People only see what they\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unless it\u2019s car keys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or my eyeglasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Getting people to see what\u2019s right in front of their face is a universal problem. Both metaphorically and, in the case of websites, quite literally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
The idea of designing something to stand-out on the page sounds like a great way to get people to notice it. In theory. Except in reality, when you make something look radically different from everything else on the page \u2014\u00a0different colors\u00a0or\u00a0fonts \u2014\u00a0people are more likely to ignore it.\u00a0Counter-intuitive, I know.<\/p>\n
Banner blindness is why pop-ups exist.<\/p>\n
Put the element in the user\u2019s line of sight, rather than in a right column (the best way to signal something is an ad) or wherever else the user isn’t<\/em> looking.<\/p>\n Use the same color palette and design treatment as other elements on the page. The goal is to blend in as much as possible.<\/p>\n Messages can get lost when there is too much to look at or too much clutter.<\/p>\n Sometimes people search for the wrong solution to their problem and you need to lead them to it through an alternate route.<\/p>\n For example, according to the Department of Labor, 48% of Americans found their current job by networking. But for someone who only searches online job boards to find work, networking may not even be on their radar as a job search tool. In this case, it’d be futile to try to get their attention with an invitation to a networking webinar. Instead,\u00a0a webinar called \u201cbest job board strategies\u201d might work better (then gently redirect your audience to alternative job search strategies besides job boards).<\/p>\n The more you understand how your users think and what they need from your site, the better you can understand how and when they will be most receptive to your message.<\/p>\n For example, in the book, \u201cWhy We Buy: The Science of\u00a0Shopping\u201d by Paco Underhill, we learn that people are so anxious to get inside the store and out of the busy or rainy parking lot, that they ignore all door signage and even all\u00a0signage\u00a0within the first few\u00a0feet of entering. These customers aren’t yet ready to receive new information.<\/p>\n Observing your customers’ actual behaviors can help you experiment and place things where they will<\/em>\u00a0see\u00a0them.<\/p>\n\n\nMake it Look Like the Rest of the Page<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Add Empty Space<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Redirect Your Audience<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Conduct User Research<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Related Articles<\/h2>\n\n\n