Serial position effect
The first and last items in a sequence are remembered best.
Where it applies
Three of the eight page areas.
HomepageNot typical CategoryAlso applies SearchNot typical ProductAlso applies CartNot typical CheckoutNot typical Post-purchaseNot typical
It also applies sitewide, on every page. See everything at work on every page
How to use it
Four ways to put it to work.
- Put the most important navigation link first, and consider placing another important one last.
- Keep anything critical out of the middle.
- Open and close benefit lists with the strongest points.
- Put priority products in the first row.
What the research found
A classic recall finding. On a live site, first and last links drew more clicks.
On a live restaurant website, the first link got the most clicks and clicks rose again for the last.
The recall pattern is a classic, much repeated laboratory finding. In two field experiments on one live restaurant website (3,888 and 18,134 visits), Murphy and colleagues found clicks were highest for the first link and rose again for the last. Click rates ranged from 10.5% down to 7.3% in the first experiment.
Key research
Four sources, each checked.
Last reviewed
Murdock (1962) The serial position effect of free recall J. Experimental Psychology Read the source Glanzer & Cunitz (1966) Two storage mechanisms in free recall J. Verbal Learning & Verbal Behavior Read the source Murphy, Hofacker & Mizerski (2006) Primacy and Recency Effects on Clicking Behavior J. Computer-Mediated Communication Read the source Ursu (2018) The Power of Rankings: Quantifying the Effect of Rankings on Online Consumer Search and Purchase Decisions Marketing Science Read the source