4 web design tips based on the science of the brain
We explore four web design tips based on these studies of the science of the brain.
Some WordPress website design ideas are backed up by legitimate neuroscience (the science of the brain). Studies on the brain and through Cognitive Psychology have allowed us to determine how information is taken in and this, in turn, relates back to how we design websites. By making a website that is perfectly suited to be easy to read and understand you can increase the chances of engagement. Cognitive psychology is the study of mental processes such as “attention, language use, memory, perception, problem solving, creativity, and thinking”. Cognitive psychologists, sometimes called brain scientists, study how the human brain works — how we think, remember and learn. They apply psychological science to understand how we perceive events and make decisions. Herein we explore four web design tips based on these studies of the science of the brain.
1. Navigation Menus
The most logical way to set out a navigation menu is with the important things at the front and the least important things at the end. In reality, however, the brain engages with the start and end of the list more effectively than with the middle. Putting the unimportant items in the middle will help the short-term memory to recall the important parts of your navigation bar.
2. Emphasise immediate gains
Humans are poor at carrying out cost vs benefit calculations. We all overvalue the potential losses and undervalue the benefits of an action. To counteract this you need to focus your website on the losses suffered by not using your service and emphasise the immediate gains. Do not assume that customers will automatically see the benefit of using your service because oftentimes they will not.
3. Encourage herd behaviour
Humans tend to do what they see other people doing. This herd behaviour can be utilised if you use testimonials and share your social media profiles to show that people are engaging with you. ‘Trust seals’ such as membership of certain groups, certificates and awards can also be used to engage this herd mentality
4. Use simple language
WordPress web design also needs to make use of simple language that is not intimidating to the reader. Neuroscience shows that readers are put off by text that makes them feel stupid, so language should be tailored to a lower literacy level.
iFactory is a custom WordPress web design agency that uses design techniques that have been tested and established as successful. With custom web design you can ensure that your website is maximised to achieve the best results. To find out more how we can help you with custom WordPress development contact us.
