Our minds are designed to select the least resistance when faced with specific situations or tasks. Our minds will find the easiest solutions to any given task. Once the mind discovered that solution, it will stop looking for more solutions. It will simply follow such a solution. The philosophy behind is resistance. What any digital marketing in the Philippines can learn from how the human mind works and how it relates to links and clicking them? Read on.
Humans
Fascinatingly, we behave in such a way that they can ‘conserve energy.’ We drive instead of walk. We copy instead of creating. We browse rather than read. Edward de Bono maintains that we’ve evolved into becoming “brilliantly uncreative.” Humans make thousands of subtle to complex decisions every day. Through these decisions, we create mental models and patterns especially those that require the least resistance.
Put simply, an individual browsing a web page is more likely to click on the most visible link since it requires the least resistance. There’s no need to look for other links to click when we see the first clickable link. Come to think of it, why would you look for others when it is already in front of you?
Tip #1: Put links on the most noticeable spots
Effects
If you are given a random series of numbers, which ones would you think you’d remember most? You’re right. You will remember most of those are shown to you first. Our minds favor the first few in a sequence known as the Primacy Effect. On the other hand, our minds also remember those that are shown to us last, which is known as the Recency Effect.
Therefore, users tend to choose to click those links that are closest to them. Apart from the Primacy Effect, the phenomenon is also referred to as the Position Effect. The worst performing areas to put a link are the middle parts. The links at the bottom perform better than the links in the middle portion. Nonetheless, the lower right and upper left areas can capture the most number of clicks on links.
Tip #2: Put links on the upper left and lower right positions or in the beginning and near the end
Users
Before you can have the users click on the links, they have to read and understand the contents. Simply browsing them won’t do in most cases. However, knowing how users treat online content, you might as well make compromises. Here are the factors to consider.
1) Scan-friendliness. Nowadays, users are mostly scanning content.
- Create short paragraphs
- Use bullets or numbers
- Highlight or bold important contents
- Put images
2) Simplicity. The simple the web design, the better. Based on a YouTube experiment conducted in 2012 by Javier Bargas Avila, despite the familiarity of the design, users perceive a website as less attractive if its visual complexity is high.
3) Typography. Active engagement with the contents is affected by typography. Well-structured and well-designed sites have more engrossed readers. These readers also tend to notice the link more.
Tip #3: Create scannable contents and publish on well-designed pages using readable fonts and font sizes
Choices
Before making any decision, we are subjected to several choices. Some of us even decide not to choose because choosing means abandoning other significant choices. Choices strip off the users the freedom of choice that they know they should be enjoying other than choosing between to click and not to click.
Many choices can only result in many questions that can only make the decision-making confusing. People will shortlist mentally based on preconceived criteria or requirements since we are naturally born to seek. Our decision whether to click which link will be based on whether the choice met all our preconceived criteria. If it is, it will make us happy. If not, we will search for other choices until we are happy with our choice or decision.
Tip #4: Limit the choice of links to increase the probability of clicking
Triggers
Behind every click is a being (usually an emotional being). Clicks are extensions of our interests. Such interest may not be always fulfilled. So, clicking may be regarded as the first step toward the fulfillment of certain interests.
To continue with our choices, we seek information especially those that can make us happy. Headlines, anchor texts, and even links themselves must be crafted in such a way that it would trigger the users to relate the information that they are currently seeking. However, there should be enough information that can pique the curiosity of the users and not kill it.
Tip #5: Treat anchor texts as a 30-second sales pitch
Anchors
Oftentimes, you will read the importance of using anchor texts that highlight the benefits of the product and service offering. Indeed. We no longer live in an era where users can be persuaded to ‘Click Here’ or ‘Go To.’ These words are very uninteresting and will not inspire users to do what they are told to do. They are not descriptive enough for the users to follow the prompt.
Remember we love to conserve energy. Hovering and clicking on the anchor text that indicates ambiguity to where it leads to requires energy. ‘Click Here’ focuses on mouse mechanics and not necessarily on the importance of the contents of the landing pages.
Anchor text do’s
- Use nouns that define something for the user to visualize specifically proper nouns
- Place them at the end of the sentences so users can complete the sentence before clicking the link
- Give clues to the users what they’d expect in the landing page thus label the links with descriptions
Anchor text don’ts
- Use vague verbs since they don’t convey solid ideas
- Under deliver and oversell
Tip #6: Use proper noun as an anchor text and put it at the end of the sentence
Understanding how we perceive and interact with links is critical nowadays, especially for digital marketers. In structuring links, the goal is to evoke vividness and urgency (immediate action)n without becoming too intrusive. More than understanding the human mind, we need to understand who is behind those clicks in the same ways that users are contemplating who is behind those links.
While we are information seekers, we also want to conserve more energies when possible. Make it easier for your users to find your links by following the simple guidelines noted above. Less energy means more click for your links!
