8 Web Design Tips Based on Brain Science

Marketing has gone a notch higher in complexity in contemporary time. Not only are marketers using the art of persuasion and the science behind emotions to attract customers, but they have also even gone to the extent of applying brain science. Websites are in present time being designed based on ideals of brain science to achieve better results. The central aspect is to leverage on the tendencies of the brain and use these tendencies to develop a website that will appeal to as many people possible within your target market. To achieve this, we need to understand the underlying functioning of the brain and other mental models that can be translated into a website design. This article will highlight some 8 web design tips from brain science.

Ordering Lists

Typical human behavior shows that people tend to be forgetful of things written in the middle of a list. They tend to specifically remember those that are at the top and those at the bottom. What does this imply? You should try and design your website information, especially, those that are in lists, in order of priority and importance. Rank the message on your list according to importance. The key take away from your website should occupy any position except the middle one. Visitors to your website will end up retaining the essential information more efficiently.

Make More Emphasis on the Negative Aspects

This may sound illogical at the mention of it. You would even be dismissed if you mentioned it in a circle of rational and conservative people or on a philosophy paper. However, brain science has proven that people tend to be drawn to negativity in a more profound way than they would to positive matters. Look at this way; even in ordinary life, people remember the terrible things that you have done to them more readily than they would do concerning the good and noble things that you have done. Use this phenomenon to your benefit. It tends to apply everywhere, even in marketing. Your website can be designed with the same ideals.
To take full advantage of this ideal, tell your readers of all the negative effects, misfortunes and disadvantages that may arise from not using your product or service. Show them how they may suffer atrocities for not associating with your business. Intimate how detrimental it may be to ignore your offers. This will immediately attract the attention of readers. Of course, no one wants to suffer all those atrocities that you’ve mentioned. The next thing that the readers would want is to know how they can access your product or services. Take advantage and put your call to action in a visible and strategic place on your website. Show a sense of urgency by setting limited offers and promotions. This will stimulate your readers to act swiftly in your favor by using your products and services or signing up for your offers.

Show Prices Minimally

 
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Humans can be a funny lot. They may want something so bad, but when it comes to paying for it, they turn the other way. However, we can’t blame them for these tendencies. You would be surprised that neuroscience has an answer to that. The part of the brain that is receptive to physical pain is also activated when one spends money. Thus, we can rightly say that spending hurts people. If you see anyone that’s gloomy after expenditures on some item or service, don’t judge them as misers. They are probably hurt after seeing their money disappear. How can you capitalize on this phenomenon?
If you know that your customers are going to get hurt after spending on your product, then try to lessen this effect. Design your website in a way that prices and other cost implications of a product or service are hidden. Minimize every instance of price on your website. If they have to appear, make them smaller in size so that it may not appear conspicuous to the reader. In essence, reduce the pricey appearance of your product.

Capitalize on the Fear of Missing Out

In general, humans fear losing something more than they want to gain another thing. In fact, the key motivator of action for most human activities is the inherent fear of missing out on something. The guilt, displeasure, and embarrassment that tags along is nothing that they would want to experience. You can leverage the fear of missing out to promote your products and services on your website. An effective way of doing it is using limited-time discounts, flash offers, and limited edition sales. The premise here is to take advantage of this fear of missing out by creating a sense of urgency and scarcity of your products.

The Brain Anchors on What It Sees First

The brain thrives on anchors to make decisions due to the fact that it has an attention span of 8 seconds. Anchoring refers to the tendency of the brain to use and keep the first information that it gets. The first thing that the brain sees and perceives becomes the reference point for everything else that will be seen after.
To illustrate: Imagine that you are walking in an apparel store to shop for a cardigan. The first one that you see costs $50. The second one costs $30, and lastly, the third one you see costs $15. Most probably, you’ll pick the second one because you’ll reason that $50 is too much for a cardigan. You’ll also tend to think that the $15 is of low quality hence the low price.
The above is a practical example of brain anchoring at work. This phenomenon can be applied to your website design to boost your product, service or trade. You merely have to make something appeal to the eye of the visitors. Give an expensive option first, then follow it up with others which have relatively lower prices.

Leverage in Motion

The brain is wired to give more attention to anything that is in motion. In fact, in neuroscience circles, the brain is regarded as a motion detector, and it does so as an instinct. Plainly speaking, people are more susceptible to noticing anything that is moving.
You can utilize this in your web design by incorporating things that are in motion such as videos, animations, etc. they tend to grab the attention of the visitors. Ensure that the motion is closely tied to the offer that you are placing.

Testimonials

People tend to seek evidential facts of something before they acquire, accept and subscribe to it. They need some proof and some engagement from other people. Thus, with this in mind, you should put testimonials of what others have experienced with your products and services. This will be the evidence that will make the prospects make up their mind and take your offer.

Social Proof

Social proof is one of the best-selling points of a website. The fact that your site is being shared across various social networks draws a lot of people. People get drawn to things that have been used and seen by many people. When your offer was, say, tweeted 100 times, people will automatically get drawn to it. They will want to be associated with something that has such social appeal.
Therefore, on your website ensure that you show such evidence of social proof. Make the number of shares that your site has to appear conspicuously on your site.

Conclusion

The 8 tips discussed are sure to help you design your website in a targeted way with ideas of brain science. You are guaranteed to have a better web experience if you apply any of them. Best regards!
BIO: Alice Jones is a tutor & highly skilled web content writer. Love sharing tips and topics about education, management, and marketing. She studied Arts in English at the University of New Orleans. She likes to read different book genres, to attend refresher training and various personal development courses. Connect with her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.