When people think of user research, they often imagine something complex, formal interviews, analytics tools, and a large budget beyond what most small businesses or solo founders can afford. But in my experience, it doesn’t have to be that way.
Over the years, working with startups, personal brands, and no-code projects, I’ve found that you can still make informed decisions and validate ideas quickly and affordably without skipping research. Here’s how I usually do it.
Start With Real Conversations, Not Surveys
Surveys are tempting because they feel scalable and easy. But in the early stages, nothing beats talking to real people.
I usually reach out to 5–7 people who match the target audience. These could be past clients, online communities, social media followers, or even friends who fit the profile. A 15-minute conversation often reveals more than hours of data analysis.
These conversations often spark unexpected insights that change the direction of the project.
Use Landing Pages for Quick Validation
One of my go-to strategies is building a simple landing page to explain the concept or offer, and adding a clear call-to-action (CTA). Nothing fancy—just enough to test whether people understand it and are interested.
I use WordPress for that. Sometimes, I use Google Analytics to track clicks, or even Microsoft Clarity to see the Heatmaps and record Sessions.
The goal is to see:
- Are they clicking?
- Are people curious enough to engage?
- Is the messaging clear?
- Are they interested enough to leave an email?
- Do they drop off at a certain point?
The cost? Just a bit of time using tools like WordPress, or even Notion + a form.
Quick Polls and Forms for Direction
Another thing I often do: I send out quick polls or forms—using Google Forms to collect opinions before I commit to a direction.
Let’s say I’m working on a homepage layout, or a new offer. Instead of guessing, I’ll share two versions with a few people and ask:
- Which one feels clearer?
- What would make you trust this more?
- What’s missing?
This type of feedback helps me prioritize content, structure, and even tone of voice without overcomplicating things.
Observing Behavior
When I can, I like to observe how people interact with a concept. If it’s a website, I’ll check where they drop off. For this, I rely on Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity.
Google Analytics helps me track the bigger picture: where users are coming from, how long they’re staying, and where they drop off. It gives me the hard numbers I need to see if the flow makes sense or if something’s not clicking.
Then there’s Microsoft Clarity—which I really like for session recordings and heatmaps. It lets me watch real user behavior: where they move their mouse, what they click on, where they get stuck. It’s incredibly useful for spotting friction that wouldn’t show up in a form or a conversation.
Research Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive
I know how tempting it is to skip user research, especially when you’re working with tight budgets, tight deadlines, or clients who just want to jump into design and development. I’ve been there. But over the years, I’ve learned that even the simplest, scrappiest research can make a huge difference.
For me, user research isn’t about fancy tools or big teams, it’s about staying curious, asking the right questions, and listening without assumptions. Some of the best product decisions I’ve made came from casual conversations, early feedback on rough ideas, or quick landing page tests that told me what people actually wanted, not just what I thought they wanted.
That’s how I do it. It’s not always perfect, but it’s real, and it works.
