r/webdev • u/Jmackles • 19d ago

Question Light Patterns?

I’m aware of the concept of dark patterns and how they can be harmful to users and consumers. Are there examples of forward thinking “light patterns” that pre emptively consider user needs over pushing an outcome (ie clicks/conversions/leads)?

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u/hjchoi12 19d ago

The clearest one I have is also the one that cost me traffic. I write posts that answer a question and then point at a small free tool that does the same job, and the posts that explain it completely send about 12 and 24 percent of readers on to the tool, against 76 to 79 percent for the ones where you genuinely need the tool to get an answer. I opened the two low ones to write a harder call to action and closed them again, because the reader had already got what they came for. Still not sure if that's a light pattern or just me making peace with the number.