Empty states are an area of UX that can create big wins when you get them right, but can be a let down when you get them wrong.
It probably goes without saying that you should have something in an empty state instead of just emptiness, but are you thinking about the various ways empty states can show up for your user?
I think a lot of companies think about empty states for new users who haven’t filled a particular space with anything yet.
But, they also exist when content is removed, expired, or moved. The user isn’t new at this point, but if the empty state goes back to the same content as when they were a brand new user it can sometimes be a bit wonky.
An example would probably help.
Empty state for Hinge’s “Likes” feature
The dating app Hinge has a great UI and most of their Content Design is top-notch, so this is no knock on the app as a whole. However, I recently noticed an empty state that didn’t make me, as a seasoned user of the app feel all that great.
Even if you’ve never used apps for dating, you probably can quickly make sense of what the Likes folder is for. This is where all the people interested in you (expressed by selecting either a heart or sending a rose in Hinge) will hang out and then it’s up to you to go in and either match with that person, or decline to match.
Here’s what it looks like when you’ve got someone in your options.
If you’re a paying user, you can see all your likes at once. If you’re on the free account it’s one at a time.
So far, this is all great UX.
Likes empty state
Let me start by saying, I’ve been a member of Hinge for a while now. I’ve sent and received likes. However, at the moment I’ve cleared out that folder. So, no current likes.
But here’s the empty state I see:
It may seem nitpicky, but the copy “No likes quite yet” only works great for a new user. It’s not great for someone who’s been on the platform for several months and has had previous likes.
My first thought when I saw it was, “I’ve had likes before! I just don’t have any new ones right now!”
The body copy is good and attempts to reassure me that someone, someday, will probably like me. But I’m still left feeling a bit miffed by that headline.
How would I change this?
Like I said before, I’d leave this as is for a brand new user.
But, for an existing user who has had likes in the past, I’d change the headline to something like one of the following (I’d probably test these with users)
No new likes
No new likes for now
No new likes at the moment
I’d add “new” in each of these headlines because I want the person using the app to feel seen. There are no “new” likes, but we know you’ve had likes before.
Also, I’d ditch the exclamation point. Having no likes on a dating app is the opposite of exciting news. (Ask me how I know…)
What do you think? Would you change this empty state or leave it as is? Are you working on a similar project and need help? Get it touch and I’d be happy to chat!