The Psychology of Search Marketing

The Psychology of Search Marketing

The Psychology of Search Marketing 700 411 Gravitate Digital

To create great ad content, we must first understand how and why consumers act in the way they do. Marketing experts have long relied upon their knowledge of human behaviour and emotion to drive decision-making, and while it may be more challenging to grab attention and evoke strong feelings in 170 characters of text than with a 30-second full colour TV ad with heartwarming background music, we show you how to embrace the power of persuasion to improve your ad copy and increase click through rates.

Why does urgency matter?

Creating a sense of urgency around a product or service is certain to enhance customer engagement. This could take the form of a promotion or sale running for a limited amount of time only and might be displayed through a countdown ad customiser in AdWords – letting your customers know exactly how long they have left to make a purchase.

What is the scarcity principle?

The fear of missing out is a known factor in encouraging impulsivity surrounding purchasing decisions. More often than not, we place more value on that which we cannot have than on that which is readily available to us. Products and opportunities are simply more appealing  when limited quantities or deadlines exist.  Including evocative language and adding words such as ‘Now’, ‘Today’, or ‘Limited Time’ can help to compel users to click who may not have previously done so.

How can I create an emotional trigger?

The use of value based language – content that focuses on describing the benefits of having the product or service in your life rather than purely listing the item and its functions – has been shown to convey value more readily in the eyes of consumers. Using the word ‘you’ can help to create an emotional trigger – which is required for near enough every decision we make, eliciting an emotional response and with it a decision based on impulsivity rather than logic.

Effective marketing copy will implement each of the above strategies, while employing standard ad copy rules like the use of relevant keywords to the search term. Make no mistake, attracting clicks and conversions in this competitive online search market is not easy, but employing these tactics based on our psychological needs can help you keep one step ahead.