Web standardization psychology reveals an uncomfortable truth about building trust online.

BY DAVE BENTON

[Photo: Getty Images]

The rebellion starts with a simple test. A direct-to-consumer startup moves their logo from the top left to the center of their homepage. Their designer had argued for weeks that it would “create a more balanced, editorial feel.” The CEO, tired of looking like every other Shopify store, finally agrees.

Within 72 hours, their analytics dashboard looks like a crime scene. Users taking longer to find their way home. Customer service tickets asking “How do I get back to the main page?” The logo moves back, but the damage was done—not just to their metrics, but to their understanding of how the web really works.

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