User psychology information & its role on conversion optimization as submitted from devknob's archives. This covers color psychology, users thinking patterns, the messaging and condentation - sentiment within content and it's affect on the user's experience. In conversion optimization, devknob places a high value on this item as the user is what really matters. This is so important to google they've made it the largest most prominent heading on their official about page at google.com/about

1. blog.crazyegg.com http://blog.crazyegg.com/2013/07/12/conversion-experts-on-user-psychology/
5 Conversion Experts Weigh in on User Psychology
by Ritika Puri 07/12/2013
254 Flares 114 Facebook 33 Google+ 8 LinkedIn 38 inShare38 Buf f er 61 -- 254 Flares ×
Psychology is an unstoppable f orce of nature.
As tech savvy, opinionated, and intellectual as we are, our instincts inevitably kick in. From subtle designs to
bold colors, we’re constantly relying on signals to guide us through key decision-making moments.
Consumer behavior is no dif f erent.
The decision-making process is just as straightf orward as it is complex. We constantly f ollow predictable
patterns as we decide what to buy, eat, and wear. For conversion-driven online marketers, this concept is
mission-critical to understand.
What motivates your users? With all of the competing options out there, why should they pick your brand?
According to a recent inf ographic f rom Pardot, the f ive psychology principles that drive conversion behavior
include social proof , loss-aversion, anchoring, f oot-in-the-door, and authority.
Let’s take a look…
Using Simple Psychology to Increase Conversions

4. Points you don’t want to miss
People care about their peers’ experiences and thoughts. That’s why reviews and shares are so
important.
Humans are unbelievably afraid of loss. Maybe it’s instinctual, or maybe we’re just attached to our
valuable resources. Position your product as a scarce resource, and present your of f er in the context of
a time f rame.
People are constantly looking for incentives while evaluating various options. Discounts and
bonuses can be helpf ul in swaying the decision-making process.
Even behind computer screens, people crave human-to-human connections. Conversion-driven
marketers need to look beyond direct response to nurture relationships f or the long-term through tools
like social media.
Thought leadership and strategic partnerships can help position your brand as an authority,
which helps build trust. Case in point: celebrity endorsements.
So what does that mean for your brand?
I could probably type f orever, but I’d much rather share insight f rom some of the Internet’s most inf luential
conversion marketers. Here’s what they have to say about user psychology:
1. Be Strategic with Your Colors – Colm Tuite
Designer and developer Colm Tuite wrote a great post f or Quora explaining how to best leverage colors to
captivate users on an emotional level.
“Tints and shades can also play a part in what feelings the color conveys. For instance, a darker
shade of blue would convey more security and integrity. Lighter tints of blue would convey more
tranquility and peace.”
He also points out that some colors have adopted particular meanings over time.

5. 2. Understand Your User’s Context – Peep Laja
Mobile means that your users aren’t necessarily at the computer. In f act, you probably don’t know where they
are. They could be on the train on their morning commutes, taking a brain break at work, or sitting in a hospital
waiting room.
Be ready f or changing contexts with a responsive design, explains conversion expert Peep Laja.
“The process of trying to buy something from a desktop design site with a smartphone can be
summed up with one word — pain. On top of navigating and zooming a computer-monitor-sized site
on a three-inch screen to find relevant content, internet retailers assume that you are a screen-
tapping ninja that understands the relevance of their lengthy forms and Terms and Conditions. All of
these obstacles make it an unexpected challenge to reach the checkout page.”
3. Simplicity is key – Oli Gardner
It’s not always great to have options. Writes Oli Gardner in an ebook f or Unbounce:
Consumers constantly face “analysis paralysis, where too many options actually result in no
decision being made.”
As he emphasizes, your landing pages should “remove distraction and f ocus visitors on a single targeted
conversion goal.”
4. Empower your users – Laura Klein
Users aren’t marketers, so don’t expect them to read your mind. UX expert Laura Klein, on her blog Users
Know, wrote:
“We constantly need to be asking ourselves what we really expect a user to understand about our
product, and we need to have ways to preemptively help them in places where we’re presenting
new concepts or unfamiliar terminology.
“Users don’t know our slang. They don’t know our jargon. They don’t know our product. If we want
them to use our products successfully, we need to teach them what they need to know without
making them feel like idiots.”
5. Keep a fresh perspective – Karl Blanks
All marketers have blind spots, explains Karl Blanks. Make sure that you’re constantly researching and seeking
second opinions to evaluate yours.
Here’s what he says in a blog post f or UserTesting:
“That’s why user testing is so helpful. After working on a site for even just a few days you can lose a

6. fresh perspective. We call it the ‘house visitor’ effect. When you have a visitor in your house, the
minute they walk in the door you start noticing things that you didn’t notice before, like the pile of
books in the corner or a mark on the wall. You start seeing everything through the visitor’s eyes.”
Your Turn
What are your best tips f or connecting with user psychology? Share your own expert perspectives below.
.