Neuromarketing - Pressing the "Buy" button in the customer's brain (Part 3of3)

In the last two articels I described the aim of neuromarketing and certain codes that determine our actions

Now let's talk about the "perfect" Homepage.

The use of the concepts, tools and collected knowledge mentioned there should be the basis for the creation of an "optimal" homepage from the point of view of neuromarketing.

This will achieve a high conversion and response rate, put an end to the classic point of sale and above all successfully boost online sales of high-priced, expressive and extensive products or services.

Wireframes, templates or CMS systems are secondary.

A homepage should evoke emotions, trigger empathy, create incentives and perfectly stage goods or services.

The customer expects to be understood, he should not be flooded with misplaced or unwanted information and wants to be heard by the homepage operator. Pure content, static websites or the use of bullets should therefore be avoided at all times due to the lack of emotionality - the customer does not act rationally anyway.

The subconscious can be positively influenced, for example, by status objects or the simultaneous response of as many sensory stimuli as possible, the multisensory enhancement.

Visiting a website must leave a kind of experience with a user, because positive emotions tempt to buy.

Various neuropsychological design criteria are used to convey these values on a homepage.

A keyword in this context is persuasive design. These include targeted content strategies that transmit far more values than pure text and a design that offers the user more than static pages through interactivity.

User-friendliness is a basic requirement. This concept makes use of psychological principles to suggest a wide variety of things to the subconscious. The seven principles of reciprocity, commitment, framing, scarcity, social proof, authority and highlighting play an important role in motivating customers on a website.

Reciprocity means to do a favor to a user, for example through free samples, downloads or gifts. This gives a customer the feeling that they owe the provider something and may try to thank them by making a purchase.

Commitment stands for the fact that a customer who has started something also feels the desire to bring it to an end.

But commitment is also important for customers who follow their principles. At Amazon, for example, the "Back" or "Cancel" fields are specifically hidden, so that a certain search effort is necessary to complete an order or unsubscribe process. Commitment also means giving users with a like button, for example, the possibility of recommendation.

Framing means presenting the customer with various comparative offers or products. In most cases, consumers will not opt for the cheapest or most expensive option, but for the standard offer. The principle of "scarcity" stands for a time or quantity limitation and "social proof" means the active participation of customers through evaluation.

Rating scales or customer opinions should be found on a website, because the more positive evaluations for a product have been submitted, the more interesting it becomes. In addition, support for profile, security or user settings using options such as "user-defined" or "recommended settings" gives a feeling of confidence.

A website must radiate authenticity and reliability, which describes the principle of authority. The presentation of well-known personalities or the proof of quality seals, environmental awards or other certificates inspires confidence in users.

The last principle is called "highlighting". This means placing products or offers in the best possible, most attractive and central location so that they immediately catch the eye. Coloured highlights, an eye-catching picture, an exciting sound or other accentuations should optimally stage a product. The customer must be convinced and understood. The seven principles of the "Persuasive Design" approach are a possibility for design tips of a website.

Missing emotions on websites

You know it - but how do you approach it?

Apart from several major brand leaders, not all website operators are able to provide emotionally charged content. Ordinary articles and reports or various graphics are not enough to convey emotions.

Equipping content with sensations, feelings or impressions in order to present them in the best possible way in a wireframe is complex and time-consuming.

How can feelings be conveyed via a screen?

Moreover, emotions cannot be integrated into content management systems, let alone be evaluated and considered in search engine rankings. Filling a website with emotions is one difficulty. The other problem is to regularly revise or renew these affective contents.

These are reasons enough why many website operators do without emotions and in return try to score points with a new relaunch, design or user-friendly navigation menus.

This, dear readers, is not working.

Because there is no question as to what the customer ultimately realizes and absorbs from the content conveyed. It is primarily considered important to use numerous online advertising tools, such as SEM, SEA or affiliate marketing, in order to attract as many users as possible to the website.

But: a homepage should first inspire confidence in the product, the company and the website.

An anonymous website that does not address any or few key stimuli, such as nature, people, emotions or feelings, will not be able to create a basis of trust for the user. As a result, even the slightest discrepancies and ambiguities in using the site can lead to the customer moving to the next best provider.

When selling products or services over the Internet, operators should be aware of the need to use content wisely.

The registration and recording of information via the Internet is much less than via print media. A customer who is currently in the purchasing process and wants to buy a product via a website must be provided with the relevant information. The motto "less is more" also applies here, because users either do not read or do not even notice an abundance of information.

OK, but what does that mean in concrete terms?

Methods to improve the conversion rate and the e-shop may look like this:

Visual representations are generally easier to store in memory and are better suited for transmitting emotions than pure text. Shop operators should therefore present products with the help of pictures as far as possible, instead of overwhelming the user with information.

On the other hand, information and details about an item are essential in an online shop. Please note the following: Less is usually more. The fact that human working memory, also known as short-term memory, can only store about seven details shows that information must be handled sparingly and specifically. More detailed information could be found in further links, which can only be accessed on demand.

Another tool is the already mentioned storytelling. Either a provider presents the product with an appealing story or the user develops a story himself.

User Generated Content enables customers to participate directly in the development of a product. For example, consumers can leave recommendations or assessments on the e-shop and thus communicate their positive or negative opinions to other interested parties. The evaluation of customers can be described as a form of storytelling. In this way, a service or an article is better memorized in the brain.

Additional features from online retailers such as Amazon or Zalando are known, such as "fits in" or "you might also like it". Consumers who have already bought something may also be interested in other items. The right placement, at the right moment, with the optimum choice of words could then encourage customers to purchase additional products or accessories.

With the help of the MRT procedure it was discovered that the customer's brain reacts particularly to discounts and price campaigns. The customer literally loses control of his actions. Discounts activate the reward system, so even cents are enough to motivate customers to buy. Odd amounts such as €9.99 are much more attractive than €10.00, for example.

Other ways to optimize an online shop are the display of limited sales quantities, the possibility to make a purchase within one click or the use of cookies or wish lists.

However, the greatest effectiveness of these methods can be achieved through the use of emotions or people. Dr. Hans-Georg H?usel sums it up with the following quote. "Brands, products or services that don't evoke emotions are worthless to the brain."

Conclusion/Criticism

Neuromarketing - a term that seems to have a lot of potential.

Mind reading has not yet revolutionized brain research, but, as this work shows, it provides deep insights into the human brain.

But all that glitters is not necessarily gold.

Although neuroscience and neuromarketing provide advanced insights, a long-awaited look into a person's brain or a better understanding of customer purchasing behavior, both sides must always be examined when looking at them.

Looking into the human brain has revolutionized marketing, but this also poses enormous dangers for consumers.

Highly sensitive and intimate data is obtained, which raises the question to what extent neuromarketing is morally justifiable.

For example, children and young people in particular must be protected because they are at increased risk of being influenced.

In this context, the term "transparent customer" takes on a completely new meaning. In the truest sense of the word, a customer becomes increasingly transparent with neuroscientific progress and could be controlled and influenced in a targeted and desired manner.

On the other hand, it must be mentioned that classical advertising and marketing already existed 50 years ago, and even at this time pictures, sales promotions or texts were deliberately placed in order to arouse the interest of customers and thus influence them.

Science has now discovered that a customer cannot be controlled in this sense, because this requires the legitimacy of consumers. Due to the high complexity of the human state of mind and brain, a customer cannot be influenced contrary to his personal aspirations. If a consumer notices, for example, that certain effects belong specifically to a marketing strategy, this loses its effect.

How transparent a customer really is also depends on the consumers themselves. Although neuroscientific analysis methods do not allow you to control how much data is disclosed on the Internet, for example, everyone can decide for themselves what is released or posted.

Neuromarketing has advantages and disadvantages, but basically the generated knowledge can lead to further innovative progress. It has already produced far-reaching insights and made it possible to look into a person's brain.

However, this can only work if the sensitive data of consumers is treated carefully and with special protection.

The topic of neuromarketing is still in its initial phase. The technology was developed not long ago and all research still has development potential.

Where does this lead to? We'll see.

Soon enough...

Best regards,

Meik B?deker