How To: Boost Your Clicks With These Psychological Marketing Hacks
When you spend the majority of the day looking at metrics – CPC, CVR, bounce rate, etc. – it’s easy to forget that marketing and advertising aren’t purely a scientific endeavor, but are also an art. It’s possible to do everything “right”, from choosing the right ad placements to setting up the right audience targeting, yet somehow still miss the mark. That’s because any successful marketing campaign requires you to engage with your customers emotionally.
Keep in mind that the main goal of marketing professionals is to drive consumers to action through campaigns. It’s thus essential to make sure that all of your marketing efforts resonate with your target customers on a psychological level. This is actually easier than it sounds, but still requires careful thought and planning. By employing the following tips in coordination with your company’s branding and sales teams, you can tap into the psychology of your customers and make your future ad campaigns a success.
Remember the Rule of Reciprocity
People tend to feel a connection when they’re given something as a gift. They also feel an obligation to return the favor. Although the first thing that comes to mind might be exchanging holiday presents between friends, the psychological phenomenon of reciprocity is strong enough that companies can leverage it, too.
By providing a discount or a free item to first-time customers, you’ll tap into people’s innate desire to reciprocate. True, you might have to endure more upfront costs. But your customers will pay you back in myriad ways, from brand loyalty to sharing your company with friends through word of mouth. A well designed campaign with a giveaway or a similar reciprocal element is almost certain to benefit you in the long term.
Simplicity is Key
Have you ever found yourself standing in front of an aisle at the supermarket, overwhelmed by the choices you have at your disposal? How can you possibly pick out the right toothpaste from 20 different brands, flavors and price points? It’s good to have options, but too much choice can be paralyzing – and can ultimately reduce sales. That’s why many successful businesses adhere to the principle of simplicity in their product lines.
Computer and smartphone company Apple shows what this philosophy looks like in action. Although Apple has a wide variety of different products, they are all neatly categorized into a few easy-to-remember product lines. Famed west coast burger chain In-N-Out Burger also follows this principle in their own way, offering only three simple choices for meal sets. Here’s the main takeaway: no matter what type of product you’re selling, try to keep the options simple.
Social Influence and Word of Mouth
People care deeply about the opinions of their peers, and there’s no better place to learn what’s on your friends’ minds than social media. If your friends come across a product that they love, you’re much more likely to listen to them than to an advertisement. That’s the power of word of mouth.
Companies should therefore strive to find a way to make their products easily sharable on social media. It’s also good practice for your company social accounts to interject and be part of the conversation. However, personal testimonials from normal users are still the best way to influence opinion and increase your product’s brand visibility. Remember to apply the rule of reciprocity to your social media pages for an added boost. People love to feel a personal connection to brands, and they’ll be happy to interact with your company on a human-to-human level.
The above three hacks are just the beginning of your journey into marketing psychology! In the future, we’ll revisit this topic with more subtle and in-depth methods for connecting with your customers on an emotional level, and driving more sales.