Adding a new feature to an existing website

Question

There is always the simple UX for having a popup when you log back into a site you frequently visit that says "Hey, look at this new feature we added! etc.."

I am convinced there is more of a subtle way of having the user experience a new feature on their own. ALmost as if something were embedded onto the page that called out "New Feature here! come try it out!" then would dissolve after the User experienced it.

Is this a common practice? And/or is there a more standard conventional way of handling this?

Answer 1

If you want to let people know that there are new features in a subtle way, simply mark them with something that lets them stand out from older features. That way you make use of a person's natural curiosity to get them to see what it is that makes it different.

I would suggest using a sash / ribbon on the corner of whatever someone has to select to see the new content. If you have enough space, you can also include the text "New" on there, but this is not strictly speaking necessary.

Answer 2

Instead of using the sash which is a staple in packaging and printed material, you might want to try some thing more web... a subtle banner above the standard content. It disrupts the expected experience just enough catch attention but not enough to distract a busy user from quickly getting to their intended goal. The area should include a close or X for the user to dismiss once they've taken notice.

Include a link to the new feature or include some incentive to use it. LinkedIn and Facebook have successfully used this method for multiple new features.