Are you using AI? I bet you are, but some part of you is worried that if you don’t keep an eye on it, it will slowly come in and change your business!   However there are some deep levels of humankind AI will really struggle to reach and these are the ways humankind can still get one up on our robotic counterparts:

Nine psychological factors that affect how we behave. You can use them in your marketing copy

Pratfall’s Impact

How Novelty Works

Primer Effect

Concentration Effect

It’s Free but You Are”

Relative/Relatedness Effect

The Effect of Cognitive Fluency

The Effect of Illusory Truth

One-Loop Open Effect

Pratfall’s Impact

I initially believed that “Pratfall” was a social psychologist when I first read about this one. It turns out that the phrase literally means “a fall onto one’s own buttocks.”

Definition of the “pratfall effect” in copywriting psychology

Its nature

According to the Pratfall Effect (also known as the Blemishing Effect), people find competent people more endearing after they make a mistake.

How to apply it in writing copy

However, this does not imply that you should continue to make errors. According to our definition, this only occurs when the mistake-maker is seen as extremely capable. Since you rarely make mistakes, it is adorable when you do.

This makes sense since we are drawn to things that we can relate to and identify with, and we can all relate to mistakes. By harnessing this impact in your copywriting, you can humanize your company, establish yourself as a relatable authority, and create strong emotional bonds with your readers.

1. Learn from your own errors.

When you thought you couldn’t enjoy top PPC expert Mark Irvine any more. His piece on attribution modeling begins with “A Personal Case Study of Attribution Modeling Failure.”

Example of the “pratfall effect” in copywriting

A blog article centered on a list of errors you’ve made and the lessons you took away from them is another option. You’re not only improving your interpersonal skills, but you’re also assisting others in avoiding those errors. I Spent $4M on Google Ads – Here Were My 5 Biggest Mistakes, as an illustration.

A blog post on errors is an illustration of the pratfall effect in copywriting.

2. Say you’re sorry when you do

When I first started out as a content marketer for a different organization, one of my coworkers made a mistake that resulted in a bulk email addressing recipients by the erroneous first name, which upset our subscribers.

She felt terrible. There were tears. People palmed faces. But to our gleeful astonishment, her email of apologies was greeted with a fan-mail-like flood of approving and encouraging comments.

Of course, purposefully creating errors and then apologizing for them is NOT a marketing tactic. But if you happen to make such a gaffe yourself, be open and honest about it.

The Novelty Effect

The Novelty Effect describes situations in which a change results in an improvement or other favorable outcome but NOT because of that particular change but rather because there was ANY change at all. Whatever has been improved will revert to its prior performance after the novelty has worn off.

For example, a new spice in the same food can bring about a surprise reaction. In the same manner, redoing or refreshing content also helps bring out the novelty effect. However, it is helpful to remember that the novelty effect wears off after some time. 

3. Regularly update your creativity and copy

You could also benefit from the novelty effect. Find out when the effect wears off if changing a title or headline on a certain page of your website does seem to improve performance. If it does, make a habit of doing so. Even better, you could alternate among three different iterations of the same offer.

4. Modify your blog posts.

It can be simple to fall into the habit of repeatedly publishing the same kind of blog content. But doing this is a simple method to make your audience’s wallpaper. Therefore, don’t merely occasionally switch things up to increase engagement. Always try to write a variety of topics so that your site stands out on its own.

There are many distinct sorts of blog post subjects:

Q&A

Listicles

Errors to prevent

Stunning statistics

Plans and tactics

Examples and templates

Visitor posts

Personal observations

Roundup of resources or tools

Original information

Successful examples

5. Use A/B testing with caution.

The Novelty Effect suggests that a spike in clicks or conversions after changing your copy may not actually be the result of the copy itself. A/B testing your landing page or ad copy is the best approach to discover what works. It might simply be the case that individuals have grown accustomed to (and bored with) viewing the original copy that they are drawn in by the new copy.

As Instapage advises, if you’re split testing your marketing content in any way, make sure to either give the experiment enough time to lose its novelty OR perform the test on a fresh audience or group of site users. By doing so, you can make sure that the copy actually increased conversion and that the increased conversion rate won’t decline.

Primer Effect

The copy that comes before your call to action is where the Priming Effect is most useful.

Its nature

According to the priming effect, even if we didn’t consciously take note of those things or aren’t aware that we’re making a connection between them and the circumstance, what we do in that situation is influenced by what we saw or heard right before that situation.

The Florida Effect is one sort of priming. In a social experiment conducted in 1996, participants who were unintentionally exposed to words associated with old age walked more slowly than participants who were exposed to random words.

Or to put it another way, the words they were exposed to conditioned them.

How to apply it in writing copy

This means that consumers are being primed left and right by the words and phrases you employ in your copy. Heck, you’re already being prepared (for what, I’m not sure; it’s not my intention). So use psychology to your advantage to sway your readers’ opinions.

6. Use emotive language before making the request.

You should prime individuals with emotive words and phrases that make them feel secure in clicking the CTA button on your page if you want them to do so.

Example of priming in copywriting psychology

Write your copy in a way that appeals to those feelings if you want them to feel like a subject-matter expert deserving of your goods. Or perhaps you want people to experience dread in order to use your service for safety. Here are 273 emotional words and phrases that you can use to set the mood for their actions.

7. Give readers a heads-up in your introductions.

The aim of a piece of content should be stated at the beginning of the sentence to help with comprehension and memory, according to another component of priming. So let’s look at this first sentence of the amazing Susie Marino’s most recent blog article. The post is titled “How to Improve Google Shopping ROAS with Priority Bidding.”

She begins with a clear description of what readers may anticipate from the piece as a whole—what value they will receive out of it—instead of a brief explanation of what priority bidding is.

Using the priming effect as an example of a strong introduction in copywriting

Readers can easily infer from the terms included in red that she will guide them through a fairly sophisticated technique that will enable them to reduce their ad expenditure. They are interested in her and want to read more.

Concentration Effect

The Focusing Effect advises us to organize knowledge strategically.

Its nature:

According to the Focusing Effect, people make decisions based on the information that is most distinct and pronounced in their working memory and ignore less relevant information that is present but less prominently in their brains.

Because of this, we run advertisements, write articles, share content on social media, and send emails in an effort to remain “top-of-mind.” But “top-of-mind” doesn’t mean “pronounced and distinct,” and what you want top-of-mind here is information particular to the choice you want your readers to make, not your business in general.

How to apply it in writing copy

8. Place information before your CTA in a strategic way.

Recently Grove Collaborative content informs me that they have prevented 5.3 million pounds of plastic from entering rivers before I even get to the offer.

An email illustration of the concentrating effect from copywriting psychology

Therefore, even though I am aware that GC offers environmentally friendly items, this particular fact gives the plastic-free bottle they are selling much more significance in my mind. Just plain facts are enough to persuade.

9. Make the primary value proposition clear and substantial.

The Focusing Effect is another reason why you must a potent USP for your company as a whole as well as mini-USPs for each of your offers. The goal is to draw readers’ attention to the main benefit before they read any other content on your website. They will read everything else in light of that ultimate benefit once they have this as their main point.

“But You Are Free, up to you”

Less sales copy is affected by the BYAF Effect, but more modest requests are.

Its nature

According to the But You Are Free Effect (BYAF), reminding someone they are not required to do something increases the likelihood that they will.

According to Jonathan Becher’s post, a study on more than 22,000 participants indicated that when people were asked to donate money but also told they didn’t have to, they were more likely to agree to do so. They were also more likely to agree to take a survey and to provide money to someone who needed it for the bus home.

Alternatively put…

How to apply it in writing copy

This strategy works best when trying to determine which product to purchase as opposed to whether or not to buy. With minor or non-monetary requests, you can use it in the “to do or not to do” meaning.

10. Put the word directly.

Here are a few instances: requesting a review, recommending a product or website, or attracting and keeping email subscribers.

Although we would appreciate a review, you are of course free to pass.

With this bundle, our clients have the most success, but it’s up to you to make the choice.

Although we believe that this resource would be ideal, the choice is ultimately yours.

Although we think you’ll adore our email, you are welcome to simply look around our site.

Do you really want to stop receiving our emails? Although we’re sorry to see you go, feel free to do whatever will make your inbox happy!

11. Try stating it in different ways.

With this persuasion strategy, you don’t necessarily have to use those precise phrases. Alternatives consist of:

However, you are in no way required to!

Of course, you are always free to unsubscribe.

But you are the one who best understands your needs.

But the choice is totally yours.

We need your help, but only if you’re willing.

Relative/Relatedness Effect

In copywriting, there are sequences all over the place, so with this one, go creative.

Its nature

This phenomenon, also known as the Serial Position Effect, occurs when people tend to remember the first and last items in a sequence the best.

Illustration of the serial position effect in copywriting

How to put it to use in copywriting

12. Express unambiguous value in your openings and closings.

Write intriguing headings that explain what the reader will learn from the piece, and then sum it all up in a numbered or bulleted list at the end to reinforce the main takeaway. In this way, even if people don’t remember the specifics of the message, they will still associate your company with the main gain.

13. Logically bullet out characteristics

Make sure the first and last things on your list are your most crucial ones. This holds true for lists of features and benefits, feature/benefit summaries, and more.

Examples of the serial position effect in copywriting

Make the first and last things on your lists your two most crucial points.

14. Create compelling email subject lines and closings

This also implies that the first and last lines of your emails are your two “most valuable pieces of real estate,”

The Effect of Cognitive Fluency

Consequently, for obvious reasons—no one enjoys needless difficulty—your material should be simple to read. But as it turns out, it also has a significant impact on how we view reality.

Its nature

According to the cognitive fluency effect, we will believe something to be real and correct more often if it is easier for us to absorb it. Our brains don’t have time to pay close attention to things they have already encountered, but it also applies to things that are similar to what they have already encountered.

According to a study on the subject, persons who read a series of statements that were simple to read assessed them as being more accurate than those who read the same set of claims that were more difficult to understand.

In other words: Even though it isn’t familiar to us, fluency feels familiar to us since familiarity is fluent for us.

How to apply it in writing copy

Here are my three recommendations.

15. Make it simple to read (use familiar, unfussy language).

You won’t find any of the sophisticated features or advantages that experts offer—including click-through rate, conversion rate optimization, campaigns, domains, custom CSS, and more—here. They use clear, well-known terminology that don’t give the impression that they’re attempting to impress or persuade you of anything. It has a stronger sense of reliability.

16. Write in an informal tone.

This one should be obvious. Instead of delivering a lecture to preach to the converted

The majority of people will tell you that Google My Business (GMB) is necessary for local SEO, and they’re not mistaken. However, it’s also a significant step toward obtaining a listing on the map. When you want to differentiate yourself from the competition, even if you don’t have a physical presence, authenticating your business with Google will make you searchable and discoverable.

It is simpler to understand and have faith in the information because it is presented so simply (with the caption “This could be you!” on the diagram). (Of course, be sure to only explain actual, accurate information.)

Example of conversational tone in copywriting psychology

Conversational = familiar = true, according to our brain.

What is superior to conversational writing? talkative bucket brigades. Find out more about this copywriting method.

17. Be direct.

For your taglines, you may also leverage cognitive fluency.

An accessible slogan for cognitive fluency in copywriting

Once more, the Cognitive Fluency Effect

I also want to talk about another component of cognitive fluency, which is the tendency to project the difficulty of reading or understanding the information onto the activity it is describing.

In other words, it’s more important to consider how your material looks to the eye than the precise words you employ.

People were given two phones to select from in the example UXmatters uses. One group received information on the phones in a format that was simple to read. It was in a font that was harder to read for the other group.

41% of those who chose the challenging font group delayed their choice. Only 17% of the group using easy fonts delayed their choice.

How to apply it in writing copy

Naturally, this advice is primarily focused on design.

18. Clear up the information.

The first is that a decision will appear to be more difficult the harder it is to gather the information needed to make it. Pricing pages and cognitive fluency have a rather rocky relationship as a result. Make certain that the language on your pricing page is simple to grasp and attractively structured to aid in decision-making.

Take a look at this Semplice example:

Example of a pricing page with cognitive fluency from copywriting psychology

There is, of course, additional information on that page. However, this is the main image on the page, and because of its straightforward design and language, it makes it easier for the reader to get settled and comprehend their alternatives. They are no longer required to sift through the specifics in order to make a judgment. They can make a decision first and then continue reading to get additional information.

19. Describe simple procedures simply.

The other implication of the Cognitive Fluency Effect is that we perceive a task to be more difficult the more challenging the task’s instructions are to read. I’ve come across numerous emails and webpages where a company claims that “[Doing X] is simple!”, after which it submerges you in a sea of words. Here’s a simple illustration:

A pain-free illustration of copywriting psychology

Not simple to follow a bulleted list after a numbered list within a numbered list.

Make your copy succinct and simple to read if you want your readers to think it’s simple. You can always link to a lengthier page or add extra information in a later portion of the current page. Regardless of what anyone says, you can always break down a complicated process into easy plain language.

20. Use readable fonts.

Make sure the typeface you select is simple to read if you want to indicate that a process is simple. According to studies, the more complex the typeface is when reading a straightforward set of instructions for a particular procedure, the longer the reader estimates the task will take.

Using the typeface, for instance, from the red box? Biggest copywriting error:

Examples of good and bad directions in copywriting psychology

The apparent difficulty of the process your copy is describing increases with typeface difficulty.

The Effect of Illusory Truth

Please be assured that we are not deceiving our readers with this impact.

Its nature

According to the Illusory Truth Effect, the more messages we are exposed to, the more significant and true these seem to our brain. In one study, survey respondents were asked to score a specific claim based on how reliable they thought it was. Participants were more likely to judge the statement as true than those who had only heard it once if they had heard it more than once.

In essence, indoctrination. But as I indicated, we’re not using our copy in this way.

How to apply it in writing copy

It is not your intention to persuade your readers of a false reality. Use this impact to emphasize key points in support of your brand, product, or service.

21. Employ repetition

This trick is not attempting to deceive you into thinking differently, and instead, is a solution that demonstrates there are nowadays better ways to report on your data. And by implanting this reality in your head by repeating it via your assets.

The NLP world calls it anchoring:

22. Become reliable.

Additionally, you are not need to keep saying the exact same thing. The same message can be repeatedly communicated using several words and expressions.

Let’s look at the site, blog posts, Facebook page, and Twitter feed of Referral Candy.

Examples of consistent message for cognitive fluency from copywriting psychology advice

Even though each piece of text is unique, Referral Candy is repeating the same key message: We want to help you earn and save money. Good job, gentlemen.

Using an open-loop effect

Recall this from before?

When I said, “We’ll get to another copywriting strategy later (and when we do, you’ll see the irony),” I meant that this headline fits under that strategy.

A blog post on errors is an illustration of the pratfall effect in copywriting.

Without realizing it, I established an open loop by adding, “We’ll get to that later.”

That’s why I followed it up with the parenthetical, “(and when you do, you’ll see the irony).”

I later understood that this enhanced the open loop’s allure.

I guess I’m an open-loop device.

Its nature

According to the Zeigarnik Effect (also known as the “Open-Loop Effect”), we focus on and recall incomplete tasks (also known as “open loops”) better than completed tasks (also known as “closed loops”). In addition, this holds true for conceptual as well as actual physical duties. Like learning what happens in [the most recent Netflix program you’re binge-watching]’s finale.

The brain craves completing cycles

How to apply it in writing copy

Open loops are essentially teasers in copywriting, and there are many different methods to use them into your material. The goal is to give just enough details to arouse attention without completing the circle.

23. In your titles, use “one”

For instance:

The Most Important Factor Preventing You from Being Hired

One straightforward tactic raised our conversion rate by 20%.

Want to Organize the Ideal Event? Avoid Making This One Error

Naturally, you’ll also want the result to be captivating. Consequently, the subtitle of this YouTube video reads, “How we used this one simple strategy to generate 43,000 leads for our business in 10 months.”

An example of a YouTube title with open loops for copywriting psychology

The beautiful thing about this kind of title is that you don’t have to narrow your topic in your blog post or video. You may, for instance, list a mistake and then offer X advice on how to avoid it.

24. Include your preferred

Add your favorite one to the headline if you’re giving a list of suggestions, techniques, illustrations, or errors. For instance:

8 Free Investment Education Resources (#6 is our favourite)

15 Common Errors Developers Commit (Be Prepared for #4)

Yoga Pose #7 is a Game Changer: 12 Yoga Pose to Improve Your Sleep

25. Use the “find out” strategy.

Use the strategy of “finding out [why, how, when, etc.]” if you’re trying to persuade someone to register for a webinar or download an ebook.

Email with open loops as an example from copywriting psychology

This example shows you how to close the open loops that your brain is eager to close by enrolling in the webinar. You’ll learn why over 20% of marketing emails end up in inboxes. And the reason why only 25% of all responses are click-throughs. How subscribers actually feel about the relevance of emails. Excellent job,

Validity.

26. Include loops in the openings of your blog posts.

So you can use little open loops, as I did in this post, to keep readers interested in the current piece of material. Use language like:

We’ll address that eventually, though.

Which, as we’ll soon discover, was a grave error.

You might also open your blog article like a novel.

I was there, then.

I then realized I had…

I didn’t intend to…

Utilize psychology to make your copywriting better.

Utilize these strategies and psychological consequences to create copy that strengthens your brand, wins the confidence of your readers, and creates a satisfying reading experience. Finally, let’s summarize:

The psychological outcomes

The Pratfall Effect states that being imperfect will make you more likeable.

Novelty Effect: Performance is affected more by the event of a change than by the change itself.

The priming effect is when words unconsciously influence our actions.

Focusing Effect: When making judgments, we tend to draw on the memories that stand out the most.

But You Are Free Effect: If we are told we are not required to do something, we are more likely to do it.

We remember the first and final items in a sequence because of the primacy/Recency effect.

Cognitive Fluency Effect: Easier to read translates to more accurate and simple to carry out.

Repetition fosters belief due to the illusion of truth effect.

The open loop effect makes our minds seek closure.

To recap:

Talk about the errors you have made.

When you’ve erred, apologize.

Regularly update your copy and creative.

You should vary your blog posts.

Use A/B testing with caution.

Use emotive language before making the request.

In your introductions, describe what readers can expect.

Place information before your CTA with care.

Make the main point of value clear and noticeable.

Put “but you are free” in quotation marks.

Say “but you are free” without saying it out loud.

In your introductions and conclusions, provide a distinct sense of value.

List features in a thoughtful manner.

Create compelling email subject lines and closings.

Be dependable, not flashy.

Write in an informal tone.

Be quite direct.

Clear up the information.

Clearly describe simple procedures.

Make use of readable fonts.

Repetition is key.

Be reliable.

Use “one” as a title separator.

Specify a favorite.

Use the “find out” strategy.

Intros to blog posts should include open loops.

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