Social media is supposed to be fun. You’re supposed to feel happy and prosperous when you get likes, comments, and shares. But what if your social media posts aren’t getting the reactions you want? Here are seven psychological principles that can help turn those invisible numbers into more engagement on social media.
Almost every outstanding marketer I’ve encountered is interested in psychology somehow. It’s crucial to be curious about how others think since that’s the only way to make whatever you’re selling appealing to them. Psychology may be used in every aspect of your marketing efforts. We can’t, however, look at everything at once. Instead, I’d want to concentrate on how knowing psychological principles of human behavior may help you in one particular area: social media marketing. This piece will go over seven vital psychological concepts and show you how to apply them to social media marketing. However, since social media and content marketing are so closely linked, some of these ideas will also apply to platforms other than social media. So, let’s get started with the first fundamental.
Psychological principles to get more attention on social media:
1. Children usually ask this question, but adults also think of it.
When a child raises a question, they nearly never accept a superficial response. As a result, the great majority of children’s most often asked question is: “Why?” Why are things the way they are? If they don’t comprehend the replies, they are naturally unsatisfied. Consider the last time you tuned in to a political discussion. Isn’t it aggravating when most candidates don’t offer an honest response to a question? Instead, you just want to shout “WHY?” at the screen when they dance around yet another explanation. However, most individuals eventually learn that there are specific issues for which there are no satisfactory answers. This is the moment at which grownups give up asking “why?” even if it irritates them. But it’s not all doom and gloom! That’s because you can answer questions, at least when it comes to your social media audience. One of the finest strategies to get devoted followers on social media is to answer your readers’ questions in great detail.
Here’s an illustration:
Many Stone Temple Consulting’s audience members are perplexed as to why SEO is so complex (it certainly seems that way to beginners). As a result, they took advantage of the chance to explain why, with the inquiry serving as the headline for a social media post.
Consider it from the perspective of one of their followers.
- They were perplexed as to why something (SEO) is the way it is.
- To locate the solution, they went to the social media post.
- They came up with an excellent solution and were happy with it.
This last section is crucial since it reinforces the habit. They gradually learn that beautiful things happen when they engage with postings from this specific brand. There’s no reason it couldn’t be your company instead. It just takes two easy steps, which I’ll teach you how to accomplish.
Step 1: Identify questions that your readers want to be answered: Keep in mind that your objective is to respond to queries that most of your followers have. That’s how you convince people to take action (like visiting your website) and have a positive experience with you. These questions may be found in various areas, including social media, forums, and organizations. But, since they are full of questions, I highly advise beginning with a question-answer site. You don’t have to spend time weeding out irrelevant information. Yahoo Answers and Quora are two of the most popular question-and-answer websites. I’m a more considerable admirer of Quora, where I even contribute answers. I believe the site’s quality is superior to that of Yahoo Answers.
Simply put in your expertise in the search field to discover a lengthy list of questions that you can answer. What you’re searching for is a “Topic: (your specialty)” category, which is essentially a collection of all queries about your subject. In most circumstances, it should appear as one of the significant search choices, as seen below:
When you click on a subject, Quora will generate a feed for you, including hundreds of questions (for most topics). When you get to the bottom, just keep scrolling, and it will load more. These questions are arranged by relevance and interest rather than by date. On each question, you can see the amount of “upvotes,” which is a good indicator of how many people in the community are interested in the answer.
You have hundreds of excellent questions at your disposal. If you wanted to, you could answer one a day.
Step 2: Figure out the best method to respond to them: Now that you’ve posed the questions, it’s time to respond. However, keep in mind that you’re answering your questions on social media (or your website), not on Quora. Your social media audience is distinct from the Quora audience, which implies that most of your followers are still looking for answers to these questions. This also means that if you need assistance or support in answering the question, you may go through the replies on Quora. However, you should, of course, respond to the question on your terms and, if feasible, relate your personal experiences.
After receiving a response, you’ll need to choose three choices. First, how long should the answer be? If it’s a brief question, you may be able to cover everything in your social media message (depending on the platform). If the response is lengthy, a blog post is preferable, and you can link to the actual answer in your social media post. Second, you must decide on the appropriate structure for the response. Some questions are better addressed via ordinary blog entries, while others need infographics or films. My general guideline is that videos are the greatest if your audience needs to see the solution in action (for example, installing a bookcase). An infographic is ideal if they need to view numerous aspects of the solution at once (such as the stages to making a cake).
More than one form of the material may make sense in some instances. Make as many as you want to offer your viewers additional options. Finally, you must choose how to post the question and response on social media. I recommend keeping things as straightforward as possible. Copy the question exactly as it appeared on Quora, in the wording your audience would use.
Then, if you have room, add a teaser that summarizes your solution and piques people’s interest.
2. Obtain adoring admirers by using the endowment effect.
Would you consider trading in your current vehicle for one that is worth a few thousand dollars more? Most individuals would not make that transaction, although it is profitable. This is due to the endowment effect. We get connected to the things we possess and, as a result, place a higher value on them. This impact is well-documented in research. Here’s how the researchers went about it: A mug was given to some of the research participants. The individuals were then asked whether they would exchange their original item for a pen of similar value or sell it to one of the other participants. And the effects were incredible. If the endowment effect didn’t exist, the folks who gave the mug away would have claimed they’d sell it for about the same price as others were prepared to pay for it. Although the cup and the pen were valued the same amount, none of the subjects given a face swapped it for the cell.
Furthermore, when they specified the amount for which they’d be willing to sell it, it was twice as much as the other subjects were prepared to pay. In practice, once the experiment participants got their hands on the mug, they were connected to it. The endowment effect may be used in many aspects of your company, including social media. Giving your consumers a sample before asking them to purchase is the most obvious way to exploit the endowment effect in your company. This is something you see all the time in shops. Buffer, for example, offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required:
As new signups grow more committed to the network, having their account will become more critical. When the 30-day period is over, most of them will value the version so highly that the $10, or whatever Buffer is asking for, will seem insignificant. Most individuals, on the other hand, would hesitate to pay if they were asked for the money in advance. This is perhaps the most challenging idea to apply to social media directly. According to what I’ve observed, the ideal way to do it is to link to stuff, but not the complete version of it.m Bryan Dean, for example, shared a link to his skyscraper case study on Facebook:
The article is helpful, and readers get hooked to the strategy in their toolbox. However, even after reading the case study, some readers may want further assistance, such as a step-by-step checklist. Bryan provides the following as a content upgrade:
To receive access to the checklist, readers must provide their email addresses. Of course, they’ll want the latter section and will gladly provide their email addresses since they have enjoyed the first half of the material.
3. Most engagement is based on a fundamental principle: Reciprocity.
We can only operate as a society if we all follow certain fundamental principles. The reciprocity rule is one of these rules, or “norms.” This was one of Cialdini’s six elements of influence discovered over his decades of study. I’m sure you’ve followed this pattern many times throughout your life. It can be found in all civilizations, independent of language, geography, religion, or other factors. The following is what the standard entails: When someone gives something, they will want to repay the favor. The favor is usually around the same size as the original present. For example, if you give someone money for ice cream, they are more likely to lend you money for something else later on, such as a drink. In contrast, if you go across the nation to assist someone in need, they will do almost anything for you if you ask. This idea has been thoroughly researched and confirmed to be correct. Researchers looked at whether waiters might earn more money from tips if they used this idea back in 2002. As a result, servers in one study were instructed to offer their customers an after-dinner mint. Tips increased by 3%. Not bad. Then, before delivering the mints, another group was directed to halt, look at the client, and tell them the mint was just for them. The number of tips received increased by 20%. Woah. So, what exactly happened? There are a few things to keep in mind.
First and foremost, you are not required to ask for a favor in return. On every occasion, the diners tipped well without being asked. Second, it was critical to ensure that the customers knew that the waiter was doing something kind for them. There’s not much they have to offer back if they believed after-dinner mints were routine and expected. So, when you do something kind for someone, make sure they know you thought about it and put some care into it. Consider your blog articles. You put a lot of work into them simply to give them free, and then people read through them for 10 seconds before going on to the next one. Even when I spend 5-10 hours on each piece, people still complain about the stuff I’m giving out. It’s insane! Of course, only a few readers are unaware of the labor that goes into writing material, which is why it’s essential to attempt to educate them. The reciprocity principle kicks in once they’re aware of it, and they return the favor by giving you more of their attention on how to apply the Principle of Reciprocity: Like the other of these concepts, Reciprocity may be applied to a variety of business situations. On social media, the critical approach to use this idea is to help you connect with influencers. You may mention them in one of your blogs and share their postings on social media:
You are doing someone a favor when you showcase them in a post. As a result of the reciprocity principle, people are more inclined to do something for you in return. It’s vital to remember that a sharing or a mention means various things to different individuals. It’s good (and pleasant) if someone mentions me in an article they authored, but it’s unlikely to have a substantial influence on my company. It’s a lot greater concern for a medium-sized blogger who receives less than 50 shares on all of their posts. This implies that you’ll need to share multiple articles by a well-known influencer to generate considerable goodwill. Then they’ll most likely reciprocate you by sharing something you made or by opening and reading an email you sent them. Of course, you must also generate excellent material on your own, or they will not return the favor.
4. To take advantage of the Ben Franklin effect, ask for a favor.
What if I offered you some cash? What if I asked you to return it to me? It’s reasonable to think you’d have a neutral attitude toward me and the situation. However, this is not the case.
Jim Jecker and David Landy divided people into three groups to investigate this impact. First, they paid everyone a lump sum payment upfront. But then they posed different questions to each group:
- They asked the participants in the first group whether they would return the money to the scientist who had given it to them.
- They asked the individuals in the second group whether they would return it (not to the scientist in particular)
- They didn’t ask for it back in the third group.
The participants were then given a brief questionnaire to complete. The questionnaire component where they were asked to rate how much they liked the scientist was the most relevant (who gave them the money). Surprisingly, the group which retained the funds rated the scientist as the least likable. Even though he provides them free money, they still dislike him! In contrast, the group requested to return the funds to the scientist (which most did) awarded him the highest likability score. The Ben Franklin impact is here to stay. How individuals excuse their conduct is explained by the Ben Franklin effect.
The participants who just got the money reasoned that they earned it in this experiment. The organization that returned the money to the scientist did him a favor. They justified their actions by claiming that they would only do so if they loved him. In a nutshell, doing a favor for someone else will increase your liking for them. If you did anything for them and received nothing in return, you assume you must like them. What people should you approach for favors? You may indeed request that other influencers share your material and articles. They’ll immediately like you more if they do it out of goodwill (or because your writing is fantastic). This may result in a mutually beneficial partnership in which you both contribute stuff. But the application that interests me the most is asking for favors from your followers. Don’t be hesitant to enlist the support of your readers by asking them to contribute articles, leave comments, or share your material. Not all of them will, but those who do will think of you more positively each time. After a time, you’ll see that readers who were unwilling to offer you a modest favor at first are eager to do you large favors.
Here’s an example of Marie Forleo soliciting contributions from her followers for a piece of material she was working on.
She does things now and then, and her fans are always willing to provide a hand (notice the 150 likes). There were other anecdotes in the comments section of this article that she might utilize. Last but not least, keep in mind the reciprocity rule. It’s fantastic if one of your followers helps you out. You will, however, most likely wish to return the favor. A simple public thank you or a mention in a blog post is usually enough. The answer is to avoid providing the incentive in the first place. If you do, your readers would argue that they only helped you acquire it because they like you, not. So keep the award a secret until later.
5. The “mere exposure principle” works well with reposting material.
You enjoy something more the more you are exposed to it. That is, at least, what the simple exposure hypothesis suggests. We don’t know why or how it works, but studies have proven that this is the case in most situations. In one experiment, Robert Zajonc revealed Chinese characters to those who couldn’t read or speak the language. The amusing thing is that he displayed certain characters more than others, from one to twenty-five times. The findings were clear: the more people were exposed to a character, the more positive value they were assigned. This is undoubtedly one of the reasons why most individuals are so pleased with themselves. You’re stuck with yourself 24 hours a day, after all. Social media and the mere exposure theory: There are two ways to use this principle in your social media marketing to make it more successful.
Most essential, be consistent in your posting. I update practically all of my social media profiles at least once a day:
You may post as often as you want without irritating your followers. The more you can expose a follower to your brand and content, the better. The second approach to use this notion is to distribute information several times. Buffer’s calendar demonstrates that they share a single article many times after publication.
This will increase the frequency with which your followers see your material, enhancing the impact. Have you ever been undecided about whether or not you enjoyed a film after seeing it for the first time? And you truly enjoyed it after seeing it again? It occurs regularly, not only with movies but also with substance. A reader may first dislike your work for several reasons, but when they return to it over time, they grow to like it.
6. Social proof and networking should be complementary.
In several settings, social proof has been shown to increase conversion rates. When we speak about social proof, we usually refer to sales, but it may also apply to social media marketing. There are many sorts of social evidence, but we’re particularly interested in user social proof: The approval/positivity of present users of something is known as user social proof. This refers to reviews and ratings on e-commerce platforms like Amazon. This might refer to case studies on other sites.
The result is exactly what you’d anticipate. The better a product appears to prospective buyers, the more good social proof. We identify with other users and anticipate having a similar experience with the product or service we are considering. How does social proof affect your social media marketing? Pages acquire phony followers only to gain social proof. They understand that actual users will be more willing to follow them if they have thousands of followers. For a variety of reasons, I do not suggest doing so. It does, however, show that social media users are interested in what their peers are doing. If a post receives a lot of likes or shares, individuals are far more inclined to do it themselves. When a post is trending (“going viral”), you may see this in action all the time. The practical point is to do all you can to acquire those initial few “likes” or shares when you publish a post on social media.
It might be as simple as texting or contacting your greatest admirers or peers. However, if you can get traction quickly, the remainder of your followers will be more inclined to interact with your postings. If you have workers, ask them to comment on each post as soon as it is published, at least until you have a bigger audience.
7. The “propinquity effect” may be used to guarantee long-term involvement.
The fourth premise outlines how friends are formed. Propinquity is connected to “proximity,” as you would have guessed. And, according to the impact, the closer you are to someone, the more likely you are to like them. Renters who live on the same floor, for example, are more likely to form close friendships than tenants who reside on an individual level. You may have also noted that the propinquity effect is linked to the simple exposure effect discussed. The more you see someone, the more good feelings you will have for them. However, the propinquity effect is influenced by another factor: similarity. The more you have in common with someone and the closer you are, the more you will like them. Propinquity and social media explained: If you want to keep the experiment going, you should live as near your followers as possible. This applies to all of your audience’s communication platforms, not just social media. Send them emails frequently, if possible. I send three emails every week to subscribers on Quick Sprout alone. If readers want more, they can receive another 3-4 and subscribe to the NeilPatel.com blog.
It enables me to be a daily presence in their lives. However, the same may be said about social media. I tweet many times a day and frequently post on Facebook as well.
1st example post:
2nd example post:
The theory is that the more people see me, the more they like me. Did you notice that I omitted one piece of information? If that’s the case, you’ve made a fantastic catch. Those articles and emails must also be about something we share in common for the propinquity effect to be as powerful as feasible. For corporations, though, this is relatively straightforward. You instantly have the needed degree of relevancy if you’re talking about material, events, or goods in your industry that your audience enjoys. After that, all you have to do is wait for the frequency to take effect, and you’ll be good to go.
Conclusion
Psychology and marketing are inextricably linked. You can find the best methods to engage your target audience and deliver your information and goods if you understand how they think. I believe it’s critical to understand how psychology influences every part of your marketing, which is why this piece focuses on just one—social media. I’ve shown you seven psychological concepts that might help you boost your overall marketing. However, I’ve also taught you how to use them in particular ways to increase your social media marketing right now. Spend 20-30 minutes looking through each premise and considering its relation to your company, audience, and marketing strategy.
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