For this very reason, the designers of such marketing tools as a website or an application, have been using the knowledge of psychology in their work for years.
And rightly so!
With a better understanding of the mechanisms that govern the human brain and empathy for consumer behavior and preferences, today we can design the kind of services that best meet customer goals and increase customer satisfaction.
Today I have prepared for you 5 main laws, the application of which will bring your website closer to customers.
Ready?
Principles of psychology to make your website more user-friendly:
1. Isolation effect — what is the significance of the highlight effect in graphics
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The isolation effect, also known as the Von Restorff effect, predicts that when there are many similar elements in a set, the one that stands out is most likely to be remembered. Computer graphics have their place to show off here, but this principle also applies to texts - the highlight can be color, size, form or proportions.
It is worth using this effect to highlight important information in the content (by bolding, increasing free space around, underlining) or CTA (eng. call to action, that is, a call to action) that is intended to prompt the user to take a specific action.
Example:
Have you noticed that “Order” is always highlighted in delivery shopping apps, and “Add to cart” on clothing store pages? Now you know why.
2. Serial Position Effect — where to place the company logo and on which offer?
We tend to selectively memorize the elements of a set. After a while, the recipient of your website will remember the extreme points on the list sooner than those in the middle. The first element is fixed due to long-term memory (i.e. the so-called priority effect), while the last — short-term (the so-called delay effect).
Example:
Web developers use this principle even in the menu — which is why the most important tab is usually placed in the first place, and the call to action in the last place. The serial position effect is also of great use in advertising positioning.
3. Hick's Law — how not to make life difficult for customers?
Hick's Law (also known as Hick's rule or theory) states that the more options to choose from, the harder it is to make it. In fact, an excess of possibilities can lead to the abandonment of the decision, and the lengthening of the purchasing process - to its complete abandonment. If you give the customer a choice between expensive, medium and cheap, his brain will easily match these options to his needs and make a decision. On the other hand, if your website or online store offers you the choice between extra expensive, super expensive, very expensive, expensive, medium, medium, a little cheaper, cheap, and super cheap... it will go crazy sooner!
Example:
In fact, Hick's Law has more applications than you might think. From choosing products and adding them to the cart, through price list options depending on the level of service (such as basic and premium packages), to the purchase itself with payment redirection and thank you for transactions. A good marketing strategy uses Hick's Law every step of the way.
4. The Law of Proximity — Do Distances Affect Perception?
Our brain pays more attention and more easily associates objects that are close to each other than those that are far away. We have a natural tendency to organize and group things, so if your website has elements that are related to each other, it will be best to place them close together. Then the probability of attracting the attention of users increases.
Example:
Types of services, popular categories, inspiration galleries, or user reviews.
5. Fitts Law — Good UX can play with size
The last, but not the least important law, the application of which affects the behavior of users, speaks about the size of the elements of the website. According to Fitts Law, the time it takes for a user to reach his goal depends on how far he has to look for it. In short — the more important the element, the bigger and easier it should be to hit (and click with the mouse).
Example:
Pay attention to the call to action buttons and områder (areas of concentration), which constitute the most important element of the website. In addition to the fact that they are distinguished according to the effect of insulation, very often they are also larger and close to each other.
