The psychology behind website design 

Website design is so much more than endless streams of HTML code and functional widgets – there’s actually far more than meets the eye when it comes to developing an effective website.Psychology has an important role to play in deciding what does (and doesn’t) contribute towards a website that your target market wants to engage with, so ignore the information below at your peril!

Trust Trust is a huge thing when it comes to websites, after all, we've all heard of unscrupulous ‘businesses' conducting scams through less than reputable sites. Visitors are more cautious than ever before, so it’s important that your website builds trust.Using the right language and information on how visitor data is used along with high-quality design helps users feel more secure and therefore more likely to buy online or subscribe to your blog or newsletter. Consistency Visitors to your website expect to see consistency and familiarity, so make sure that any offline materials carry the same branding as your website and vice-versa.Humans feel secure by a sense of the familiar, so be consistent with your copy, key messages, brand colours and logo. Psychological cues Psychological cues are an invaluable tool for any website when you want a visitor to take some form of action, whether that be to buy from your online store or sign up for email alerts on new products.By using well-crafted online copy, you can help nurture an emotional and psychological response to influence your visitors which should be backed up and supported by well-chosen graphics and relevant design. Planning and engagement The psychology behind website design is vast, with the information above been just a small snippet of the things you should consider before launching into a design overhaul. To make sure your website sends the right signals to elicit the responses you want, you need to consider the psychology behind website design as part of your planning process.Failure to do so won't just harm your reputation in the digital sphere, but you'll also experience a significantly detrimental effect to your bottom line too, especially if your website facilitates the majority of your sales.With this in mind, make sure you engage with a website designer that appreciates the relevant cues, understands warning signs that may lead to distrust and ensures continuity with other online and offline collateral.