Discover the 10 main copywriting psychological triggers you can use to make your copy more persuasive and convince people to buy.
Conversion copywriting is a science, not a guessing game. It uses proven persuasion techniques to convince readers to take action, whether booking a consultation call or downloading a freebie.
In marketing and copywriting, we use many psychological triggers that influence people's decisions. After all, that’s exactly the point of conversion copywriting: to influence readers to go from “Just checking this out” to “Let me go get my credit card.”
These triggers tap into the deep-seated behaviors and emotions that are pretty much unconscious and, therefore, hard to control. This explains why we often buy something that we then regret buying. A Harvard professor, Gerald Zaltman, found that 95% of people’s buying decisions are subconscious.
Here are 10 main copywriting psychological triggers you can use in your copy to convince your people to take action.
Copywriting Psychological Triggers to Make Your Copy More Persuasive
1. Urgency
How many times have you bought something because it was a limited-time offer or a limited edition? Good copywriters know that creating a sense of urgency prompts people to take quick action.
Phrases like "limited-time offer" or "act now" make people feel that they don’t have the time to second-guess their instinct to buy something because if they do, they’ll miss out on something valuable.
The most common phrases copywriters use to drive a sense of urgency typically contain some time-related words:
Limited-time offer
Act now or miss out!
Hurry up before it’s gone.
Hurry up before we raise our prices
Get it before it’s too late!
Here’s an excellent example of urgency created by Walmart to encourage customers to buy last-minute Christmas gifts with free delivery:
2. Scarcity
Scarcity is an extremely powerful psychological trigger that motivates people to take immediate action. That’s because it plays on our natural fear of missing out on something valuable.
Plus, it creates a sense of exclusivity and makes us perceive the scarce item as more valuable (if so many people are buying it, it must be!).
The scarcity principle is used everywhere in marketing.
For example, Booking.com uses scarcity all the time to prompt holidaymakers to book their stays via the site. While I was writing this article, I looked up hotels for a quick 5-day vacation in Punta Cana, and here’s what I saw:
Notice how Booking.com uses scarcity twice. Once by saying that 73% of places to stay are unavailable for my chosen dates and then by telling me that there are only 6 rooms available to book at this particular hotel.
3. Sense of Belonging
Since prehistoric times, humans have been moving in tribes and communities. In those early days, sticking together increased our chances of survival, whether it was defending against predators or finding food and shelter.
This instinct to align ourselves with the group is still present in our subconscious today. We look to the actions and choices of others to guide our own, which is why we tend to follow social media trends and find it hard to break away from the mainstream current of popular opinion.
We’re also hard-wired to feel that we belong. When we can’t integrate with our coworkers, feel left out at school, or stand alone in the corner at a party, we feel bad about ourselves. We want to belong and fit in.
Copywriters often play on that part of our human psychology by using social proof.
Phrases such as “Join thousands of others…” and “See what our happy customers are saying,” customer testimonials, accreditations, and client logos aim to show potential customers that a substantial number of people have already chosen and benefited from the product or service.
Take a look at this example from Flo, a period-tracking app for women. See how they say that over 300 million people around the globe are already using the app? This makes you trust it more, doesn’t it?
4. FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
Have you ever attended an event you didn’t necessarily want to attend just because you didn’t want to miss out? FOMO (fear of missing out) is a real thing, and we’ve all experienced it thousands of times in our lives.
For every marketer, FOMO is an extremely powerful persuasion tool. Why?
Because humans are naturally wired to avoid loss and regret, we fear skipping an opportunity might lead us to miss out on something great. By tapping into this instinct, marketers can create a sense of urgency and exclusivity around their products or services.
Keep in mind that incorporating FOMO into your conversion copywriting doesn't mean resorting to panic-inducing tactics. Instead, it's about highlighting the value of what's being offered and the unique opportunity at hand.
You can subtly integrate FOMO into your copywriting by:
Highlighting exclusivity, for example, by suggesting that only a select few have access to what you're offering. Phrases like "exclusive offer" or "limited access" can make readers feel they're being let in on a special deal.
Creating time-sensitive offers. Phrases like "Offer ends soon" or "Last chance to buy" can spur people into making quicker decisions to avoid regret.
Showcasing popularity with statements like "Join thousands who have already…". When people know others like them are making the same choice, it reinforces their FOMO.
This email campaign from Wix I got this morning uses two FOMO-inducing elements that made me feel like I had to act now or else I’d miss out: the “Limited Time Offer” headline and the countdown timer that makes the FOMO feel super pressing.
5. Curiosity
Humans are naturally curious beings, and sometimes, our desire for exploration and closure can lead us to make bad decisions. Our curiosity can also lead us to make spontaneous purchase decisions we haven’t thought through.
Curiosity is a powerful psychological trigger in writing copy that converts because it opens a loop in the readers’ brains that they feel the urge to close. And to do that, they must click the CTA button, download the freebie, or buy the product.
Copywriters intentionally create a sense of curiosity to grab their audience's attention and encourage them to learn more. Teasing information without giving away everything can prompt readers to take the next step, such as clicking a link to find out more.
Buzzfeed is the king of leveraging curiosity to get readers to click on the headlines.
6. Emotional Connection
If you own or run a business, you’ve surely heard of the know, like, trust factor often used in marketing. This concept suggests that people are more likely to buy from people and brands they know, like, and trust.
While knowing can simply be achieved through putting your brand in front of people (for example, via organic content or paid ads), liking and trusting can only be achieved through an emotional connection.
By creating an emotional connection, you're not just selling a product or service.
You're offering value and forming a bond. Here’s how you can foster this connection through your copy:
Use storytelling. People connect with stories more than facts.
Speak their language. Use words and phrases that your target audience uses.
Be authentic, and don’t be salesy. Authenticity breeds trust, and people are now seeking more authenticity from brands (according to research).
Conversion copywriting typically doesn’t allow for long narratives that create an emotional connection. The copy has to be super short and creative.
This Aspirin ad brilliantly tells a relatable story in barely any words.
7. Perceived Value
Perceived value is a potent psychological trigger in copywriting because it influences how consumers assess the worth of your product or service. More than the actual value, it’s about how your audience perceives that value, which can be influenced by how you present your brand and product or services.
A big mistake most brands make is trying to present themselves as perfect and flawless to increase the perceived value of their products and services. In fact, presenting yourself as flawless can turn potential customers off.
A study by Northwestern University found that people are more inclined to buy products with an average star rating between 4.2 and 4.5 than those with a 5-star rating. This study proves that presenting yourself as perfect can actually backfire.
On the other hand, admitting to your flaws makes you more believable and, therefore, generates more trust. In social psychology (and marketing), that’s called the Pratfall effect.
If you drink Guinness, you know that one of its main flaws is that it takes a while for the foam to go down before you can take your first sip.
Knowing this was preventing people from drinking their beer, Guinness created a brilliant ad that turned this flaw into a strength. The campaign’s slogan was “Good things come to those who wait.”
8. The Why
In 1978, Harvard psychologist Ellen Langer tested how people reacted when someone asked to cut in line at a library copy machine. She asked three questions:
"Excuse me. I have 5 pages. May I use the copy machine?" (60% said yes)
"Excuse me. I have 5 pages. May I use the copy machine because I'm in a rush?" (94% said yes)
"Excuse me. I have 5 pages. May I use the copy machine because I have to make some copies?" (93% said yes)
This study shows that people are more likely to say yes when they understand the reason why, even if that reason is obvious.
Langer's experiment highlights a basic aspect of being human: our inherent desire to understand the causality behind actions or requests. This isn't just about being curious. It's how we assess whether what someone is asking from us is important and makes sense.
In copywriting, using words and phrases that introduce the reason behind something, such as "because" or "this is why," can trigger a significant increase in compliance and positive response rates.
9. Instant Gratification
In the digital world, where everything is just a click away, we want things right away. We don’t want to wait. We want instant responses to our messages, immediate results from our actions, and swift solutions to our problems.
This hunger for instant gratification has become a dominant force, shaping how we interact with content, make purchases, and engage with brands. And because of it, it has also become a powerful form of persuasion.
Copywriters can tap into the power of instant gratification by crafting messages that promise or deliver immediate satisfaction. Whether it's a quick fix, a fast download, or an instant discount, providing a sense of immediacy can significantly enhance the appeal of your offer.
To create a sense of instance gratification in your copy, use words and phrases like:
Get instant access
Download now
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10. Guilt
How many times have you felt guilty for not doing what you promised yourself you were going to do?
Let’s say you decided to go to the gym 3 times per week, and then you found yourself finding excuses not to go. Eventually, you started feeling so guilty for procrastinating on your resolution that you ended up going to the gym even when you didn’t feel like it.
Unlike other negative emotions that may lead to withdrawal or inaction, guilt is particularly compelling because it's an action-oriented emotion. It often prompts us to take corrective action, whether that's making amends, changing behavior, or taking up an opportunity to do the right thing.
In other words, guilt can motivate us to act in a way that helps us get rid of it, which is what makes it a powerful psychological trigger for copywriters and marketers. With words and phrases like “Stop procrastinating now” or “Never break your diet again!” copywriters can persuade readers to take action.
Wrapping Up
When your copy is intentionally filled with psychological triggers that relate to your audience’s emotions and current situation, it’s bound to convert well. Good copywriters use these principles to craft messages that resonate with their audiences and drive them toward action.
But, the key to making these psychological triggers work is to truly understand your audience and use words that click with them on an emotional level.
If you’re looking for more helpful articles about copywriting and content marketing, check out my blog.
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