WHITEPAPER
BEHAVIOURAL PSYCHOLOGY PRINCIPLES THAT HELP OPTIMIZE CONVERSION
ACCELERATE DIGITAL GROWTH WITH THESE BEHAVIOURAL PSYCHOLOGY EXAMPLES
Accelerating digital growth in a fast paced world of programmatic marketing, AI, machine learning, robotization and rising customer’s expectations has never been more complex as it is fun and challenging. In addition, client expectations are rising. In this whitepaper you’ll find some examples of behavourial psychology we’- ve seen in our studies for you to learn from when improving your website.
LISTENING TO CUSTOMERS
At WUA, we listen to consumers when advising our clients on how to improve your customer experience. In our evergrowing Benchmark, we have data derived from thousands and thousands of customer experiences when consumers are orientating themselves on a product or service. We combine the latest insights from scientific research concerning consumer psychology and UX research with our extensive knowledge and provide you with best practices to learn from. To see the bigger picture we also draw on behavioural and consumer psychology, to explain consumer feedback and put that in a broader perspective.
With this combination of Benchmark data, scientific research and theories we guide our clients and help them improve their conversion rates and boost online sales.
EXAMPLES OF BEHAVIOURAL & CONSUMER PSYCHOLOGY
In this whitepaper you’ll find stories with examples of behavioural and consumer psychology principles that we found in our studies and use in our reporting. Among them The Bandwagon Effect, Isolation effect, and much more.
Eventhough we love to think of ourselves as unique, there’s an awful lot of things we have in common when reacting on websites, apps, online stimuli, and so on. After all, we are only humans, right?
1. THE TRUTH BEHIND: “A PICTURE IS WORTH A 1,000 WORDS.”
We live in a fast-paced society where instant gratification has become the norm. The internet has become the number one tool to satisfy our impatient quest for both knowledge and entertainment, but not all websites have adapted accordingly.
READERS DO NOT READ A WEBSITE THE SAME WAY THEY READ A BOOK
Research by the Nielsen Norman Group (NNG) shows that website visitors only read an average of 20% of the available text. A website is not read the same way as a book, but more like an advertisement that gets put in your hand while you are trying to catch the train.
When we scan a text we search for keywords, summaries, informative (sub)headings, and images. What do you do when your zealous content marketeer does not want to part with their extensive prose? Remind them that an image truly is worth more than a thousand words.
ONCE YOU START, YOU ARE HALF FINISHED
The user experience within the first 10 seconds on a website is critical and determines whether or not someone sticks around to find out more. “Does this page have what I’m looking for and is it worthy of my precious time?” For the next 20 seconds, people are still likely to leave. Within that short timeframe, the visitor determines if the website is worth their time. The headings, bullet points and images must display the right information about your brand or product to capture the visitor’s eye and hold their attention. Research shows that you can actually win minutes of screentime with a clear (value) proposition in the first 10 seconds.
TEXT VERSUS IMAGE
We now know that 80% of the text on a website is not read by the website visitor. This tells us that explaining things in more detail is not the solution. Text is a relatively recent invention. Our prehistoric brains are not necessarily geared towards text just yet. Images are processed 60,000 times faster than text; an image is recognized in just 13 milliseconds. Furthermore, 90% of the information that reaches our brain is visual.
So, in the limited amount of time people use to decide if they are going to stick around, significantly more convincing information is conveyed using images, keywords, and bullet points that explain or illustrate your message.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT IMAGE
Images play a major role in the search for information, as long as the images are actually informative. Informative in this context means ‘relevant’: the images complement the written words or illustrate brand values. State Farm presents a good example: the brand value “Here to help. Now and in the future” is supported by an image of a State Farm representative comforting someone who has just lost their home to a hurricane.
“I like the picture and the saying they had on their opening page. It had two people standing and hugging where their house used to be. It said, “let us help you recover.” It is good to know that a company can relate to that kind of pain and suffering.”
A bit less heavy on emotion but building on the same principle is Sonnet, a Canadian insurance provider that sells car insurance. An image of a father cleaning his car together with his kids is fun, relatable, and relevant. Other images on their webpage display their main proposition: ‘Buy auto insurance online.’
In our research, we still see many companies that decide to use an image of a pretty face behind a laptop, a man in a suit pretending to use his phone or smiling people all around. Images that are merely decorative are largely ignored, while informative images are actually viewed.
The rule here is that the first image sets the tone. If the first image is a decorative (stock) image, the rest will be ignored, making it more difficult for you to make the most out of those precious first ten seconds.
HOW TO CATCH THE READER’S ATTENTION IN 30 SECONDS
There is certainly truth to the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words.” As long as this image is informative and accompanied by text that is organized by keywords, bullet points, and concise headings. This is how you can catch the reader’s attention in 30 seconds:
- A clear value proposition buys you minutes of screen time 2. Use keywords, bullet points, and concise headings 3. Images should be relevant to the message and must either display your product or illustrate brand values
ONCE YOU START, YOU ARE HALF FINISHED
2. PLANTING RED TOMATOES: CATCH ONLINE VISITORS’ ATTENTION
Wouldn’t it be great if you could immediately grab the attention of every visitor to your website? To spark their interest and lead them in the right direction? To make sure they see exactly what you want them to see? Well, guess what: you can!
Making a good first impression is all about having images that match your product and brand values, along with easy-to-scan text and concise headers. You’ll also win extra minutes of screen time with a value proposition that is instantly clear during those precious first 10 seconds your potential customer spends on your page.
But what if your customers don’t see your carefully crafted value proposition and USPs? Or have a hard time finding the most relevant information? In that case, read on and learn how you can take control of your visitors’ attention.
FORM AND FUNCTION
Web design has 2 basic functionalities: an aesthetic side and a functional side. These 2 sides work together to create an appealing, easy-to-use website:
- When it comes to aesthetics, your website should be at least somewhat pleasing to the eye, should match your product and brand, and instill the right feeling in your visitors. This can be best compared to the design of a physical store: it should look nice, well-kept and clean, and generally give customers a positive feeling about what you have to offer.
- The functional side of design is about helping visitors understand how to use the website and creating hierarchy in the content and navigation. Again, think of a physical store. If you’re a shopkeeper, you wouldn’t want your customers to wonder where they are or where to go next; it should be clear where to start, where the help desk and check-out counter are, and, of course, the special offers must stand out. The same applies to your website.
When we talk about the functional side of web design, there are 2 methods that have been proven to help you guide your visitors’ attention. These are, 1) the Law of Common Region, and 2) the Isolation Effect.
1. GROUPING INFORMATION TOGETHER
The Law of Common Region is a law of perception based on Gestalt psychology. It’s actually a set of laws that explain how humans make sense of their visual environment. It states that elements that share a region or space are grouped together as one.
Usually, a webpage contains multiple pieces of content that should be viewed as one piece; for example, a section on your brand, a navigation section, a news section and so on. Creating multiple groups out of one can be as easy as using boxes or background colors. Your visitor will immediately see that the page contains 3 different pieces of content instead of one.
Here’s what this looks like in practice: Essent.nl has won the hearts of consumers in 3 WUA Sales Scans, partly because it is easy to scan and explore.
The different sections of the page are easily discernible from one another: There’s a header with the main proposition, a section with a whiteback-ground that highlights product features and USP’s, a third section in grey that starts the sales funnel and, finally, a pink section where customers can immediately request a quote or get advice. The information is clearly grouped together, so visitors can scan the page for the content they’re looking for.
Note how the orange button on the pink background stands out most visibly. And this brings us to the second highly effective method for structuring your website’s content: the Isolation Effect.
2. ISOLATION EFFECT
Now that your visitors can actually see that your page has multiple pieces of content, it’s important to create a visual “hierarchy.” That means making it clear which items you want to stand out more than others. Start with the order in which content is presented. With mobile content, order of appearance is your main tool (more on this topic coming soon!). With computer screens, you have more space to work with, so you can fit more information onscreen. The abundance of information causes your visitor’s eyes to wander on the page, though. That’s why you have to latch onto their gaze and hold it!
The most important information has to stand out. The element that “screams” loudest will always attract the most attention. This is called the Isolation Effect. Nobel Prize-winning psychologist and economist Daniel Kahneman explains how people have “a tendency to act on information that stands out and differs from the rest. When the item in question stands out less, the likelihood of it being remembered also decreases.”
MAKE ELEMENTS STAND OUT
So, remember: you can (and must) take control of your visitors’ attention by making some elements stand out more than others. In the picture below, the red tomato clearly stands out from all the green tomatoes in the background. This makes it the item with the greatest visual impact. Compare this effect with the second image: all the sunflowers are equally bright in color. As a result, none of them stands out from the rest.
The key takeaway is that if all your CTAs and content are equal in color and size, they all lose value!
In our entertainment study (USA 2019), Netflix takes the isolation effect to the next level, with a black page that contains some clear “red tomatoes.”
MAKING THE RATING STAND OUT TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR VISITORS’ GAZE
Inshared is a Dutch insurance provider. Eye-catching pink is the main color used on their site, except when it comes to their customer satisfaction rating! As an online-only insurance provider, being perceived as reliable can be a challenge. By making the rating stand out most, they take control of their visitors’ gaze.
Their current page uses moving elements to catch the visitors’ attention even more. So, color is not the only tool at your disposal when it comes to attracting attention. Motion, size and basically anything that stands out will do the trick!
WHAT DO YOU NEED YOUR CUSTOMERS NEED TO SEE FIRST?
The Law of Common Region and the Isolation Effect are 2 proven tools that let your potential buyers easily grasp your page and see the unique value of your product. So, when choosing a web design, always start with the most important question: What do you think your customers need to see first? By answering that question first, you’ll be well on your way to a higher conversion rate.
3. A MORE PERSUASIVE WEBSITE: THE BANDWAGON EFFECT
Research on the “Bandwagon effect” shows that people truly are ‘herd animals’. The Bandwagon phenomenon describes people’s tendency to conform to a group. Some proven methods, such as social proof, testimonials, and client cases, effectively play into this ‘Bandwagon effect’. But what is the Bandwagon effect exactly? And... how can you benefit from the knowledge you have on this effect when optimizing your digital customer experience?
THE EFFECT: A COGNITIVE BIAS
The Bandwagon Effect refers to people doing or saying things just because other people are doing or saying them – often they ignore their own principles or the underlying evidence telling them that they shouldn’t. This has been proven in the Asch Conformity Test, in which research participants were asked to point out two lines that have the same length. They initially had a little trouble with the task at hand, until other ‘test subjects’ (actors) claimed two lines (with different lengths) had the same length. Overall, 75% of participants gave at least one incorrect answer out of 12 trials.
The general rule is that conduct or beliefs spread among people (becoming trending), with “the probability of any individual adopting it increasing with the proportion of people who have already done so” (Colman, Andrew 2003). The more people believe it, the sooner other people “jump on the bandwagon”. This effect creates a cognitive bias, influenced and caused by social factors like ‘groupthink’ and the desire to be included. Basically it’s a safe bet to do as others have done.
IF EVERYONE JUMPED OFF A BRIDGE, WOULD YOU?
If everyone jumped off a bridge, would you? You wouldn’t, of course, but if many people tell you that you should, because it is such an incredible experience and you find out that even your favorite celebrity has done it, you will be more inclined to follow suit.
The Bandwagon Effect is observable both offline and online. It can be observed in fashion trends, political preference, music (the more people listen to a certain band, the more popular it becomes) and even the stock market is subject to the Bandwagon Effect.
HOW TO USE THE “JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON EFFECT” TO IMPROVE YOUR DIGITAL CX
Add reviews to your website: “X people rate our product with an 8.9!” Or, “Already more than 690,000 satisfied customers.” Items such as “Best Seller” and “Most chosen option” fall into the same category. More on Social Proof in the next chapter!
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Client Case: a story in which a product is explained. How does it work, when does it apply, and how has the product added value for your customers? A client case is an example of 1 customer. It is therefore primarily a supplement to the opinion of many, which goes a bit further than just a rating.
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Testimonials: people with authority in their field have a far-reaching opinion. Consider, for example, the so-called “endorsements” in American commercials, “4 out of 5 dentists recommend Colgate”, “the most used brand of toothbrush according to dentists.”
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Quality certifications are quality marks issued by reliable organizations. A good example is the CE mark on products as per the Better Business Bureau (Consumentenbond in the Netherlands). Quality certifications are also a form of social proof.
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Show activity on your website: showing customer activity on the website does not only create urgency but also shows that there are others interested in a particular product or making your product appear more desirable.
4. HOW TO: 6 WAYS TO SHOW SOCIAL PROOF ON A WEBSITE
Robert Cialdini first gave it a name: the social and psychological phenomenon in which people who are uncertain of what to do copy the actions of others. Social Proof is proven method to create a ‘Bandwagon effect’. These are some of the examples we encountered in our studies:
FORMS OF SOCIAL PROOF
- Authority Figure: an expert gives sound advice to a website visitor or a celebrity recomends a product or service. 2. Celebrity: a celebrity recommends a company’s products. 3. User: a user leaves a positive review based on their own experience. 4. The wisdom of the crowd: several people highly recommend the company. 5.The wisdom of friends: your own friends recommend a product or company. 6. Certification: a logo or seal by which the company proves to have earned an award or recognition.
1. AUTHORITY FIGURE GIVES SOUND ADVICE
When choosing health insurance, the offer is extensive and the providers appear similar – which makes it difficult to choose. Independer takes on the role of Expert in this process. After entering several personal details, the comparator provides advice to the consumer.
Influencer marketing is also a form of Expert Social Proof:
In this case an influencer acts as an expert when doing an Instagram takeover for a brand and handing out tips to better work with products/ services of that brand.
2. SOCIAL PROOF BY CELEBRITY: J.K. SIMMONS RECOMMENDS FARMERS INSURANCE’S PRODUCT
J.K. Simmons (LaLaLand, Juno, Wiplash) is the face of Farmers Insurance in the United States. During short 30-second commercials the actor explains what is and isn’t covered when insured through Farmers Insurance. His presence in the commercials was mentioned in the auto insurance study (USA) as well: “Oscar dude appears helpful.” Nike, Elvive, Covergirl, Campina, and RedBull also use celebrities for this purpose.
3 AND 4: A GOOD SCORE: CZ COMBINES WISDOM OF THE CROWD WITH EXPERIENCES FROM THE USER
CZ cleverly works on winning the consumer’s trust on their website. In between the text, the customer will find reviews of consumers. In between the text, a 4 star rating based on more than 4,000 reviews is displayed. A good example of combining the wisdom of the crowd with user experiences.
Furthermore, webshops like Amazon, fonQ, and Coolblue also use the wisdom of the crowd in combination with reviews by the user.
5. YOUR FRIENDS LIKE THIS: SOCIAL PROOF FROM YOUR OWN NETWORK
The ‘wisdom of friends’ is similar to the offline word of mouth. Online word of mouth is given through Facebook by providing tips, pages that your friends will be attending.
Uber (Eats) and OneFit also use the wisdom of friends. With the ‘friends link’ you and your friends can receive a discount on food or a gym membership.
6. SIMPEL: A QUALITY SEAL ENSURES EXTERNAL VALIDATION
6. A QUALITY SEAL ENSURES EXTERNAL VALIDATION
Simpel is a sim-only provider and underlines its message by using statements like “Simpel uses the T-Mobile network: the fastest and best tested mobile network in the Netherlands.” ‘Best tested mobile network’ is a reference to a certification: a quality seal.
Consumentenbond (from the above used seal) and Kieskeurig provide well-known quality seals/labels. Companies like Simpel, Philips, and Stellafietsen display this clearly recognizable external validation on their website.
WUA DIGITAL CX PLATFORM
A WINDOW TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
Benchmarking customer experiences helps you see where you’re winning and need to shape up, to get better performance and more sales.
- See exactly where you stand compared against the competition, and how to improve.
- Guide your conversion optimization efforts with clear priorities.
- Use detailed feedback from hundreds of real customer experiences to boost website performance.
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