Persuasive web design
Posted by Dan on December 9, 2010
Principles and effects
- Opt-out works better than opt-in
> Make the default option the option that you want the user to take.
Read more: here and see Dan Ariely’s TED.com video about decisions.
- Adding unattractive options makes other options more attractive
> Goldilocks pricing effect (also here)
Limit choice
> 10 or more makes deciding harder. Maximum 7. Depends on content type.
Related to: Goldilocks effect and abundance of choice affects decision making
- Order effect
> Show products from most to least expensive.
Read more: here
Social validation/proof
> Add testimonials and reviews, ratings (or tweets, likes, diggs)
> Reviews work better if users can relate to the reviewer (e.g. mention age, location or occupation)
> Expert opinions work well
Read more: here and Neuro Web Design book
People don’t read on the web, they scan
> Keep texts relevant, short and bulleted to increase the chance they will be read
Give the preffered option prominence
> Promote the product (e.g. on homepage)
> Highlight the product that needs promoting (using background color, font size, ‘popular’ stickers, 3D jump-out effect) to make it stick out when presented near others
Read more: Goldilocks effect
Progress bars
Your profile is x% complete
Awards/levels/points
Download/read this..for free!
Merchandising: support up-selling, cross-selling, and impulse buying.
> Provide ‘others liked’, ‘similar products’ on product detail pages
> Seduce at the right time
Read more: here (!) here , online impulse shopping
Examples: Amazon.com
Seduce but don’t deceive
> Create trust and confidence, demonstrate value, and guide the customer through the decision-making process
> Don’t push, over-manipulate
> Don’t be deceiving (see dark patterns)
>Avoid situations where users may feel cheated
Read more: here
To be continued..
How to implement in your project
How can we leverage {social proof} to get …. (goal) - http://getmentalnotes.com/
Great presentations
http://www.slideshare.net/stephenpa/the-art-science-of-seductive-interactions
Books
http://getmentalnotes.com/resources
Related
http://www.uie.com/articles/chak_interview/
Expert: http://www.schrijvenvoorinternet.nl/
