What can Psychological Studies Teach Us about UX and Web Design Principles?

User Experience (UX) has many components in it, and among them, psychology plays a predominant role in increasing user engagement and conversion. Grabbing the attention of the audience and the users have always been a big challenge for the marketers, and with the competitive nature of the web world, it has become even more pertinent. If you want your visitors to perform the desired action, considering the psychological aspects of design becomes vital. There are few theories and practices of practical psychology which if followed the results would flow like magic. Why magic? A magician is adept in managing your attention to notice what they want you to.

Using these psychological tips would also help you to adjust the vision and perception of your visitors and make them focus on what you want them to focus on. In this way, you can persuade them to do what you want them to do. On the other hand not using the theories of practical psychology can distract your visitors and focus on the unimportant things. Just like a magician the marketer also needs to attract and manage the attention of the customers and a greatly designed UX applying the underlying tenets of psychology would effortlessly do that. Here’s how to do it.

Social proof

Social proof is a principle of psychology and sociology which tell us that when people are in confusion, they tend to follow the behavior of other people. This principle of social proof can be applied efficiently to gain the trust of the prospects and customers by highlighting the affiliations of well-known and renowned organizations. Another example of gaining trust by using social proof principle is to show users the followers of your brand on social media or your subscriber list. You can also show the instances of people joining your site if it is a site asking for more registration or subscription. Exemplifying the users with exceptional user reviews, testimonials, and social media shares also increase credibility. Showing the prospects the other different products that other customers have shown interest in would arouse curiosity and interest in them. This may also lead to a probable purchase.

Principle of reciprocation

The principle of reciprocation states that if you do any favor to anyone, they are most likely to return the favor to you. It means if you give your prospects and users something useful, they are most likely to return the favor by doing business with you. Giving something useful to the users may be in the form of white papers, eBooks, newsletters, articles, cheat sheets, webinars, videos, podcasts, etc. You can also offer something free in the way of free shipping or other useful services that they need. These offers should be vividly displayed on your website to attract the attention of the users and visitors.

Apply scarcity in your design

Diamonds are valuable because they are a scarce commodity. Several research studies have been conducted to conclude the fact that demand increases as supply decreases. This principle can be well applied to the design of your site by making few opportunities available for a limited time. This can be discount offers for a limited time, time-bound purchases or keeping a sales deadline. Another way to use this principle is to highlight the product that is scarce in supply.

Use Comparisons

It is often observed that people make comparisons to come to a decision. This principle can be used efficiently to let them feel that they have won a bargain. People tend to avoid the extremes, and so a gradual increase of price to the highest highlighting the middle option would make them compare and choose the middle option. In this way, you can make the mid-range price seem much more appealing to the visitors and prospects as keeping the options side by side would make them see the comparison explicitly.

Use the principle of contrast

The principle of contrast states that it is more likely that people would remember what stands out from the others. Although marketers and the designers are on the lookout for the color that converts the most, it is actually the contrast that sells. The truth is what stands out from the others gets attracted and clicked and what blends in is ignored. Research studies conducted also support the fact that the color that stands out from the rest converts the most. Using this principle, an eye-catching Call-to-Action button which is in sharp contrast to the background will undoubtedly convert more. Care should be taken to see that the color used does not blend with the background.

Conclusion

Influencing the users using the principles of cognitive psychology pays the most as they can be aligned with the business goals and objectives. Using the five triggers described above, you can control and guide the experiences through design which would turn the visitors into leads and leads into customers even more quickly.

Key Takeaways

• If you want your visitors to perform the desired action on your site, considering the psychological aspects of design becomes vital.
• Applying the psychological principles can help in more conversion but on the other hand not using the theories of practical psychology can distract your visitors and focus on the unimportant things.
• Influencing the users using the principles of cognitive psychology pays the most as they can be aligned with the business goals and objectives.