7 Tips for Developing an Engaging Digital Product

In this article, I will discuss seven tips for developing an engaging digital product. Whether you are developing a new app or website, these tips will help create something that users will love. Creating a digital product that people will use and enjoy can be challenging. With so many options available and technology changing in the blink of an eye, it's essential to ensure that your product stands out and is engaging enough to keep users coming back.

By focusing on the problems, telling users what to expect, and promising something they would want and perhaps need, you'll be well on your way to creating a successful digital product.

 When you are creating a digital product, it is important to have a clear understanding of your target audience and what they are looking for. Here are six steps for defining your audience and what they want:

• Know your audience: Having a thorough understanding of who your target audience is will help you to create a product that appeals to them.
• Know what they want: What are their needs and wants? What are their pain points? Addressing their problems will help you to create a product that they will love.
• Keep it simple: Don't try to pack too much into your product. Keep it focused and easy to use.
• Make it visually appealing: People love visually appealing products. Make sure your product is eye-catching and attractive.
• Make it easy to use - No one wants a product that is difficult to use. Keep your product simple and easy to navigate.
• Keep it updated - Make sure you keep your product up to date with the latest trends and technologies.

Tip 2 - Offer something valuable
 When you are creating a digital product, it is important to have a clear understanding of your target audience and what they are looking for. Here are six steps for defining your audience and what they want:

• Make sure your product provides value to your audience.
• The simpler the product, more enriching would be the experience for the user. The simplest example is the Google.com search engine interface, as compared to all other search engines like Yahoo or ASK.
• Use attractive visuals and graphics to make your product more engaging.
  
• Use positive reinforcement to encourage continued use of your product.
  
• Make sure your product is accessible on multiple platforms.
  
• Use data analytics to track user engagement and behavior.

Tip 3 - Keep it simple and focused on the problem you are aiming to solve
As we saw before, Google.com has the simplest of interfaces that greet the user. Dropbox also opens up with zero embellishments or decorative promises. They offer what the user would come to them for.

• Keep your product focused on a single task or goal.
• Engage your users with interesting and interactive content.
• Promote your product through social media and other online channels.
• Collect feedback from your users and use it to improve your product.
  
  

Tip 4 - Create a sense of urgency
Some financial apps, like CRED, do a great job of reminding your financial obligations upfront. Some apps have introduced gamification in the form of rewards for using their app. They give virtual prizes – coins/points, and some even introduce a sense of competition in the user’s ‘peer’ group.

• Urgency creates a sense of scarcity which can motivate people to act.
• Use time-limited offers, discounts, or bonuses to create a sense of urgency.
• Make it clear that there is a limited supply of your product or service.
• Use language that creates a sense of urgency, such as "act now" or "limited time only".
• Leverage social media to create a sense of urgency around your product.

Tip 5 - Make it visually appealing
Imagine the Amazon website or app just opening with a drab list of products or lacking high-quality images on the product thumbnails. The human eye can perceive millions of color shades and UX designers focus on keeping their digital product’s color palette attractive.

• High-quality visuals: People are more likely to engage with products that look appealing. Make sure your digital product is well-designed and uses high-quality visuals.
• Engaging color schemes: Colors can influence people’s moods and emotions. Use color schemes that engage users and increase each user’s session time.
• Simple and concise designs: People are more likely to engage with products that are easy to understand and use. Keep your designs simple and concise to ensure users keep coming back to your product.
• Easy User Experience: Keep intuitive and simple interactions with easy-to-understand Call to Action (CTA) buttons, and animated interactions. People also like to interact with those digital products which give them a real-world like experience, e.g. moving the radio dials, a car-like dashboard, or pages flipping.
• Social platforms – Social media is a great way to engage potential customers. Use social media to promote your product and encourage people to try it. Target users feel peer pressure by the media and products that their friends are engaging with.
• Customer testimonials: User testimonials can be extremely valuable in engaging potential customers. Use testimonials from satisfied customers to show that your product is valuable and worth using. But this can be a double-edged sword – it can make or break the experience – make sure to moderate this aspect.
  
  

Tip 6 - Humans like tribes and community
When people interact with your product as part of a team or community and have a chance to create their own content and critique others' then they begin to have a sense of ownership. This is the tribal nature of the social animal that humans are. They not only come back to use the product again but also influence others in their 'tribe' to do likewise.

• Find or create a community around your product – it could be a user community, a collaborator / content-creator community, or even a developer community.
• Create content that is engaging and informative.
• Build a strong social media presence.
• Offer reliable customer support.
• Constantly update and improve your product.
• Make your product accessible on multiple platforms.
• Offer discounts and promotions.
• Make your product stand out from the competition.
• Keep your customers happy and satisfied.
  
  

Studies show that acquiring a new customer can be five times as costly as retaining a customer. Sometimes an effective promotion strategy could just be to outbid the competition by offering just 1p more than their PPC (pay per-click) bids for a search term.

• Get creative with your marketing approach. Traditional advertising methods may not be as effective for promoting digital products. Instead, consider using social media, blogs, and other online channels to reach your target audience.
• Offer incentives to customers who use and promote your product. People are drawn to incentives, and many products entice users with the lure of virtual gifts.
• One can also use various forms of cognitive bias to one’s advantage (staying within ethical boundaries).

 In conclusion, if you want to create a digital product that is engaging and addictive, there are a few things you can do. First, make sure the product is easy to use and provides value to the user. Next, create a sense of social interaction and community around the product. Finally, make sure the product is constantly evolving and add new features and content.