More than ever, the people who visit your website want to make a connection. They want to be courted by a company that knows how to trigger an emotional response.
In short, they want to feel something.
You can go a long way toward making that connection through your website's design. In fact, designing for emotion should be a top priority in 2016. It can be a major competitive advantage as most companies have yet to catch on.
Below, we'll talk about how to design your site to appeal to visitors' emotions. I'll also describe four ways doing so can boost your conversions.
The Art Of Using Emotion In Your Web Design
Copy alone won't do the job. Although good copywriting is essential for persuading visitors to take action, it can only go so far in crafting an emotional appeal.
The key is to use images of people, and not just any images, but images that show faces, preferably, smiling faces.
For example, take a quick look at the website for Progressive Casualty Insurance Company. When you visit the auto insurance section, you're greeted with the smiling face of a driver. When you visit the homeowners' section, you're presented with an image of mother and daughter playing together outside. Check out the boat insurance section, and you'll see a smiling couple enjoying a sunny afternoon on their sailboat.
Those smiles aren't coincidental. They're the key to Progressive's emotional appeal to its customers. Progressive uses them because they help to lift conversions.
4 Ways Emotional Web Design Improves Conversions
It's one thing to say designing for emotion helps to turn your site's visitors into customers. But how exactly does it do that? Consider the following four effects:
#1 – It Draws Visitors' Eyes
When you see a web page filled with copy, product images and photos of people, your eyes are naturally drawn to the latter. We're curious. Is the person attractive? Do they share our values? What emotions were they experiencing at the moment the photos were taken? And more importantly, why?
The best headline in the world cannot compete with a photo of an expressive person.
#2 – It Makes Your Company Seem More Personal
Without images of people – and specifically, happy people – your company may have a tough time connecting with visitors on a personal level. By including photographs of people expressing positive emotions, you can rise above your corporate persona.
#3 – It Helps Visitors Make A Positive Emotional Connection
Our emotions dictate our response to – and the bonds we form with – people and brands. Without positive stimuli, those emotions are likely to assume a negative context.
For example, suppose you visit an ecommerce store devoid of any images of people. You may instinctively develop a sense of distrust. Now imagine the store is filled with images of smiling, satisfied customers. Naturally, you begin to see the store in an optimistic light.
Do the same for your visitors. Use photos of cheerful people to help them connect emotionally with your brand.
#4 – It Boosts Your Site's Visual Impact
I mentioned above that images of people draw our attention. We immediately contemplate whether those people are like us. Indeed, if the person in a photo is attractive, it can be difficult to tear our eyes away. The image is visually compelling to us.
This is especially true of images showing people beaming. We become naturally curious about their good fortune, and look for clues pertaining to the reasons.
Use this same tactic in the design of your website. Give important pages greater impact by including photos of attractive, happy people.
How Face-Ism Affects Your Visitors' Behaviors
Face-ism refers to the prominent display of faces in relation to bodies. As a general rule, the greater the portion of an image comprised of a face, the more likely we are to consider the individual's intelligence, competence, authority and personality.
Think about that in the context of forging an emotional connection with your visitors. Your visitors will be more inclined to relate to the person in a photo if that person's face is prominently displayed. A close-up of his or her confident smile can have a significant influence on your visitor's behavior.
Emotional web design is a science unto itself. When it is implemented properly, it can help you create lasting connections with your audience. Appealing to visitors' emotions is one of the most effective ways to encourage brand loyalty.
About The Author
Design & Promote, a digital marketing agency that specializes in innovative web design in Chicago, helps businesses create remarkable brand experiences. It offers services ranging from search engine optimization and innovative web design in Chicago and beyond to corporate branding and content marketing. The company focuses on creating websites that produce measurable results by following a strategic marketing plan.
