What makes people click? The psychology behind Digital Ads

Digital marketing is constantly evolving, and so are people’s interests. Creating compelling advertisements is becoming more difficult as time goes on. So, how do you keep up? Studying the psychology behind what makes people click on ads can differentiate you from your competitors. Continue reading to explore what makes people click and how to use psychology to boost your digital marketing skills!

How to make an ad attractive

Let’s first discuss what makes an ad attractive in the first place. Relevance is one of the key points here. Studies show that you are more likely to click on an ad if it is relevant to you. Another key component that goes hand and hand with relevance is being eye-catching. An advertisement that is new and unexpected is more likely to be eye-catching than others.

With that being said, in order for your campaign to be successful, you must create a relevant and eye-catching advertisement before you can build on it.   

What makes people click

There are a number of reasons as to why people click on advertisements. But, each consumer goes through something called a Consumer Decision Journey when making a purchase. This journey has four stages: Awareness, Research, Consideration, and Purchase. Depending on what stage a consumer is in will determine why they click on an ad.

• If a consumer is in the awareness stage, the consumer has just become aware of a need or a want that they have. This in turn means that they’re more likely to click on an ad that is educational. These consumers are wanting to learn about how the product works and how it can fulfill their needs.
• If a consumer is in the research stage, the consumer is actively researching products that can meet that need or want. These consumers are more likely to click on comparative ads. These types of ads compare and contrast similar products.
• If a consumer is in the consideration stage, they’re currently considering which product is the best for them. These consumers are most likely to click on an ad that is persuasive. They just need that final push to get them to the purchase stage.

There are also other things that entice consumers to click on ads. A consumer could be curious by nature and want to learn something new, or if the advertisement promises a specific benefit on a product. For example, this benefit could be if the ad promises a discount on a product.

When creating your ad, keep in mind what Consumer Decision Journey stage that your target customers are in. This will help you create a more compelling advertisement in order to generate more clicks.  

How to appeal to emotions in your ads

Another additional aspect to successful advertisements are appealing to the emotions of your target consumers. Studies have shown that consumers are more likely to engage with an ad if it induces positive emotions such as happiness, pride, or amusement. 

A way to evoke positive emotions is by using images or videos of people smiling or laughing. According to recent studies, video ads of people smiling have a significantly larger chance of being clicked on. Another way to appeal to emotions in an advertisement is telling a story. Stories help consumers better understand a product and memorize the information easier. These ads will normally be narrated as if it was a story.

When creating your ad, make sure that there is a strong emotional appeal by using the techniques above. This will create a stronger connection between your consumers and your brand.

The importance of ad placement

Consumers can’t click on an ad if it isn’t easily seen. This is where the importance of ad placement comes in. When it comes to ad placement, there’s three specific things you need to keep in mind to create a successful ad campaign.

1. The first, and most obvious, is that the advertisement is placed in a location that is more probable to be seen. An example of this is putting your advertisement on websites that gain a lot of traffic.
2. Second, make sure your advertisement is placed near to the top of whatever page it is on. Consumers aren’t likely to scroll in search of advertisements. The easier the advertisement is to find, the better. 
3. Lastly, make sure your advertisement is put next to relevant or related content. If you’re advertising a new shoe, you would want to place the ad on a fashion website. This way, those who are already interested in the same subject are more likely to view your ad.

How to use psychology to your advantage

In order to create a successful ad, make sure to combine all of the aspects listed above. This will make sure that your advertisement reaches your target audience and gains the proper attention!

Make sure your ads are relevant to your audience. Create these advertisements that are tailored to their interests. Second, check that your ads are being placed in locations that have a lot of traffic. Consider where your target audience is spending most of their time on a website and place it there. Lastly, make sure that your ads are visually appealing and tell your audience something new or convey a story. Think about using bright colors or images/videos of people smiling in order to grab your audience’s attention. 

Utilize Raze Media’s marketing services!

Producing an advertisement that encompasses all of these aspects can be a lot of hard work. Consider using Raze Media’s marketing services in order to create persuasive and successful advertisements!