Simple & Actionable Hacks to make your Web Design (a lot) more Persuasive!

Here is how we design websites that get the job done for our clients While designing a website the first thing that pops in our mind is how to design a persuasive and effective website that will manage to instantly catch the eyes of prospective customers. There are many different elements to consider in your pursuit for higher conversions and more engagement. Here are a few actionable tips inspired by Suzan Weinschenk, the author of the book “Neuro Web Design: What Makes Them Click?” that can help you achieve your website’s goals.

Keep your sentences short and to the point

The first thing that you should consider while designing a website is the length of the sentences. Interestingly, the longer the line of text the faster people will read it. The optimal length is 100 characters per line however for an optimal and likable readable experience keep it between 45 and 72 characters. This is mainly because people would prefer reading shorter lines rather than huge paragraphs.

Design your website so that your prospective customers don’t have to multitask

If people think as humans we can multi-task, think again, the truth is we can’t multitask as the brain is not meant to function in that way. What we actually do is a switch from one task to the other and when we switch we are not retaining anything properly. This means that we may not be performing as well as we think we are.

“Switch Tasking” only works when you’ve performed a series of tasks multiple times before. Make sure that you don’t try to make your customers focus on three different things at a time. When doing web design, it is advisable to arrange the sequence of information and the layout of your images and copy carefully without unnecessary distractions. This is especially important for the main and important pages of your website such as sign up pages, checkout pages, and product pages.

Use colors wisely

Another important thing is to pair your colors well. For example, red and blue together are too hard on the eyes. This effect is called Chromostereopsis which is strongest with red and blue or even red and green. These colors create an optical illusion of colors trying to jump out and so they make it very tiring for our eyes to look at. When choosing the colors for your website design, go with pastel background. Don’t use 2 strong colors and always go with dark fonts on light backgrounds.

Use pictures, bullets and don’t forget to batch your messages up into clusters

Despite all the new technology, reading text online can still cause fatigue. This is mainly because our eyes are not meant to read text online. So rather than clustering everything together, it is better to break things down a bit. This can be done by using bullet points, shorter paragraphs, and even subcategories so the readability of your text is clear. And use a lot of pictures wherever possible as it makes it easier to comprehend the message visually.

Use the right fonts

Shape and size also do matter. Don’t use fancy fonts but rather use fonts that are readable and clear. Avoid using skinny and small fonts. The best font size is 14 or 16; this would generally make it easier for your customers to go through your website without much hassle.

Now the human brain can only remember 3 to 4 things at a time and that too for only for around 20 seconds before your information disappears into a vault of their subconscious minds. That doesn’t mean you can only give your customers 3 to 4 options. Simply chunk your information into groups of 3’s or 4’s and this is especially important for your navigation bar.

By giving more than 4 options you can make it difficult for people to decide where to click or even paralyze them from taking any action. The solution to this is to not have too many tabs and to categorize everything into 3-4 main options ideally.

These simple yet effective web design and user experience considerations will make a huge difference in how your customers experience your website and respond to your messaging.

Edited By: Avdhoot Shitre