Did you know that our natural preference for familiar things plays a significant role in our behavior when it comes to sales? This psychological principle, known as the Familiarity Effect, has the potential to significantly increase your website’s conversion rate. By strategically applying this principle into your website design, you may increase trust, engagement, and ultimately conversions.
In this blog post, we’ll look at what the Familiarity Effect is, why it matters, and how your website can use it to build a high converting website.
What Is the Familiarity Effect?
The Familiarity Effect, also known as the Mere Exposure Effect, explains why people are naturally drawn to items they’ve seen or engaged with previously. This is why we often favor brands, products, or even website design that are easily identifiable.
When your website feels familiar, users are more inclined to trust you, stay longer, and take action. This is important since trust is the cornerstone for increasing sales, sign-ups, and inquiries.
Why It Matters for Your Small Business Website
As a small business, you don’t always have the budget for massive ad campaigns or polarizing gimmicks. Instead, you can use familiarity to:
- Build Trust: A recognizable design and consistent messaging.
- Encourage Action: People are more likely to take the next step when the next step is clear and encouraged.
- Boost Loyalty: Familiar experiences make visitors more likely to return and recommend your business to others.
7 Ways to Use the Familiarity Effect to Improve Your Website’s Conversions
Here are some practical ways to make your website more familiar and trustworthy to your visitors:
1. Be Consistently Visible
The more people see your business, the more familiar (and trustworthy) it becomes. To increase your website’s visibility.
Show up in search results. Invest in search engine optimization (SEO) to improve your ranking on Google.
Use retargeting ads: If someone sees your website but does not take any action, retargeting advertising can remind them of your business.
Stay Active on Social Media: Share links to your website in updates, stories, and blogs on a regular basis.
2. Create a Clear and Consistent Design
Your website’s design should be intuitive and simple to use. Avoid overwhelming visitors with excessive information or flashy items. Instead.
Use common layouts, such as a top navigation bar and a footer at the bottom.
Keep your color scheme and typefaces consistent throughout pages.
Make your calls-to-action (CTAs) simple and easily identifiable, such as “Shop Now” or “Book a Free Consultation.”
3. Use Social Proof to Build Trust
People feel more at ease with businesses that others trust. Highlighting social proof makes your company appear safe and trustworthy. For example:
Showcase testimonials: Display feedback from satisfied customers.
Highlight certifications or awards. These can indicate credibility.
Share Statistics: Consider the following: “Over 1,000 satisfied customers” or, “10 years of trusted service.
Wondering where to put these social proof sections? We have a free website design checklist that goes over homepage structure. Download it HERE.
4. Engage on Social Media and Link Back to Your Website
Being active on channels such as Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn can help your brand appear more approachable. Here’s how you do it:
Post frequently: To stay in the spotlight, share advice, updates, or behind-the-scenes content.
Respond to the comments and messages: Direct engagement with your audience increases familiarity and trust.
Add Links to Your Website: Use your bio or posts to direct visitors back to your website.
5. Leverage Video Content on Your Website
Video is an excellent approach to establish a personal connection. You could add:
Introductory videos: Welcome guests with a little video about your company.
How-to Videos: Demonstrate how your products or services address prevalent challenges.
Customer testimonials in video format: Seeing actual people share their great experiences increases authenticity.
6. Make It Easy to Take Action
Every page on your website should direct users to take the next step. Simplify the process:
Adding Clear Calls to Action: Buttons such as “Get a Quote” or “Contact Us” should stick out. Use contrasting colors for these buttons.
Forms can be streamlined by asking only for essential information. Too many fields might be discouraging.
Ensuring Mobile Friendliness: Because many people will use their phones, your website should look and function well on small displays.
7. Stay Consistent Across All Touchpoints
When your branding is consistent across all touchpoints with your company, customers become more familiar with it. Ensure:
Your logo, colors, and fonts are identical everywhere: Maintain a consistent visual style across your website, social media, and marketing materials.
Your Messaging Matches: Use consistent tone and phrasing throughout your website, adverts, emails, and social media postings.
Track Your Progress And Refine
After you’ve implemented these recommendations, use analytics tools (such as Google Analytics or your website platform’s built-in data) to determine what’s working. Pay attention to measures like this:
Bounce Rate: Do visitors stay on your website or leave quickly?
Click-Through Rates (CTR): Are consumers responding to your CTAs?
Conversion Rate: How many visitors perform desired actions, such as purchasing or signing up?
If something isn’t working, adjust your design, messaging, or content until you see results.
Make Your Website Work for You
Your website has the potential to be a strong conversion machine if it is familiar, trustworthy, and simple to use. By utilizing the Familiarity Effect, you can develop a website that not only attracts visitors but also converts them into recurring customers.
If you’re not sure where to begin, don’t panic; you don’t have to go it alone. We have just the thing to get you started. We have a free website design checklist that goes over everything in this article. Download it HERE.
