Numerous experiments have shown that simplifying the appearance, reducing the number of actions that the user needs to take, and other visual methods contribute to increasing loyalty and conversion. Today, our digital agency will tell you how you can increase conversion with the help of design. Recommendations for improving design are based on the basic and inherent features of each person's perception of information and the specifics of people's behavior on the network.
Simplification
The trend towards simplification in the era of post-industrial society is global and is not specific to web design.
The average user spends 3 hours a day on the Internet and is forced to process a large amount of information, the vast majority of which is outright garbage. Both the temporal and cognitive resources of any user are limited. This is the reason for the requirement for simplification:
- Minimum of distracting details and content.
- Stylistical uniformity.
- Accented elements.
The implementation of the three listed tasks is the basis of modern web design.
Negative space
One of the simplification methods that allow you to minimize the load on the user and emphasize the call to action against the backdrop of stylistic uniformity is to expand the negative space area. This term refers to the empty space on the screen that is not filled with text, navigation elements or calls to action.
Many global services implement this approach on their main pages, saving users' time and cutting off untargeted registrations.
Rule of Thirds
One of the basic rules for working with any images in web design is that everything that is most important should be in the central part of the screen. To do this, the screen is divided into 9 equal rectangles (3 x 3). The central rectangle is the most important, and the elements located on its sides and in the corners focus the most attention on themselves.
This rule is advisable to use on landing pages, as well as on pages with a large amount of negative space.
Rule F
While the rule of thirds is ideal for minimalist designs that allow you to localize what is important in one place, the rule F is suitable for more content-rich pages.
Numerous experiments have shown that users follow their eyes across the page in the following directions:
- from the top left square to the right;
- from the top left square down to the left-center and then horizontally;
- from the left center down.
Schematically, such an eye movement across the page forms the letter “F”. Accordingly, elements should be placed on the “axes” of this letter in order of their importance. Based on this rule, it is advisable to place the call to action on the left. It is better to leave the right side of the screen for less important content.
Using images
Photographic illustrations allow you to establish closer contact with users. Depending on the goals, images can cause empathy (sympathy), and association (transfer) - both of which "catch" a person on a subconscious level. By evoking positive emotions, images contribute to more loyal behavior of users, including over a long period of time.
In most cases, it is advisable to use images of people, however, depending on the audience and the specifics of the activity, these can be animals, birds, and even unrealistic characters.
Color and contrast
It will be superfluous to mention the need for a harmonious color scheme. For example, purple and green do not go well with each other. Blue and its shades can be considered the most calm and positive color, however, if every second website is made in this color spectrum, this is probably not the best option either.
A separate mention should be made of such a way of drawing attention to individual elements as contrast. These are not necessarily opposite colors, such as white and black. Any bright color will contrast with white: orange, green, burgundy, and others.
What elements should be made contrasting? These are, first of all, calls to action, buttons, and hyperlinks, including those that provide navigation on the site.
Readable text
In addition to the fact that the text must be readable in terms of content and syntax, the design contribution is no less important. You should not get carried away with elegant fonts that are difficult to decipher. At the same time, even purely clerical Times in most cases look inappropriate.
A readable text looks like this:
- sufficient spacing between letters in words (this is especially important for small fonts);
- line spacing of 1.5 or more;
- regular division into paragraphs (if the text is large);
- use of negative space between text elements (if the text material is small).
Despite the importance of design, it should be remembered that it is unlikely to increase conversions alone. In addition to the appearance, which is important, users want to see the content they need. Without it, the design will only be a beautiful cover.
