Cruise in Netflix’s exceptional design and UX
Netflix, founded in 1997, initially sold and rented DVDs by mail, and also as a rental competitor to Blockbuster. But now, Netflix has become the most popular streaming platform compared with other services such as Hulu, and Disney plus. Furthermore, its customers continue renewing their subscription month by month, year by year.
How does Netflix become so popular? What differentiates it from others? Why Netflix can attract tons of millions of users? In the following, we will discuss the elements of design and user experience, in order to find the precious secret of Netflix.
1. Easy process of Signing up
When clicking Netflix’s website, you can see that the homepage shows a clear call-to-action to enter your email to enjoy it. And the biggest selling point of Netflix is also presented on the homepage, which is “Unlimited movies, TV shows, and more. ”. Below it, there is a smaller font showing “Watch everywhere, Cancel anytime”. This gives the users a crystal clear value proposition or service purpose that the site offers.
When you sign up with your email address, the next steps are “creating your password”, “choose your plan”, and “ make a payment”, each of them showing on a different page, indicated by “Step 1 of 3”, “Step 2 of 3”, and “Step 3 of 3”. The number of processes also gives users a feeling of easily becoming a Netflix member, as there are only a few stages to complete.
Netflix uses a consistent color scheme (black, white, and red) and fonts across the website. This movement also unifies its identity, as whenever people saw the specific color combination or font type, they would think of “Netflix”.
2. Navigation UX and landing page
After becoming one of the Netflix community, the website would prompt you to choose sections you are interested in, which can be the algorithm base of future recommendations.
The first thing you would notice on the landing page is the video-featured trailer. And when your mouse is over any area of the trailer, it will play automatically. This is will give users a brief introduction of what the movies or TV shows are saying without any specific interaction, and also keep users staying on the platform longer.
And at the top of the landing page, some categories are indicated by the tabs — such as “TV shows”, “Movies”, “New & Popular”, “My list”, and “Language”. It also has a section for Kids where the platforms automatically filtered TV shows or Movies suitable for kids.
There are main call-to-action button is “play”, and the button “thumps-up” also allows users to rate the streaming, and when clicking the down arrow, it will show a more detailed description of the series.
This enables people to know the total length of an episode and the short description of it.
The clear and easy navigation design allows users to easily get to know any unfamiliar content, and the consistent font creates a friendly viewing environment.
4.Mobile Experience
Netflix has also carefully designed mobile UX. Just like the desktop landing page, at the top of the mobile user interface, there are some categories, some buttons that remain on the desktops landing page have been compressed into “Series”, which allows for saving space and making the navigation page more simple.
5. High Content Quality
Netflix, being one of the biggest streaming services, has offered tons of millions of movies, TV shows, documentaries, and its original series. Notably, there is increasing demand for originals, which Netflix has dominated in 2012. And this demand is exacerbated by the pandemic and is expected to grow even after COVID-19.
According to Nielsen research, 9 out of the top 10 most popular originals were produced by Netflix in 2020.
With producing originals continuously, Netflix is not only a platform where viewers can enjoy movies or TV shows, it keeps adding value to a user’s subscription.
6. Artwork Personalization
Netflix has developed a dozen of thumbnail options for each original, and it will rotate depending on customers’ interests. For example, in the previous browsing history, if users are more likely to watch comedies, when recommending “Stranger Things”, the platform will display lighter pictures with the kids dressing as Ghostbusters.
6.Considering use of AI/Chatbots
On the landing page of Netflix, you can notice that there is no AI or Chatbots. I think it is the simple design of UX and navigation system that allow users easily to find the series they want, and the platform also would recommend series to users based on the fields they are interested in, allowing not using AI technology. But maybe it is possible to consider using AI or chatbots, which people can talk with them to ask for viewing advice since we can utilize intelligent Chatgpt.
Conclusion
Netflix can be said that it has reached the status of one of the best websites, offering exceptional user experience. And its special personalized promotion (presenting thumbnail) is also the key to keeping a high retention rate. After seeing the great design features of Netflix, it will become one of the inspirations for designers to create better web pages and services in the future.
