SOMETIMES LESS IS MORE
Did you know?
Reducing the number of products shown on a page from 24 to 6 can boost sales by 27%!
This eye-opening fact comes from a study by Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper.
It's a perfect example of Hick's Law, our focus for today.
We're kicking off a new series on UX laws - simple principles that can significantly improve how people interact with your website.
We'll explore one law each week and show you how to apply it.
Read Time: 4 mins
What is Hick’s Law?
Hick's Law says that the more choices people have, the longer it takes them to decide.
For websites, this means that giving visitors too many options might slow them down or even stop them from choosing at all.
The Psychology Behind the Law
Our brains have limits on how much information they can process at once. When we face too many choices:
We have to spend more mental energy comparing options
We worry more about making the "wrong" choice
We might feel regret about the options we didn't choose
By limiting choices, we make decisions easier and often more satisfying for users.
Simplify Your Homepage in 5 Minutes
Let's put Hick's Law into action right now. Here's a 5-minute exercise to simplify your homepage:
Open your website's homepage
Pull it up on both desktop and mobile views
List all clickable elements
Count every menu item, button, and link
Write down the total number
Identify your main goal
What's the one thing you want most visitors to do?
Examples: Sign up, make a purchase, contact you
Highlight essentials
Mark elements directly supporting your main goal
Include only critical navigation items
Ruthlessly cut or combine
Remove anything not marked as essential
Group similar items under broader categories
Aim to reduce your total clickable elements by at least 25%
Remember, every cut makes decisions easier for your visitors. If you're struggling to remove something, ask yourself: "Does this really need to be on my homepage?"
Bonus: If you have more time, try this out on your most important landing pages!
That's Hick's Law in a nutshell. I hope you found it helpful.
Did you try the 5-minute homepage makeover? I'd love to hear how it went.
Drop me a quick reply!
See you in the next issue!
Thanks!
Vatsal
P.S.- Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:
UX Audit & Microcopy Optimization: I'll review your website's user experience and microcopy, providing actionable recommendations to boost engagement and conversions.
Conversion-Focused Copywriting: Let's craft compelling copy that tells your brand story and drives action, from homepages to product descriptions.
Custom Web Design & Development: Transform your online presence with a website that looks great and converts visitors into customers.
