Increasing Membership Conversion through Effective UI/UX Design in Fitness Websites

The purpose of this article was to investigate the power of an effective user interface on the effectiveness of fitness websites in converting visitors into members. Existing scientific literature tell us that elements such as visual appeal, clear navigation, persuasive call-to-action elements, transparent content, and responsive design are very important for building trust and influencing consumer behaviour. However, research focusing specifically on the fitness industry remains limited, and this study aims to address that gap. A mixed-methods research design was used. In the first phase, a heuristic evaluation was conducted using a comprehensive checklist that examined visual design and branding, navigation and information architecture, the effectiveness of call-to-action elements, content clarity and transparency, mobile responsiveness and performance, as well as trust and credibility indicators. In the second phase, a quantitative survey was administered to fifty potential customers who rated each website on a scale from one to five across these dimensions. The survey results were analyzed and compared against the heuristic evaluation findings to provide a robust overview of the websites’ performance. The main findings show that the website with the most refined design, intuitive navigation, and strong trust signals achieved the highest ratings, whereas the website with a more cluttered layout and less persuasive call-to-action elements received lower scores. The study contributes to the field by offering some guidelines for improving website design and by validating theoretical models that link digital design with consumer behavior in the fitness industry.