If you have a social media marketing campaign in the works, you’re probably spending time researching efficient marketing methods that you could apply to your advertising techniques.
However, in addition to following the trends in social media and promotion, it can often be helpful to get inside the minds of your demographic. A campaign that doesn’t play on the minds of consumers has little potential to go viral, however when we take psychological concepts into account, they can set up the campaign for success.
But how do I use psychology to promote my brand?
It’s easy. All you need to do is create a campaign that will draw emotions and opinions from those who see it. This needn’t be difficult, providing you do a little research. To make it a little simpler, here are a few simple tips that are sure to provoke thoughts and engagement:
- Create an obligation
Some may call it ‘guilt tripping’. We call it convincing! Viewers are far more likely to act on a request when they feel obligated to do so. Take the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, for instance. People began tagging their friends, almost to the point of shaming those who refused to take part once nominated. To avoid looking like a bad sport on a public site, users took part out of sheer obligation.
As a result, more videos were made, leading to more donations for the charity.
See if you’re able to include some kind of ‘commitment’ incentive within your campaign that would encourage people to commit to your service, such as sharing your Facebook page or retweeting your last tweet. If they’ve publicly committed to a decision, they’ll be more likely to follow through.
- Play on identities
As much as people claim to avoid ‘labelling’, it’s human nature to identify with certain traits. People perceive themselves a certain way, and playing to these identities can help them feel validated and positive, especially when the traits are desirable, such as kindness, generosity or even their great style or tech savviness!
Consider how people who use your service may wish to be perceived and ensure you make them feel that way as they browse your promotional material.
- Make them feel special
We all love the feeling of exclusivity, so try to make your potential consumers feel as if they can be a part of something limited and special.
You could try invitation-only information or online downloads, or even host an exclusive event for influencers within your industry or winners of a social contest. People will love the feeling of being included and are more likely to become loyal to your brand if they are actively involved with your campaigns. Another option is to limit your product or service to a certain number per set time period. People will feel lucky to have got it when they did, plus, you’ll see a boost in sales as consumers are more likely to act impulsively knowing the product will not be available at a later date.
Will you be trying out these techniques in your next marketing campaign? It’s easy to see how they can be effective, especially when we take a moment to reflect on our own browsing and engagement tendencies.
