The more options you have, the longer it takes to make a decision. That’s Hick’s Law.
Why should you know about this to improve the UX and conversions of your website?
Because too many options will freeze your visitors.
Most companies make these mistakes:
- They have 2 or 3 CTA buttons
- They have 5+ menu choices
- They have social media buttons
- A chatbot that automatically opens
Here’s a good example of a bad example:
I don’t know where to start, so I’m leaving.
When someone visits your website, there’s usually only one thing you want them to do: BUY.
Sometimes, there’s a secondary thing: get more information.
The first is pretty clear. The second is more complicated to address.
But I can promise you this:
If they want to read your blog, find your contact or get to know the team, they’ll scroll to the bottom to find the links. No need to distract them with this in your header.
And if they want to find you on social media, let them go to that social media page on their own-in a new tab.
So when it comes to creating a hero section for your website, these are the only elements you need:
- Primary button (and secondary button)
- A menu with no more than five options (Some ideas: Why Us, Solutions, Pricing)
And this still gives more choices than some people need.
That’s why sales pages might not have any or just a single action button:
How many options does a website visitor get when they land on your website?
And can you reduce it?
If you want to learn more about Hick’s Law, here’s a great resource.
