Jakob's Law: The Law of the Internet Jungle

Jakob's Law is like the wild west of the internet - users have their six-shooters loaded with expectations from other websites, and they're ready to draw if your website doesn't meet those expectations. It's up to web designers and developers to cowboy up and understand what users want, so they can create websites that are the quickest draw in the west, but also unique enough to stand out from the crowd of other websites on the range.

Jakob knows best

In the wild and wacky world of the internet, users have become accustomed to certain standards of design and functionality. These standards have been shaped by years of experience, and they are now so ingrained that users expect them to be present in every website they visit. This is where Jakob's Law comes in.

Jakob's Law is a simple yet powerful principle that states that users spend most of their time on other websites, and therefore, they expect your website to work in the same way. In other words, users expect your website to conform to the standards set by other websites in your industry or niche.

This law may seem straightforward, but it has profound implications for web designers and developers. If your website is too different from what users expect, they may become frustrated and leave. On the other hand, if your website is too similar to other websites, you may be seen as unoriginal or uninspired.

So, how can you strike the right balance? The key is to understand your users and what they expect from your website. This requires research, testing, and a willingness to adapt and evolve as your users' needs change over time.

For example, if you're designing a website for an e-commerce store, users will expect to see a shopping cart icon in the top right corner of the screen. If you're designing a social media platform, users will expect to see a news feed with posts from their friends and followers. By understanding these expectations, you can design a website that is both familiar and unique.

In conclusion, Jakob's Law is a powerful principle that can help you design websites that meet the expectations of your users. It reminds us that the internet is a jungle, and users have evolved to expect certain standards of design and functionality. By understanding these expectations and adapting to them, you can create a website that stands out from the crowd while still feeling familiar and intuitive. So, the next time you're designing a website, remember to follow the law of the internet jungle.