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Miller's Law is a cognitive bias that suggests that humans can only retain a limited amount of information in their short-term memory. It states that the average person can hold around 7 (+/- 2) pieces of information in their short-term memory at any given time. This means that when designing websites or applications, it is important to keep the user's cognitive limitations in mind and present information in a clear, concise, and organized manner. By doing so, we can help users process information more effectively and avoid overwhelming them with too much information at once.
Sure, here you go!
As a marketer or UI/UX designer, you're always looking for ways to make your website more effective at converting visitors into customers. One of the most powerful tools you have at your disposal is cognitive bias - our tendency to think and act in specific ways.
One cognitive bias you should be aware of is Miller's Law. This principle, developed by cognitive psychologist George Miller in the 1950s, states that the average person can only hold seven (plus or minus two) pieces of information in their working memory at any given time.
If you want to effectively communicate with your website visitors, you need to keep Miller's Law in mind. Specifically, you'll want to limit the amount of information you present to visitors and make sure that the information you do present is clear and easy to understand.
Here are a few tips on how to do that:
Long paragraphs of text can be overwhelming for visitors, making it difficult for them to process the information you're trying to convey. Instead, aim for short, concise sentences and paragraphs.
Also, consider using bullet points or numbered lists to break up larger blocks of text. This will help visitors quickly identify key pieces of information.
Visuals can be an incredibly effective way to communicate information to website visitors. Infographics, charts, and other visuals can often convey complex information more quickly and clearly than text.
Just be sure to keep the number of visuals you use to a reasonable amount. Too many images can be just as overwhelming as too much text.
Not all information on your website is created equal. Identify the most important pieces of information you want visitors to know and make sure those are front and center.
This might mean placing key information above the fold, using larger fonts or brighter colors, or even repeating the information in multiple places on your website.
Anything that distracts visitors from the key information you want them to see can reduce your website's effectiveness. This might include flashy animations, pop-up ads, or even a cluttered navigation menu.
Keep your website simple and streamlined, with a clear hierarchy of information that directs visitors to the most important content.
Implementing Miller's Law on your website doesn't have to be difficult. Here are a few tips to get you started:
Take a close look at the content on your website and identify any areas where you can simplify or streamline information. Cut out any unnecessary information or details that might distract visitors from the key messages you want to convey.
Heatmaps can be incredibly useful tools for identifying which areas of your website are getting the most attention from visitors. Use this information to prioritize the content you want visitors to see first.
Sometimes it can be difficult to know what will resonate best with visitors. A/B testing can help you determine which versions of your content are most effective at converting visitors into customers.
Miller's Law is an incredibly powerful cognitive bias that can be used to improve the effectiveness of your website. By focusing on simplicity, clarity, and prioritization, you can make sure that your website is communicating its key messages as effectively as possible.
Miller, G. A. (1956). The magical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information. Psychological Review, 63(2), 81-97.
I hope you find this blog post helpful! Let me know if you have any questions.
Are you curious about how to apply this bias in experimentation? We've got that information available for you!
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