Build Landing Pages Using Psychological Design Tactics
We live in an over-stimulating world, and our eyes and ears can only take in so much information. As marketers, we must recognize this fact and make every effort to present information in a way that cuts through the clutter when designing PPC campaigns. Effective, efficient writing is certainly a crucial component of this and cannot be ignored. Many marketers and web designers, however, overlook the other critical element that pays dividends without visitors even realizing it. This is psychology-based design, in which the visuals, layouts and strategy speak to customers on a primal and often subconscious level. At its most basic, this tactic will make for a cleaner, more visually appealing site. At its best, in can drive sales, branding, and customer decisions.
Use the Law of Past Experience
Let’s start with a law that actually tells you to look like everyone else, to an extent. The law of past experience makes a good case for this. Nearly every website follows a few accepted layout norms. For example, navigation bars are at the top of a site, not on the side or bottom. Links and maps are at the bottom of a site, not at the top or in the middle. Since customers are used to this, breaking rules like these will disorient them and the confusion will cost you very quickly in the PPC world.
Use the Law of Similarity
It might be more practical to call this the law of dissimilarity, but the general idea is this: our eyes and brains will look at a page, image, or anything in nature and automatically group anything that looks similar together. That means that anything dissimilar (like italicizing the word “dissimilar”) will stand out and pop. This is why headlines work in newspapers. Use a different color or weight of the font to make important information stand out, and viewers eyes will automatically gravitate towards it.
Use the Law of Pragnanz
It may have an unusual name, but the law of Pragnanz says that our brains respond better to simpler designs. A clean, simple layout free of clutter will drive PPC. Keep it simple!
Test to Break the Curse of Knowledge
Finally, be objective and solicit some outside opinions. You don’t necessarily need a handpicked focus group; friends and family can provide what you’re looking for the simple fact are that you have the “curse of knowledge” because, as part of the design team, you’re too close to it. Ask for honest feedback and resist the urge to be defensive.
