Namaste! You’re in the right place. India is a country of drama, diversity, and jugaad – and when designing a website for Indian users, you need to take all that flair to the front end.
Welcome to Thinkster, where we think your website should be home to your users. Not like a government form that requires three OTPs and an Aadhaar link just to scroll. Relax, grab a cup of chai, and let’s add some desi UX magic to your site!
1. Know Your Audience (They’re Not All the Same)
India is not one nation. It’s 28 states, 8 union territories, and roughly 800 dialects! What succeeds in Pune may fail in Patna.
Thinkster Tip:
Develop user personas from real data: urban vs rural, metro vs tier 2 & 3 cities, Hindi speakers vs Tamil speakers. Divide your content accordingly.
Quirky Analogy: Creating for India based on only one audience is similar to preparing biryani with only salt.
2. Quick Loading Speed = Love at First Click
Indians are tolerant of lines, but not of the internet. Your website must load quicker than a Mumbai local train departing from the station.
Thinkster Recommends:
Optimize images (don’t pixelate Lata Mangeshkar’s picture, though)
Implement lazy loading
Mobile optimize (more about this below)
Bonus Tip: Host your website on an Indian server for quicker local speed. Benefits search engine optimization as well!
3. Mobile-First? Make It Mobile-Fabulous
More than 70% of Indian web surfers are mobile. So your desktop-viewable website will appear like an awfully wrapped dosa on the mobile phone.
Thinkster’s Mobile Checklist:
Responsive design
Large, tappable buttons (not micro-dot menu please)
Click-to-call functionality (since Indians still love to chatter)
Quirky Analogy: A site not mobile-friendly is like a handle-less chai cup. Usable, but hurting.
4. Language Matters, Boss!
Will you speak in Hindi or English? Or Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, or Bengali? Language inclusion is massive.
Thinkster Knows:
Provide multilingual support via plugins such as Weglot or WPML.
Don’t use Google Translate if you enjoy funny translation failures (“vegetarian biryani” means “plant sacrifice rice”).
Power Move: Use Hinglish for informal brands. Indians LOVE Hinglish (“Order karo, aish karo!”).
5. Don’t Ignore Trust Signals
Indian users are cynical. Rightfully so. We’ve all been traumatized by false Flipkart offers and dubious recharge websites.
How Thinkster Establishes Trust:
Display security badges (SSL, payment gateways)
Show customer reviews (even if they read, “Good product. Acha laga.”)
Include FAQs. The more, the better.
Funny But True: An Indian user would believe a random stranger’s review over your product description.
6. Make Navigation As Easy As Ordering Chai
If your users must embark on a treasure hunt to locate your contact form, they’re bouncing.
Thinkster’s UX Nav Tips:
Have your navigation bar show at all times
Utilize Indian naming conventions where appropriate: “Home” = “Ghar”, not “Dashboard”
Include search with autocomplete (double points if it has voice input support for Indian accents)
Desi Hack: Include a WhatsApp chat widget. It is more reassuring than live chat to most Indian users.
7. Offer Local Payment Options
PayPal? Hard pass. Indians want UPI, Paytm, PhonePe, and COD (Cash on Delivery still rules in smaller cities).
Thinkster Recommends:
Integrate Razorpay or Cashfree. Allow regional wallets if your target includes Bharat, not just India.
Quirky Thought: If your payment gateway doesn’t accept UPI, you’re basically saying, “No entry for 60% of India.”
8. Optimize for Bharat Bandwidth
Fiber internet? LOL. Your site should function on 3G and even those 2-bar 4G days.
Thinkster’s Tricks:
Avoid heavy auto-play videos
Use SVGs and compressed PNGs
Cache aggressively!
True Story: One Thinkster client gained 30% retention after we reduced their homepage size by 60%. Jugaad works.
9. Cultural Context is Key (Masala, Not Vanilla)
A simple black-and-white Scandinavian design may fly for Norway. For Nagpur? Meh.
What Works in India:
Bright, cheerful colors
Festival-themed posts (Diwali Dhamaka landing page? YES.)
Relatable imagery: local faces, not mere stock model #2389 from Estonia
Thinkster Says: Localize imagery the way Domino’s introduced paneer toppings. Provide people with what feels home.
10. Keep the Forms Short and Sweet
Requesting too many details = bounce rate ki baraat.
Thinkster’s UX Wisdom:
Ask for only what is absolutely necessary
Autofill wherever possible (Google already knows everything)
Use drop-downs and radio buttons to minimize effort
Desi Truth: If your form has 5+ fields, it should come with a cashback coupon!
11. Prioritize Accessibility (Sabka UX, Sabka Vikas)
India has 2+ crore visually impaired people. Make your site accessible!
Thinkster’s Inclusive Checklist:
Add alt text for images
Use color contrasts that are accessible for the visually impaired
Make navigation keyboard-friendly
Swaggy Stat: More accessible websites get twice the engagement from mobile users. Not kidding.
12. Test Like a Bollywood Director
Don’t guess. Test.
At Thinkster, We:
- Utilize A/B testing (Button A = “Buy Now” vs Button B = “Le Lo Bhai”)
- Verify heatmaps (Where are users converting from?)
- Gather real feedback (Popups asking “Was this helpful?” in Hinglish are gold)
- Thinkster Gyaan: UX is not an iterative fix. It’s like a TV serial plot. Requires frequent twists and updates.
13. Add the Human Touch
In a nation like India, humans still value human touch.
Thinkster’s Magic Formula:
- Add team photos and bios
- Use real testimonials
- Share BTS stories on your blog
Fun Suggestion: Use emojis, memes, and GIFs tastefully. Indians love drama.
14. Festival Mode = On!
You know how India is in a festive mood for 9 out of 12 months? Your website should be too.
Thinkster Ideas:
- Diwali themes
- Independence Day color schemes
- Holi splash screens
Extra Masala: Provide promotions and combos every festival. We enjoy offers more than we enjoy samosas.
15. Collaborate With UX Specialists (Like, You Know, Thinkster)
You’ve got the tips. Now comes the truth bomb – good UX isn’t about imitating others. It’s about research, strategy, and imagination.
Why Thinkster?
- We research actual Indian user behavior
- We test and retest on devices, geos, and languages
- We create with panache, taste, and pure desi wisdom
Our Promise: We don’t just make your site look pretty. We make your audience fall in love with it.
Final Thoughts: Think Desi, Think UX, Think Thinkster
Enhancing website user experience for Indian users is similar to cooking the ideal thali. It involves variety, balance, and spice. With Thinkster as your UX masterchef, your site can transform from bland to bada dhamaka!
Now ready to get your website Bharat-ready?
Let’s Talk. Let’s Thinkster.
