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SociaBeta previously published an article "4 Ways to Cleverly Use Numbers to Motivate User Behavior", describing some case designs that use numbers to motivate user behavior. Recently I was working on a project that involved digital guidance. I found relevant articles, did some comparative thinking, and recorded them.
Currently, there are four main types of websites or products that adopt digital guidance design in user guidance design: (1) Shopping websites, such as group buying sites, which use numbers to create scarcity impressions and encourage followers; (2) System optimization software, such as 360 software etc., using numbers to cause users psychological panic and pleasure; (3) social networking sites, using digital reminders to satisfy users' expectations; (4) rankings, using numbers to guide users' choices.
It can be seen that digital guidance design almost always uses and explores the user's psychology to influence user behavior. In many cases, this digital incentive method does provide good guidance to users, allowing them to act according to the designed trajectory. However, digital guidance is not a panacea. In some scenarios, if the guidance design is inappropriate, it may have negative effects.
Scenario 1: Group buying site, the minimum number of transactions is 100, the current number of transactions is 20, and the remaining time is 4 hours.
These three numbers are the digital guidance design of the group buying station in addition to the most important price number. However, in this scenario, this digital display will only make fewer and fewer people participate in the purchase as the remaining time shrinks. "It's been so long, and so few people are buying it. Isn't it a good thing? Or this group purchase will definitely not be successful, so I'd better forget it."
At this time, in the user's mind, the negative impact between the bottom line, the current situation, and the remaining time makes the user have an impulse to give up.
Of course, many group buying sites are fake, and that doesn’t mean it’s true.
Scenario 2: The subscription page shows that XXX people have registered under the email subscription form.
Social proof, Social PROof, often plays a big role in guiding users to make decisions. This is also one of the reasons why many product websites highlight user reviews and high-quality users. "So many people have registered/purchased, so it's probably right!" This is just like waiting in line to wait in a crowded restaurant. It uses the psychology of following the trend to increase the psychological comfort and action cues of hesitant users. The design of feedsky and feedburner to display the number of subscriptions is also a temptation for website viewers.
However, the DIYthemes website, which is familiar to WordPress users, encounters a problem when designing email subscription forms. After A/B testing, they found that the design of displaying the number of subscribed users in the form did not produce the best results. After removing the information prompt "14,752 people have subscribed, get updated information for free", the conversion rate almost doubled. Why does this digital reminder close to 15,000 have bad effects?
Some users’ comments are very interesting: I was happy to subscribe, but after seeing this number, I started to wonder whether 15,000 is too much or too little? Many people have similar views. This digital reminder actually interferes with users' expected behavior and increases hesitation. (Of course, I think there is something wrong with DIYThemes’ subscription form design, and the reminder information actually interrupts the user’s behavior.)
In addition, has the digital reminder design on Douban’s homepage made you feel excited and interested?
Scenario 3: Designing the number of followers for someone on a social networking site.
In this kind of relatively interactive website, some users expect the effects of their actions. For example, I have the opportunity to talk to celebrities and interact with celebrities. But when I see too many people following a person, I will have this thought: Even if I follow him, there will probably be no interaction. It will be difficult for him to follow me, so I might as well not follow him.
Of course, it is undeniable that in most cases, digital guidance fully utilizes and motivates user psychology. The above scenario has a relatively small audience, and there are many changes, making it difficult for product designers to fully grasp it. We cannot give up using this very effective user guidance model to motivate user behavior just because of these special cases. However, for different website products, we still need to make correct judgments based on different situations when designing digital guidance:
1. The positioning of the website itself and the characteristics of the user group
For example, luxury websites are not suitable for digital guidance design because users pursue a sense of uniqueness and nobility. Global Communications, do you still want to use your large number of users to promote high-end products?
2. When negative guidance may occur, is there a way to eliminate negative factors?
For example, when a group purchase is about to expire, the display of the minimum number of people is cancelled.
3. Numbers are often related to situations and behavioral operations. Do the design of copywriting and action buttons match them?
Information reminders in non-behavioral processes should be designed independently as much as possible and should not be placed in the operation process path.
Author of the article: Ge Xiaofei
Article source: Ge Xiaofei’s blog (please indicate the source link and author when transferring funds)