Choosing between square and rounded buttons may seem like a small detail, but research suggests it can impact how users feel (and this, in turn, affects conversions).
The study:
Researchers showed adults different website designs with either rounded or sharp-cornered buttons, and used brain scans and surveys to see how each button style affected users’ feelings and brain activity.
(Nissen et al., 2024)
🧪What they found:
Rounded buttons led to lower activation in parts of the brain associated with stress and cognitive effort.
AKA rounded buttons are easier and more comfortable for users to process, even if they do not consciously notice the difference.
Why do round shapes “feel better“?
Evolution is the culprit, as usual.
Sharp edges can signal danger in the environment, so our brains are wired to notice and avoid them.
Rounded shapes are the opposite, soft and non-threatening, so they feel safe to interact with.
💡Takeaway
Round the corners of your buttons to get more clicks.
Stay curious my friend,
Ksenia (the chief nerd)
P.S. Thank you, it means a lot that marketers like you are reading my newsletter.
BTW you can reply to this email with your most burning ad psychology question. I’ll do the research and publish it in a future edition(if an answer exists)!
Source: Nissen, L., & Riedl, R. (2024). Users' reactions to website designs: A neuroimaging study based on evolutionary psychology with a focus on color and button shape. Computers in Human Behavior, 152, 108133.