When talking about an engaging user experience, there are only a few platforms and apps that create a UI/UX design that can truly attract and keep users engaged. One of these is Netflix, the streaming platform that has become popular worldwide thanks to its design and functionalities.
The content doesn’t represent such an important factor, but the design, along with its features, is important because it allows users to discover and enjoy the content using a visually appealing Netflix UI.
For some, Netflix is only the primary source of entertainment, but for UI/UX designers and for those who really want to learn web design, it is so much more. In the design industry, this streaming platform is popular due to its design principles that are able to keep the users engaged for a long time.
What will you find in this article? Well, if you want to find out how to create your projects to be similar to the Netflix UI/UX design principles, then stay close!
1. Effortless Onboarding
We must admit that Netflix nailed the onboarding process because from the moment users land on the website’s homepage, the process has already started. In order to avoid any confusion, Netflix chose to place the signing process directly from the homepage, which can make it effortless to enjoy your much faster and easier your favorite series.
The Netflix onboarding process is pretty straightforward; users only need to type in their email address first, and then, after just a few steps, the account is created without any issues. This is why it's also considered to have one of the best login pages.
2. Personalized Netflix UI for Every User
Another functionality that Netflix offers that draws more streaming subscribers is the personalization of the Netflix UI according to watch history and preferences in movies and series.
So, based on their previous activities on the streaming platform, Netflix will recommend what they are likely to watch next to keep them engaged and watch more and more movies and series every time.
Keep in mind that Netflix will not recommend the same movie to two users who have completely different tastes, because, similar to social media platforms, Netflix has a well-designed algorithm that adapts the preferences in real-time.
3. Intuitive Netflix UX
Users find the Netflix UX effortless on all devices, whether they are watching on their phones, tablets, computers, or even TVs. The Netflix UI remains consistent no matter what device they are using, making it easier to go from phone to TV.
This is probably a crucial factor because the user can watch their favorite series and movies from all devices, and the platform maintains their progress.
Also, the browsing experience is simple because all the content is categorized based on genre, trending topics, and mood, to avoid users feeling overwhelmed when choosing what to watch.
4. Microinteractions
This streaming platform puts a lot of effort is the details that usually make the difference between a good and a great streaming service. Using loading animations that can offer fast feedback on users’ actions, Netflix is making sure that users know exactly what they've done and what outcome they can expect.
Also, the hover effects play a significant role because they display a very short introduction to a certain movie or series without users needing to press the Play button. This way, it keeps away the pressure of starting something new to watch by offering a glimpse of it to make the decision process much easier.
5. Test all the new features before officially implementing them
It’s true that now Netflix is a great streaming platform that offers impressive functionalities, but it has not always been this way. During this design process, Netflix has implemented over time some features that did not seem to be a real success. This is also a rule implemented by Apple.
For example, a couple of years ago, Netflix tried to implement a talking bot that was created to recommend movies and series based on your preferences. After asking users what genre they want to watch, it made different recommendations. But users were choosing on their own what to watch anyway. So even if it seemed a very good idea, it did not have the success expected.
That’s why it is very important to test new features before implementing them, and Netflix seems to take this step very seriously to maintain a close relationship with its subscribers.
Working at Netflix as a UI/UX designer must be a challenging job, having to analyze every day what can be improved and how to implement new features without disturbing the Netflix streaming environment.
If you want to learn web design, then Netflix represents the perfect example, because based on the above design principles, it managed to draw new subscribers every day.
We at uinkits understand the importance of great user experiences and creating amazing UI designs. That’s why we’ve developed a Figma UI Kit with design components that include these essential UI elements that enable you to design intuitive and user-friendly interfaces effortlessly.
“You press the button, we do the rest.” – Kodak.
Inspired by this iconic tagline from Kodak, we believe in simplifying the design process for you. Our Figma UI Kit, uinkits, is a complete design system with UI components that allows you, as a UI UX designer, to create your products as quickly as pressing a button.
Our design system includes UI components, icons, variables, cards, buttons and everything you need for your design process. All you have to do is take your UI design component needed, and you’re ready to use it in your designs!
