Seven psychological hacks that you can use on any website to get results.
Psychological triggers can have a significant impact on the purchasing decisions made by visitors to your website. While we would like to believe that every person is different, human behaviour is actually very well documented and predictable. This makes it somewhat easier to anticipate how a large proportion of your visitors will behave in certain situations.
Science tells us that triggers can make people act or feel in certain ways. This is also true when it comes to selling products on your website; or, for some of our clients, simply getting users to take the next step in a sales funnel (e.g., scheduling a consultation, filling out a form, or even picking up the phone).
You’re about to discover seven powerful trigger hacks that will make your website much more persuasive. You’ll also learn why each trigger is so effective and how you can implement it on your own site.
The foot-in-the-door effect
The foot-in-the-door effect is a compliance tactic that shows us that people are more likely to take a bigger action if they have already taken smaller related actions. For example, If you can get someone on your site to download some content from you, they’re more likely to later agree to do something that requires more commitment from them, like booking an appointment.
And, you’re probably thinking, how can I use this on my own website or lead generation funnel? Actually, it’s simple. So when someone opts in for your free download or lead magnet (e.g. webinar, guide, video), direct them to a thank-you or success page that confirms the free item is on its way to them. Next, follow this up with a bigger call to action – like making a purchase, stating a trial or booking an appointment.
We used this same technique successfully with a well-known kitchen bedroom and bathroom designer. Instead of asking people immediately if they’d like an appointment with a designer, which from our analysis was creating large amounts of friction, we offered a free 48-page digital brochure download which was full of lots of unique ideas and case studies. Once they reached the thank you page we gently offered a free 1-2-1 video consultation with a designer and hey presto a 56% uplift in bookings.
The truth effect
The truth effect is the inclination that people believe something more if they are exposed to it multiple times. To put this technique to use you need to identify the most important message for your customers regarding your business, service or product then repeat that message in various engaging ways throughout your website.
Use it in headlines, use it in videos, use it promotions and be sure to select customer testimonials that include it as well. When you reach the limit and think you’ve gone a step too far probably add it in a few more times for good measure.
This came in particularly useful on a client’s project where the main aim was to entice users to request a free sample of a specific item, we applied direct messaging and call to actions that led to the inevitable outcome of increased sample requests, it took a few attempts to reach the right amount of messaging as every website responds differently to these tactics so be certain to keep testing and monitor the results periodically.
Loss aversion - FOMO (Fear of missing out)
People have a natural aversion to loss. In other words, they would rather avoid losing something than gaining something of equal value. With this in mind, your messaging on your website should focus on what people stand to lose if they don’t take advantage of your offer or product.
Or if they go with a competitor. For instance, if you’re a nutritional products provider, you could easily talk about all the gains users will be missing out on, if they were to use a comparable or inferior off-the-shelf product, you can also just make small copy tweaks instead of saying something like ‘live a healthy lifestyle, you could say ‘take care of your body & mind’.
Businesses can also take advantage of this by ethically mentioning the scarcity of what they have to offer. For example, if you’re a consultant and only have 10 appointment slots left this month, be sure to mention that on your website or social media platforms. This creates a sense of urgency for potential clients and can increase engagement, but be ethical about how you use this.
The mirror technique
People are more likely to respond positively to those with whom they feel a connection. This may be because they can see themselves in the person, or because the person has helped others in a similar situation. In other words, if people can visualize themselves as you or your past clients/customers, it will have a positive impact on the goals of your website.
Before using this strategy on your website, get to know your customer avatar well. This way, you can use testimonials from people similar to your best and current customers. By doing so, new visitors will see that you have helped others like them before and will be more likely to trust your business.
When picking testimonials, make sure they match your target demographic; for example, if you’re targeting 20-year-old men, don’t use a 60-year-old woman. This way, your customers will see themselves represented and be able to relate to what they are reading. Another tip: when writing website copy or listening to customer conversationpPay attention to the language used so you can include it in future content creation. Doing this gives the feeling that you understand them on a deeper level
Or if they go with a competitor. For instance, if you’re a nutritional products provider, you could easily talk about all the gains users will be missing out on, if they were to use a comparable or inferior off-the-shelf product, you can also just make small copy tweaks instead of saying something like ‘live a healthy lifestyle, you could say ‘take care of your body & mind’.
Businesses can also take advantage of this by ethically mentioning the scarcity of what they have to offer. For example, if you’re a consultant and only have 10 appointment slots left this month, be sure to mention that on your website or social media platforms. This creates a sense of urgency for potential clients and can increase engagement, but be ethical about how you use this.
Use it in headlines, use it in videos, use it promotions and be sure to select customer testimonials that include it as well. When you reach the limit and think you’ve gone a step too far probably add it in a few more times for good measure.
This came in particularly useful on a client’s project where the main aim was to entice users to request a free sample of a specific item, we applied direct messaging and call to actions that led to the inevitable outcome of increased sample requests, it took a few attempts to reach the right amount of messaging as every website responds differently to these tactics so be certain to keep testing and monitor the results periodically.
The bandwagon effect
Humans are social by nature and we usually make decisions based on what we think others will choose. With multiple options, most of us would go with the more popular option.
To utilize this effectively, use language on your website like “100s of happy customers” or “join 1000s of satisfied business owners” because it suggests that you are the safe and popular choice.
Several five-star reviews or strong testimonials will also give potential customers confidence that you’re a popular choice. Make sure you are displaying these in prominent above-the-fold areas on your website, and make sure it’s obvious how people rank your service, products or business.
The anchoring bias
The anchoring bias occurs when we compare all future information to the first piece of information we receive. So, if we hear one price first, every subsequent price will sound like a good deal or a bad deal in comparison.
So, you’re an excellent photographer with two product photography packages. You tell your potential clients about the first option which is £8,000 and then show them the details of the other package amounting to £2,000. By itself, the second number may seem expensive; however, starting from a significantly higher figure and then dropping down makes £2,000 appear much more reasonable in contrast.
You can use this tip on your pricing page by listing your most expensive option first. By starting with the higher price, you will reduce any potential shock or friction for the customer.
If you want to increase your sales, I would highly recommend developing a high ticket offer. This means that your offer should include more value than what your customer is expecting, and of course, a higher price tag. Although few people will probably take you up on this kind of offer, it makes your core offering look much more reasonable in comparison.
Applying these seven psychological hacks to your website
We hope you found our seven psychological tricks for improving your website’s results helpful! Whenever trying to implement these techniques, we recommend measuring the before-and-after effects so that you can see what works best. Also, use one technique at a time rather than all of them simultaneously; this way, it’s much easier to track your progress.
We’re a data-driven agency that will help you grow the revenue of your website significantly. In fact, we’ve helped businesses generate millions in extra revenue through their websites. If you want to improve conversion rates, improve average order values and understand more about your users then speak to one of our team about our data-driven growth programme.