{"id":85086,"date":"2018-06-15T08:54:25","date_gmt":"2018-06-15T15:54:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thegood.com\/?post_type=insights&p=85086"},"modified":"2021-06-14T15:35:17","modified_gmt":"2021-06-14T22:35:17","slug":"reduce-cognitive-load","status":"publish","type":"insights","link":"https:\/\/thegood.com\/insights\/reduce-cognitive-load\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Cognitive Load is Hurting Your Conversions (and How to Fix It)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Could cognitive load theory (CLT) be the answer to your conversion rate optimization woes?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you wonder why your visitors can\u2019t seem to follow the path to sales you\u2019ve so painstakingly provided \u2013 even though you know all the information they need is right there on the page?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We get it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At The Good, the \u201clost visitor syndrome\u201d is an integral part of our work. We often tell clients, \u201cHey, this is actually great news. You have most of the ingredients for a high-performing ecommerce site already collected. All we need to do now, is find out how to put the pieces together in a way that keeps your prospects moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

User experience (UX) is where cognitive load comes into play. Get cognitive load UX right, and you remove a huge obstacle from the buyer journey. You make it simple for people to buy from you. Get it wrong, and you\u2019re working against yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s look at cognitive load theory from an ecommerce marketer\u2019s point of view. In this article, we\u2019ll talk about what cognitive load is, why it\u2019s important to your business, and how you can leverage CLT to make more sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is cognitive load?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cognitive load is the amount of active mental processing needed to complete tasks. In the same way that a computer will run slower when doing too many things simultaneously, your prospects\u2019 brains get bogged down when you ask them to focus on too many things at one time.<\/p>\n\n\nPut simply, as cognitive load increases, user experience decreases; and sales suffer <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n

If your visitors are easily able to find what they need, pay for it, and arrange shipping, then the user experience is optimal. On the other hand, if friction is introduced at any step and it becomes difficult to buy from you, then user experience tanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Put simply, as cognitive load increases, user experience decreases; and sales suffer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the checkout process, your payment processing system requires shoppers to enter their zip code, then choose between several shipping options. You\u2019ve effectively erected a stop sign on the road to sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You switch to a new system that makes shipping selection a breeze. Friction at checkout goes way down, cognitive load decreases, user experience goes up, and sales are rejuvenated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s cognitive load UX in a nutshell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"cognitive<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

How to reduce cognitive load on your ecommerce website<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The cognitive load your ecommerce site requires of your visitors directly impacts their conversion. Non-vital mental processing reduces their ability to successfully navigate the sales journey. The harder your visitors must work, the more likely they are to disengage and leave the site before making a purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can never get the cognitive load to zero, but you can remove unnecessary confusion. Every move visitors make on your site is going to impose some amount of cognitive load. The key is to keep it limited to the essentials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your job is to remove non-essentials and minimize friction. When we asked interaction designer Jon Yablonski<\/a> how he would reduce cognitive load on an ecommerce site, he said:<\/p>\n\n\nMake sure you have thoughtful and straightforward product categories, provide product details that prioritize information, and break the checkout flow into steps. - @JonYablonski <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n

We agree. These sum up some of the key places of friction on many ecommerce sites. How do you improve these areas? Start with these three fundamentals of smart ecommerce website UX design:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Reduce visual clutter and increase path to sales recognition<\/h3>\n\n\n\n