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Is your website the hard-working sales funnelyou intended it to be?

We reveal 10 facts about the human brain that could transform how you create your next website

or design project.

Is your website the hard-working sales funnelyou intended it to be?

We reveal 10 facts about the human brain that could transform how you create your next website

or design project.

Is your website the hard-working sales funnel

you intended it to be?

Is your website the hard-working sales funnelyou intended it to be?

We reveal 10 facts about the human brain that could transform how you create your next website

or design project.

Is your website the hard-working sales funnelyou intended it to be?

We reveal 10 facts about the human brain that could transform how you create your next website

or design project.

Is your website the hard-working sales funnel

you intended it to be?

The human brain is built in such a way that with just a few key psychological learnings you can predict user

behaviour with enough accuracy to create a website that will help aid enquiries, subscriptions and sales.

1.

OUR BRAIN HAS ALEFT SIDE AND A RIGHT SIDE.

L

1.

OUR BRAIN HAS ALEFT SIDE AND A RIGHT SIDE.

L R

1.

OUR BRAIN HAS ALEFT SIDE AND A RIGHT SIDE.

L

The analytical left side of the brain learns most effectively through words and algorithms...

R

...while the right side of the brain relies on

visual cues and emotions.

H O W T O A P P LY I T ?

Use visual elements in the form of photographs, videos,

diagrams and written descriptions to appeal to

both sides of the brain.

2.

COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS.

Gathering and analysing data to make a decision is tiring, so the brain only sees it as a worthwhile task if the benefit is worth the energy expenditure.

R E W A R D

Gathering and analysing data to make a decision is tiring, so the brain only sees it as a worthwhile task if the benefit is worth the energy expenditure.

H O W T O A P P LY I T ?

Make your user experience intuitive and avoidcomplex chunks of information, so you can keep brains engaged

and keep users on your site.

3.

WE DEPEND ON MENTAL MODELS.

Just as we expect a light to turn on when we push a switch downwards, we have come to expect websites to

function in a certain way.

Just as we expect a light to turn on when we push a switch downwards, we have come to expect websites to

function in a certain way.

The brain seeks out those common mental models.

i n t u i t i o n

Follow your own intuitive behaviour on other sites and never reinvent the wheel (or should we say ‘the scroll’).

H O W T O A P P LY I T ?

4.

INSTINCTS RULE.

We are still ruled by the most basic part of our brain – the basal ganglia – where quick, instinctive decisions are made and survival behaviours are controlled.

We are still ruled by the most basic part of our brain – the basal ganglia – where quick, instinctive decisions are made and survival behaviours are controlled.

The ‘five second test’

helps designers determine their

website’s success by testing what users remember about a

website or internal pages in just five

seconds.

H O W T O A P P LY I T ?

http://fivesecondtest.com/

5.

EMOTIONS CREATE MEMORIES.

If an experience isextremely positive or extremely negative

it is more likely to be remembered by the user.

12a

If an experience isextremely positive or extremely negative

it is more likely to be remembered by the user.

12a

Use an uplifting video, include some fun gamification elementsor offer exceptional customer service to create a positive and

memorable emotional experience.

H O W T O A P P LY I T ?

6.

HICK’S LAW.

http://www.jedbrubaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Day7-HicksLaw.pdf

We all claim to want more choice, but Hick’s Law proves that eventually the energy required to make a decision with multiple options is deemed unworthy of the pay-off.

Remove unnecessary or irrelevant options, especially in the checkout and subscription areas

of your website.

H O W T O A P P LY I T ?

Black Red

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7.

THERE ARE SIX KEY PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL INFLUENCE.

Businesses can use the six key principles of social influenceto steer website visitors in the right direction.

c o m m i t m e n t

( a n d c o n s i s t e n cy )

?

s o c i a l p r o o f

r e c i p r o c a t i o n

s c a r c i t y

a u t h o r i t y

l i k i n g

12b

Offer website visitors something in exchange for their email addresses to touch on reciprocation.

Analyse social proof in the form of Facebook 'likes'.

Demonstrate scarcity by showing when something is nearly sold out.

H O W T O A P P LY I T ?

8.

THE BRAIN WILL DISREGARDUNNECESSARY INFORMATION.

Our brains are hardwired to proactively ignore anything irrelevant to what we are seeking or need to know.

Our brains are hardwired to proactively ignore anything irrelevant to what we are seeking or need to know.

Clearly label important elements on your website and avoid clutter.

H O W T O A P P LY I T ?

9.

FACIAL RECOGNITION.

Humans have evolved with a subconscious ability to read facial expressions and designers can use this to set a particular mood and tone for users.

Humans have evolved with a subconscious ability to read facial expressions and designers can use this to set a particular mood and tone for users.

Use authentic photographs (not stock images) or videos of expressive individuals to set a

mood and encourage an emotional response.

H O W T O A P P LY I T ?

10.

GESTALT PRINCIPLES.

At a basic level, Gestalt Principles refers to theories describing how people organise visual elements into groups or unified

wholes when certain principles are applied.

When your first impression of a website design is positive,it’s likely because Gestalt Principles are involved.

The Gestalt Principles are:

similarity when objects look similar.

continuation when the eye is compelled to move from one object to another.

proximity when items are placed together so they appear as a group.

closure when an object is incomplete but enough shape is indicated so it makes sense.

figure and ground a silhouette or shape is naturally perceived as a figure or object, while the surrounding area is perceived as groundor background.

The Gestalt Principles are:

similarity when objects look similar.

continuation when the eye is compelled to move from one object to another.

proximity when items are placed together so they appear as a group.

closure when an object is incomplete but enough shape is indicated so it makes sense.

figure and ground a silhouette or shape is naturally perceived as a figure or object, while the surrounding area is perceived as groundor background.

H O W T O A P P LY I T ?

By paying attention to how Gestalt Principles work together you can see how elements should be grouped together on a page and which elements should share similar characteristics.

Review your website to test whether it makes sense as a whole or to see if you need to apply these principles to various elements so they work better together.

H O W T O A P P LY I T ?

Contact your local Snap Centre for more information on how we can help you

create a websitethat appeals to the human brain.