A practical guide to conducting effective user interviews

User interviews are one of the most valuable tools for content teams, yet they're often rushed, poorly structured, or skipped entirely. When done well, they provide direct insight into what users need, how they think, and where your content might be missing the mark.

The problem is that many teams conduct user interviews without a clear plan. Questions are improvised, conversations drift off-topic and so the insights gathered are too vague to be useful. Effective user interviews bridge the gap between what we think users need and what they actually need, revealing the language users naturally use and the problems they're trying to solve.

In this article, we'll explore how to plan, conduct, and analyse user interviews that generate actionable insights for your content strategy.

User interviews offer something that analytics and data alone cannot: context. While your website analytics might tell you that users are leaving a particular page, an interview can reveal why they're leaving and what they were hoping to find instead.

For content teams, user interviews can:

• Validate assumptions
• Uncover content gaps
• Discover the actual terminology audiences use
• Identify pain points in the user journey
• Build empathy within your team

Consider a local council website. Analytics might show that the "apply for a parking permit" page has a high bounce rate. But only through interviews might you discover that users can't find the page because they're searching for "resident parking" or "parking pass" instead. This insight directly informs not just the content but also the information architecture and metadata.

The success of a user interview is largely determined before you even speak to anyone. Proper preparation means you're speaking to the right people, asking the right questions, and creating an environment where users feel comfortable sharing honest feedback.

Be clear about what you want to learn. Focus on specific questions like:

• What problems are users trying to solve?
• How do users describe our services in their own words?
• Where do users struggle in our content journey?

Having clear goals helps you design better questions and recruit the right participants.

Your participants should represent your actual or target audience. Aim for 5 to 8 participants for each user group. Research shows that you'll uncover most usability issues and themes within this range.

A discussion guide is not a rigid script, but rather a framework that keeps the conversation focused whilst allowing for natural exploration. Structure it with an introduction, warm-up questions, main questions that address your research goals, follow-up prompts and a closing.

Example questions might include:

• "Can you tell me about the last time you needed to find information about [topic] on our website?"
• "What words would you use to describe [product/service] to a friend?"
• "Walk me through what you're thinking as you look at this page."

The interview itself is where preparation pays off. Your goal is to create a comfortable environment where participants feel safe sharing their true thoughts and experiences.

Start with questions that help the participant relax. Thank them for their time and remind them that there are no right or wrong answers.

Your job is to facilitate, not to explain or defend your content. If a participant criticises something, resist the urge to justify it. Instead, probe deeper: "Can you tell me more about that?"

Use the power of silence. When a participant finishes speaking, pause for a moment. They often use this space to add important details they initially forgot to mention.

Questions that begin with "how", "what", or "why" encourage detailed responses. When participants give vague answers, gently push for concrete examples: "Can you give me a specific example of when that happened?"

Shortly after each interview, review your notes whilst the conversation is fresh. After completing all interviews, look for patterns: What problems were mentioned by multiple people? What terminology did users consistently employ? Where did users express confusion?

Transform observations into specific recommendations. For example:

Observation: Three participants couldn't locate the eligibility criteria for a programme.

Insight: The heading "Requirements" doesn't clearly communicate that this section explains who can apply.

Action: Change the heading to "Who can apply" and move it higher on the page.

Create a brief summary that includes key themes, direct quotes that illustrate important points, specific recommendations for content improvements, and priority levels for each recommendation.

User interviews are an investment that pays dividends in better content and improved user satisfaction. By preparing thoroughly, conducting interviews with empathy and skill, and analysing findings systematically, you'll gather insights that transform how you create content.

Start small if you need to – even three to five interviews can reveal critical issues and opportunities. The key is to approach user interviews as an ongoing practice, not a one-off exercise. Speaking directly to users ensures you're building content that genuinely meets their needs.