Neuro Web Design… How it Works

You may have heard the phrase “Neuro Web Design” and wondered exactly what it entails. You certainly wouldn’t be alone in that…it’s a pretty new concept but it’s also one which is proving to be highly effective.

Much of what makes up the principles of Neuro Web Design is based in psychology; as humans our decision making habits are controlled by a variety of factors which are processed unconsciously. We’re not aware of what makes us do half the things we do but there’s a definite and precise structure to our choices and what drives us to make them.

Ecommerce businesses can take advantage of these factors by understanding more about them. There are many facets to the neurological processes involved in making choices but one of the most powerful is that of image.

Images or pictures are how we “see” in our minds; think of a word…flower for instance and your mind will conjure up an image of a flower rather than the written word. This is because images are remembered much more easily; it’s a throwback from our caveman days when we learned via experience; see a scary animal coming forward aggressively, remember what it looks like and later you will be protected by prior knowledge. We don’t learn these base instincts via words but via sight.

This is why the photographs and images which you choose for your site are by far the most important factor within its design. People relate strongly to image; either they appeal to a deeply rooted sense of self or to a deeply rooted sense of aspirational desire.

Another major point of interest for Ecommerce owners is that of fear; not the bad kind of fear in this case, but specifically the fear of loss. We can capitalise on this very human leaning towards fear of loss by using features which let shoppers know how many items are left in stock.

Knowing there are only 2 of a particular item left is more than likely going to result in a sale as the customer fears being too late if they spend time making up their minds.

Similarly allowing our visitors to know when a sale or special offer begins and exactly when it will end will galvanise action.

However pictures and stock inventories alone won’t shift products; you need to do more than that. Engaging with visitors as a human being is vital and this is where story comes into play.

What do we mean by story and why is it important? Story means just that; a tale to tell…something which people can relate to which will personalise your site.

Knowing who you are as opposed to what you’re selling is important because humans need story. Story is as old as man; the sharing of happenings and the imparting of experience is something we need because it helps us with the humdrum of every day existence. We learn from story and it reminds us of who we are, what is important to us and gives us moral guidance.

You might not want to offer your visitors moral guidance but you can use story within your site in many advantageous ways; the most common are in the “about us” section as well as via slide shows with music and voiceover. Hearing story garners trust in your visitors and trust is everything.