Through Neuromarketing, we learn to take advantage of how the human brain works to influence our decisions. Social Media professionals can utilize the fundamental composition of the brain to drive interaction and ultimately conversion.
Andrew Bates
Director of Social Media
Looking back over the last year of endless events and seminars, I reflected on those few that had a significant impact on the way I think about social media marketing. Some like SXSWi are always valuable and I do take away great examples from panels, but the Neuromarketing session was the best. I attended a two day training course in November 2010 given by SalesBrain and hosted by Network Alliance.
I was so impressed that I wrote an exhaustive post on Neuromarketing in Social Media soon after with a significant amount of detail. I crammed a lot of the takeaways in that post, but there was a great deal more I did not share and one of those major insights still influences my strategies. The light bulb went off when our instructor, Dean Minuto, described how the human brain and all creatures’ brains evolved from the beginning.
Applying these neurological facts to marketing struck me as both logical and brilliant at the same time. I immediately understood how we are all wired to make decisions based on the composition of the human brain and how this differentiates us from all other living things. In fact, a recent study by NeuroFocus that shows Facebook ads have the largest emotional response compared to other networks and websites.
There are three major evolutionary landmarks that influence every decision we make. Our brains are divided into three sections that each have very specific functions controlling every choice we make.
Image credit http://www.sustainablesonoma.org/keyconcepts/threebrains.html
Fight or Flight – Immediate subconscious decision making
- The Facts – The first section of the brain that developed controls everything from basic activities like breathing, to our immediate subconscious decisions. Because of this lower “reptilian brain,” we react instantaneously to everything we see, hear, and experience. Every creature’s brain includes this section.
- Why it Matters – For social media this means we have to remember that our community members will judge our marketing and activity before we think about it rationally. The colors in our content, the video or audio that plays when a user lands on our pages, the way we articulate our messages will determine the subconscious and immediate reaction of that visitor. This may cause the user to leave that page immediately, or it could encourage positive interaction.
Emotion – How we like or dislike everything we experience
- The Facts – The next area, the “middle brain” controls a number of functions including base emotional response. This section does not exist in creatures like sharks, but is present in some animals like mammals. Sharks, alligators and many creatures only have the lower brain which means they cannot care and do not think. On the other hand, Chimpanzees or humans can become emotionally attached to others and this is still a subconscious influence on our lives.
- Why it Matters – Our audiences have an emotional response to our marketing. The content and the strategy can influence the way the community feels about your tactics. People will take action or have loyalty based on this section of the brain. This is why we as marketers want our users to “like” us and our approach or offering.
Rational Thought – How we reason and consider things deliberately
- The Facts – The neocortex often called the “new brain,” is part of how we rationalize and truly think about something. Humans and some other mammals can make decisions based on logical reasoning. This thought process occurs after we have our immediate subconscious reactions, and can override those responses.
- Why it Matters – Give the audience good reason to read your post, follow your advice or even take actions like signing up for your newsletter or making a purchase. This is one of the places social media marketers miss the mark. We often overcomplicate and overwhelm our community. Keep it short and simple and give that user a logical and obvious reason to take action.
Image credit http://patrickpichette.com/tag/neuromarketing/
Marketing is not just about the pitch itself. Humans are evaluating everything we experience based on subconscious and rational thought. Appealing to each of these core concepts will help your audience take the actions that ultimately meet your goals.
Tags: Andrew Bates, insight eyetraffic, neuromarketing, Social Media Marketing
