Optimize user guidance

Primacy / Recency Effect

The beginning and the end will be remembered.

Hand-drawn orange curve with a peak at the start labeled “Primacy Effect” and one at the end labeled “Recency Effect”, on axes “Wirkungsgrad” and “Zeit”.

How it works

People remember information that is at the beginning and at the end particularly well. They remember information in the middle the worst.

When to use it

Use the effect if you want to influence how your products are perceived.

Avoid this

Avoid important information and offers getting lost in the middle.

Online examples from practice

Stay in the memory

Display important information and benefits first and/or last.

  • Place your best offers at the beginning or the end
  • Surprise your customers with a gift to stay positively in their memory
  • Send after sale emails with a small gift
Plain German email text thanking a customer with a ten euro voucher for a photo book shop, a pink voucher code in a grey box and a closing greeting.
Mobilcom-Debitel email with a green and red banner reading a deadline date, a white box stating 30 euro gift, and a contract extension line below.
German tip text above a hand-drawn laptop whose screen shows a green button labelled Jetzt kaufen, in dark blue and grey tones.

All 80 triggers as a printed card set

For workshops and test planning with your team.

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