Definition
Hick's Law is a psychological principle that applies directly to email design: the more choices you present, the longer it takes a subscriber to decide. Every additional link, button, or option increases cognitive load and reduces the likelihood of any action being taken.
Application to Email
- Single CTA: Emails with one clear call-to-action consistently outperform those with multiple CTAs
- Product recommendations: Limit to 3-4 products rather than 8-10
- Navigation: Footer links are expected, but minimise header navigation in promotional emails
- Form fields: Every additional field reduces form completion rate
Data
Research consistently shows that reducing choices increases conversion. A single CTA email can outperform a multi-CTA email by 30-50% in click-to-convert rate, even if total clicks are lower.
Related Glossary Terms
Accessible CTA (Email)
An accessible CTA is a button or link coded with sufficient colour contrast, visible focus states, descriptive screen-reader text, and a minimum touch target of 44×44 pixels.
AIDA Model for Email
The AIDA model (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) is a classic copywriting framework used to structure email campaigns that guide subscribers from awareness to conversion.
Anchoring Effect in Email Marketing
The anchoring effect is a cognitive bias where the first piece of information presented (the anchor) influences subsequent decisions, used in email to frame pricing and value perception.
Authority Principle in Email Marketing
The authority principle is a persuasion concept where people trust and follow the guidance of perceived experts, used in email marketing through credentials, certifications, and expert positioning.
BAB Framework for Email
The BAB framework (Before-After-Bridge) is a copywriting structure that paints a picture of the subscriber's current struggle, contrasts it with a better future, and presents your solution as the bridge.
Bundle Email
A bundle email promotes a package deal combining multiple products or services at a discounted price, designed to increase average order value and move inventory.