I recently made up a social post about this, but I wanted to expand on it a bit. Because honestly? Most landing pages aren’t broken because the fonts are ugly or the colours clash.
They fail because they ignore one simple truth: your visitors are humans. And humans are weird.
We’ve got limited attention spans.
We hate making decisions.
We put our trust in brands.
We’re lazy.
And we absolutely do not want to feel like we’re making a mistake.
Good landing page design isn’t just “pretty design” – it’s applied psychology. You’re working with how people think – and sometimes how they don’t think.
So with that in mind, let’s break down a few key UX principles you can (and should) use to build a landing page that actually converts!
1) Decision Fatigue: Keep It Simple, Genius.
The more options you give someone, the less likely they are to pick any.
This is called Decision Fatigue – basically, our brains get tired of choosing. Ever stood in front of a restaurant menu with 47 options and just ended up ordering the same burger as always? That’s decision fatigue.
Your user should only be able to make a handful of choices at any given time. More than 5 nav links? Too many choices. Multiple sections visible at once? Too many things to read. More than 4 buttons on screen? Too many options.
Wholistically, this applies too. Your landing page isn’t your whole website. It’s not your portfolio, your about page, your blog, and your pricing sheet all mushed into one. It’s one page. One goal.
Cut the noise and make the next step blindingly obvious.
2) The Primacy Effect: Come Out Swinging.
People tend to remember the first thing they see – that’s the Primacy Effect. If your headline is generic fluff, you’ve wasted your best real estate.
Instead, lead with your strongest benefit. The thing they came for. Not what you do – what you do for them.
Without blowing our own horn too much, this is one of my favourite things about our homepage. The opening animation and accompanying text is flashy, punchy and (most importantly) feels memorable.
3) Social Proof: Monkey See, Monkey Do.
Humans are still animals at heart. When we’re not sure what to do, we look around to see what others are doing. That’s Social Proof.
That’s why reviews, testimonials, case studies, and client logos work so well. (And why you see them absolutely everywhere) They reassure people: “Others have trusted you. So maybe I can too.”
Particularly in local and regional areas, word of mouth is everything. You can have as many flashy services on your site as possible – but if their mate recommends someone else over a few five o’clock beers? You’re done.
So show off that Google rating and flaunt your testimonials. It’ll do wonders.
4) Cognitive Fluency: Make It Feel Easy
Cognitive Fluency is a fancy way of saying: “If it feels easy to understand, it feels easy to do.”
If your pricing, process, or service list requires hiring a tour guide, you’re doing it wrong.
Instead, break down your offer into simple steps and use clear, familiar language.
The smoother it feels, the more likely they are to move forward.
5) Anchoring Bias: Set Expectations Upfront
People don’t evaluate prices one by one- we compare them to what we saw first. This is Anchoring Bias.
That’s why pricing pages always highlight a “most popular” or “best value” plan. You’re steering people toward your ideal option by setting a reference point.
It’s the same reason cinemas make the small popcorn 8 bucks (highway robbery, might I add), but the medium 9 – it makes the medium seem like a no-brainer by comparison. That initial anchor shapes the whole decision, and nudges moviegoers right where Hoyts wants them.
6) Loss Aversion: Answer Objections Before They Have Them
People are more afraid of making a wrong choice than excited to make a good one. That’s Loss Aversion.
This means your job is to remove doubt. There’s a whole heap of ways to do this – but some common ones include :
- FAQs
- Guarantees
- Clear refund or cancellation policies
- Risk-free language (“Free trial”, “Cancel anytime”, etc.)
If they feel safe, they’re far more likely to commit.
TL:DR – Work With The Brain, Not Against It
Good UX isn’t about clever hacks or tricks. It’s about understanding how real people behave when they land on your page.
They want things to be clear.
They want to trust you.
They want to feel like they’re in control.
And they don’t want to think too hard.
When you design with psychology in mind, you’re not manipulating – you’re reducing friction.
Still confused? Give us a buzz or shoot us a message, and we can give you a hand!
