UI design pattern tips: featured content

Once someone starts using your website or web application, they need to know where to go and how to get there at any point. If they can't navigate through your your application easily, you'll quickly lose them. Thus, designing effective navigation in your web application is crucial.

In this series for Creative Bloq, Chris Bank of UXPin, the UX design app, discusses the importance of navigation design patterns and details examples from some of the hottest websites and web apps today.

You can see previous posts in this series here. Meanwhile, for more examples of web design patterns, download UXPin’s free e-book, Web UI Design Patterns 2014.

The problem

The website visitor wants to know what kind of content can be created with the app.

The solution

Feature specific content front-and-centre for users without it getting lost in the mix of often time-related content. This content could be paid, popular, new, or some other important variable.

Etsy shows random content on the front page to helps users explore the site

Etsy shows random content on the front page to helps users explore the site

Featured content serves to show users the possibilities and helps them understand what the platform can accomplish as well as the things other users are using it for.

Sites like Airbnb, Etsy and Flickr show random content on the front page that helps users explore the site without having to make a commitment beforehand, as well as encourages existing users by helping them reach greater audiences.

Flickr makes it clear on its homepage the kind of content you can find on the site

Flickr makes it clear on its homepage the kind of content you can find on the site

On the other hand, it can also help particular pieces of content gain traction by giving it particular importance. Paid or 'featured' content can be marked as such to clarify expectations.

Words: Chris Bank

Chris Bank is the growth lead at UXPin, a UX design app that creates responsive interactive wireframes and prototypes.

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

The Creative Bloq team is made up of a group of design fans, and has changed and evolved since Creative Bloq began back in 2012. The current website team consists of eight full-time members of staff: Editor Georgia Coggan, Deputy Editor Rosie Hilder, Deals Editor Beren Neale, Senior News Editor Daniel Piper, Digital Arts and Design Editor Ian Dean, Tech Reviews Editor Erlingur Einarsson and Ecommerce Writer Beth Nicholls and Staff Writer Natalie Fear, as well as a roster of freelancers from around the world. The 3D World and ImagineFX magazine teams also pitch in, ensuring that content from 3D World and ImagineFX is represented on Creative Bloq.