How to optimize your website using Gretchen Rubin’s four tendencies
A choose your own adventure approach to web design
Okay I know this isn’t an original Choose Your Own Adventure cover, but isn’t it hilarious?!
You may not know this, but I'm also an amateur video game designer. It's probably the main thing that gets me into flow – you know, when you don't realize time is passing until the sun starts to rise?
This love probably started with my Choose Your Own Adventure obsession. Remember those? I'm not even sure if they still make them (I hope they do). But oh boy, did I love having some control over the story.
Choose my own path through the woods? Choose how to respond to another character? Go back and choose differently should something terrible happen? Hell yeah. I love an interactive art.
I'm circling a point here, so let's get to it…
Your website is a lot like a video game, or a Choose Your Own Adventure novel. There are different types of people coming to your website that will be searching for different kinds of information, clicking on different buttons, and spending different amounts of time there. Ideally, your website can feel like a great experience for all of them.
At first, this might feel overwhelming. How could you possibly address ALL these different people? (And aren't we supposed to talk to ONE person in our marketing?)
Yes, and.
Here's how I like to simplify it.
I think of Gretchen Rubin's Four Tendencies…
The Four Tendencies
Upholders: Self-motivated and disciplined
Obligers: Value harmony and prioritize others
Questioners: Researchers who want to know more
Rebels: Prefer to do things their own way
Optimizing for Upholders
Upholders are self-motivated and disciplined. (Think Hermione Granger!) They want clear benefits and a straightforward path to achieving their goals. So make sure your calls-to-action are front and center. Highlight the key features and advantages of your products or services (I mean, you should be doing that anyway! But especially for upholders).
Addressing Obligers
Sweet Obligers! I like to think of Samwise Gamgee (you know, before he found his voice and put his foot down about Golum!). They value harmony above all else and tend to put others ahead of themselves in order to achieve this. Please use ethical marketing practices with these sweethearts and be transparent about whether your offering is suitable for them. Include a clear "this is for you if..." section on your sales pages to help them make an informed decision. Avoid using manipulative tactics that may make them feel obligated to take action. Sure, it might get you sales. But it will also increase “buyer’s remorse” and damage your brand.
Engaging Questioners
Questioners are curious and looooooove to research. They'll explore various pages on your website, including your About page, services page, and the inactive blog posts you meant to archive three years ago. Anticipate their questions and provide detailed answers proactively. Like Einstein himself, they’re likely to put really good questions ahead of answers. Include an FAQ section for these babes! They’ll love you for it.
Appealing to Rebels
Rebels are going to want to do the exact opposite of what you tell them too. They want to do what they want to do in their own time (and we wouldn’t have them any other way, would we?!). But that doesn’t mean you should just forget about them when designing your website. The best way to speak to a rebel on your website is to give them options. Like laying out three outfit choices for a rebellious kid in the morning. You’re guiding them, but they’re still making their own choice.
Crafting an interactive journey for your visitors
So, there you go! That’s how you turn your website into a choose your own adventure novel for all of Gretchen Rubin's Four Tendencies! By applying this knowledge to your website, you can create a more engaging and personalized experience for your visitors. Bonus — it’s FUN to think of our websites in this way! Don’t you think? A website is an experience. Have fun with it, my friend.
