5 Psychology-inspired Hacks to Increase Landing Page Conversions
Five conversion hacks that go beyond customer wants and needs and get into the nitty gritty of how their brains work.
It’s often said that the best direct marketing efforts are part art and part science – but what drives art, science, and everything else we do in this business is psychology. Consider this Psych 101 for Integrated Marketers, and we’re helping you ace the test with five conversion hacks that go beyond customer wants and needs and get into the nitty gritty of how their brains work. Read on and be inspired.
FOMO is Your Friend
Companies like Amazon, Wayfair, and Groupon are capitalizing on FOMO (fear of missing out) to the tune of $2.5 billion a year. By employing tactics such as bright flashing text, countdown clocks, persuasive content, and in-your-face overlays to highlight limited-time offers, you can encourage shoppers to spend up to 24% more. It literally could be as simple as changing CTAs from ‘buy’ to ‘buy now.’
Directing the Deictic Gaze
When it comes to interpersonal communications and selling, body language is everything. If someone powerful or dominant looks in a certain direction, everyone else’s eyes will follow. It’s a phenomenon known as the “deictic gaze,” and you can mimic this effect with strategic design and clever placement of photography – for example, placing a photo so the subject’s gaze lines up with a CTA, offer, form, or anything else that advances the customer journey.
Offer Social Proof
Humans are social animals who seek the word of others to form our own impressions. That’s why the rating systems and user-generated content on sites like Sephora, Yelp, and Netflix are essential parts of their overall UX. Think about the proof your landing page can offer. Prominently placed customer logos and powerful testimonials inspire confidence (and sales).
Cater to Hunger for the New
It’s (neuro)science: Exposure to new experiences helps the brain learn and form stronger memories, which is why our eyes always seek out the new and novel. Let this valuable insight influence your content strategy. Highlight new releases and frequently change up the offerings on your landing page to help draw in customers and increase engagement.
The Law of Reciprocity
It’s one of the big six Principles of Persuasion: our natural instinct is to return a favor or give after we’ve gotten. Lure your audience deeper into the funnel by asking them for something (typically, information or an email address). Then give them something of value, such as a free download, a trial membership, or access to a service currently in beta. Hubspot did just this for their Marketing Grader tool, and the offer was shared millions of times. That’s a lot of quid pro quo!