WordPress website design and development is more than just implementing logic and presenting facts to your users. It is also about making a connection with visitors in order to nudge them towards a purchasing decision. Because as much as we are rational when it comes to making a purchasing decision, it is ultimately emotion that compels us to take action. This is true for both B2C and B2B purchasing decisions, although it is not as pronounced in the latter. As such, it is important to incorporate emotion in your WordPress design process, and in this article, we’re going to show you how to do it.
The basic theory of emotion in WordPress website design
Emotional design is studied more in-depth in the book by Dan Norman with the same name. He makes the case that since users make purchasing decisions based on emotions, it’s important to understand how this can be implemented into a company’s design efforts.
There are several ways to combine emotion into the WordPress design process. Not all successful sales are based on evoking positive emotions, for example. Sometimes a WordPress site has to generate comfort and confidence in a product, while mixing those emotions with the fear of missing out on a limited offer. Knowing this, what are the steps to generate these emotions?
1. Using visual elements to trigger the emotions
Visual elements can be the easiest starting point when you want to generate emotions using WordPress design. Whether we’re talking pictures, color schemes or animations, these cues can generate the right combination of emotions for your visitors. Animations for example can convey a lot of information and emotion, from laughter to sadness.
Pictures can add a face to your company. By putting up a picture of a person from your team, you can create a deeper connection and more trust with your users. Color is another powerful visual element that can create emotions. There are numerous resources online on colors and their effects on users. For example, blue and green can convey calm and comfort, while red and yellow create a sense of urgency, enthusiasm and happiness.
When all these elements come together in a WordPress website, the effect can be cumulative leading to an impressive increase in results.
2. Engaging visitors emotionally through interactions
While visual elements are very powerful, the online experience has another dimension – interactivity. At worst, you want these WordPress interactions to not be frustrating. At best, you want them to be comfortable and to engender trust.
For example, having too many options on your checkout form can create confusion and increase your bounce rate. On the other hand, having to few might leave certain users out of the loop and also increase bounce rates. The features of the WordPress website need to be designed in a way that is both streamlined and in-depth enough to create a smooth, comfortable purchasing or browsing experience.
3. Spice up the copy
So you are using one of the great WordPress themes and you have added all the design elements and interactive features that you need. However, while navigating the site, you notice something is a bit lacking. The copy of the WordPress site does a great job at conveying information but it is rather dull and impersonal, from the front page to the questions section, sidebar, instructions, error pages and taglines.
This is another area where you can hone in and add the details that will make your WordPress website more personal. Combining microcopy and small illustrations can do wonders here. Just look at Google’s front page, or at the “no internet” page that comes up in Chrome. You have clear, friendly copy, combined with small illustrations that add a more personal dimension to the site.
Are you interested in building a WordPress site for your business?
With the right combination of performance and design, a WordPress site can really take off. From drawing in users through search engine optimization to encouraging them to purchase your product or service through emotional design, a development company will ensure that your WordPress site comes together and delivers. At Beau Brewer Digital, we offer website design and development services on the WordPress platform that increase your brand’s exposure and help you get more customers. If you would like to find out more about our services contact us today, and we will help you out with any questions you may have regarding our pricing and development process.
