding program, you'll equip new users with the knowledge and support they need to appreciate your brand. 

### Listen to User Feedback

I would argue that nothing is quite as powerful as gathering feedback from your actual users. The people who spend time on your software can often share insights that are easy to overlook, especially if you spend a lot of time focused on the big picture.

The best part about listening to what your audience has to say is they will give you plenty of great ideas to improve your site. For example, if you review feedback for the month and over half of people ask you for a specific feature, you know what direction to take during the next update.

There are a few different ways to [gather feedback](https://www.monsterinsights.com/how-to-collect-user-feedback-in-wordpress/) from your users. First, consider adding a simple contact form in your software that people can use whenever they want. This will make it easy for users to share their thoughts if they get an idea and you don't have a survey planned.

This leads me to my next point: surveys. Use email and in-app surveys to give users a chance to tell you what they like and what they want to see improved. You can also use this opportunity to ask them to [leave an official review](https://trustpulse.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-customer-reviews-and-testimonials/) either in the app store or on social media.

Staying attuned to your users and being responsive to their feedback is key to creating software that truly meets their needs. So, make user feedback an ongoing part of your development process.

### Use Analytics to Find New Ways to Improve

Finally, don't hesitate to use your app analytics to find new ways to improve.

Analytics tools can show you how people are actually using your software. Are there features that get a lot of use? Areas people avoid? Watch for patterns in the data to uncover ways to optimize the user experience.

Being able to see your software through your users' eyes makes it easier to make the right decisions during updates.

It's also worth mentioning that [monitoring analytics](https://funnelkit.com/woocommerce-google-analytics-integration/) can help you identify pain points where people struggle, features they find confusing, or areas where the software falls short.

You'll want to look for signs like high bounce rates on certain pages, lots of time spent on tasks that should be quick, or low conversion rates for key actions. Then, improve or redesign those parts of the experience to remove frustrations.

### Final Thoughts

As you can tell by now, there are plenty of effective ways to improve your software. 

The biggest takeaway is this: while flashy new features might seem exciting, don't forget that refining what you already have can be just as impactful. If you continuously optimize your software and listen to new customers, you can expect positive changes. 

All six strategies mentioned here today have helped us grow over the years, and I believe you can achieve similar results. The only thing left to do is get started!