Writing web pages for four decision-making types

Executive overview

Most pages are optimised for visitors who engage at the top — but different decision makers need different things at different scroll depths. Ignoring this means losing conversions from the majority who read further down.

The SCHM framework (Spontaneous, Competitive, Humanistic, Methodical) maps four types across two axes: fast vs slow, emotional vs logical. Each type concentrates at a different depth on the page, so the structure of a well-written page should shift to match them as readers scroll.

Write the top for everyone, but design the bottom half for Humanistic and Methodical readers.

The four decision-making types

1. Spontaneous — fast, emotional. Stays in the hero section; rarely scrolls. Uses search and global nav heavily. Wants a clear CTA button immediately. Does not read copy.
2. Competitive — fast, logical. Scans cross-heads and bullet lists. Wants data, numbers, and specific claims — not soft messaging. Stays mostly in the upper half but follows scannable structure down.
3. Humanistic — slow, emotional. Wants faces, video testimonials, and human imagery. Visits About and Contact pages. Responds to connection, not features.
4. Methodical — slow, logical. Reads everything, including testimonials word for word. Wants facts, figures, charts, and feature-forward language. Prefers "what" over "why it feels good."

Page structure by scroll depth

• Hero section: write for all four types, but optimise primarily for Spontaneous
• Spontaneous needs a visible CTA button and prominent search/nav in the hero
• Upper half: serve Competitive with specific, data-led cross-heads and bullets
• Lower half (50%+): shift to Humanistic and Methodical; reduce emotional benefit language, increase feature specificity
• Bottom of page: primarily Methodical and Humanistic; matches high product-awareness naturally

Practical implications for copy

• Cross-heads are not just SEO tools — write them for Competitive scanners who want the "what"
• Feature-led cross-heads in the lower half look weak to direct-response copywriters but are correct for Methodical readers
• Testimonials with human photos or video thumbnails serve Humanistic; Methodical will read the text regardless
• SaaS pages with no human imagery lose Humanistic visitors entirely
• Amplifying search visibility in the hero can redirect Spontaneous users before they bounce

How to use this with clients and teams

• When reviewing copy, name which type each section is written for — this reframes "nobody reads this far" objections
• Heat map red zones at the top do not make the bottom of the page unimportant; fewer readers there does not mean zero value
• Scroll maps showing yellow lower sections are expected — the question is whether those readers are still converting, not whether they exist
• Teach the framework to clients so they stop optimising only for the visible heat