Let me ask you a question? Have you ever considered how the design of your website affects your visitor’s moods and emotions?
Did you know that this was even possible? There is a very interesting phenomenon in psychology known as mirroring which explains this. The concept was first introduced to the world in relation to human communication. It is applicable in a large range of instances though.
Subconsciously, we mimic what other people are doing. This is what mirroring is- we mirror they’re doing. For example, if you’re talking to someone and they are sitting with their arms and legs crossed, you will probably mirror their body language and cross your arms as well without ever thinking about it.
To explain this further and what it has to do with your online business, let’s say you’re at a job interview. In the first scenario you’re being interviewed by an angry looking man, who’s sitting with a stern look on his face with his arms and legs folded. The whole time you’re presenting yourself as the ideal employee, the interviewer shakes his head.
Compare this to an interview for the same job with the same man, where the interviewer is visibly relaxed. He smiles while you talk and sits comfortably on his chair.
In which scenario would you feel more comfortable?
In the first case, the interviewer is being aggressive, threatening and opposing. Think of the effect this would have on you. You will mirror these negative emotions back to him. You may start to look down, speak faster and less clearly and fold your arms.
In the second example you will mirror the interviewer’s positive emotions. You will smile back, sit upright and speak confidently. All of this will be done subconsciously.
Your online business
The examples above show the two extremes but it all boils down to the emotion behind what they are saying. We don’t just pick up these emotions from other people, but also from our environment and what we can see around us.
When you land on a website, you will instantly know what you think of it. A beautifully designed website which is easily to navigate your way through will put the visitor at ease might even put a smile of the viewer’s face. On the other hand, if your website is ugly and uninspired, as well as like a maze which leaves the viewer scratching his or her head, there is every chance they will click that back button. They will not feel the way they want to.
Where mirroring comes in is that you will feel an emotion, no matter how subtle it may be, about what you are looking at. If it makes you feel good, you are more likely to stay on the website, continue looking and possibly make a purchase.
Whether you like it or not, it will be a human on the other end of your screen. This person will be influenced by the design and flow of your website. If it feels right to them, they will stick around. You have so much control over all of this. Use this to your advantage and make it work for you.