What is neuromarketing?

Neuromarketing is the study of how people’s brains respond to adverts and other brand messages by scientifically monitoring brainwave activity, eye tracking and skin response.

These neuromarketing techniques are used to study the brain of the customers to predict their decision making behavior. Marketers physiological signals to gain insight into customers motivations, preferences and in the decision making processes while purchasing a product. They also use this research to predict how a particular product, service or marketing campaign will perform.

Also read: What’s the difference between celebrities, influencers and micro-influencers?

What is neuromarketing used for?

Neuromarketing is used in a variety of ways. For example:

• product design testing
• user experience testing
• ads testing to compare the effects of similar messages in ads
• optimizing a call to action, such as “visit our website”
• rebranding campaigns

Neuromarketing research is expensive for companies to conduct themselves because neuro technologies are expensive and specialized. They often hire neuromarketing consulting firms to conduct this specialized research.

But the benefits are enormous and important because companies know the benefits of using neuromarketing nowadays. 

There are many benefits of neuromarketing, including the following:

• Accurate insight: Neuromarketing provides a more granular look at human behavior than traditional market research, which evaluates consumer behavior at a higher level using techniques such as surveys and focus groups. Neuromarketing strategies take a precise look at consumer behavior, preferences and tendencies. They use data that is otherwise unquantifiable data to determine how a customer is feeling or how they might react. Neuromarketing is the ultimate technique to know how the customer will react in its most primitive, natural way and without prejudice.
• Honest feedback: Because customers cannot lie in a neuromarketing context, these methods generate more reliable data. Just asking a person how they feel about something can change their feelings. Neuromarketing bypasses this problem, generating objective results that a traditional customer satisfaction survey cannot provide.
• Subconscious revelations: The approach can reveal insights into the subconscious mind, and short responses that people generally do not remember.
• Cost effective: Neuromarketing can lower the price and increase the value of marketing research.
• Holistic strategies: Neuromarketing is paired with traditional methods for a more holistic approach to marketing research.

How does this affect the influencer trend?

Understanding how consumers’ perception of similarity and identification with social media influencers impact their emotional responses, motivations and subsequent behaviors towards brands and products.

The connection influencers create with their followers and community goes further than just a simply famous – followers relationship. Influencers are closer to their community and create the illusion that they are friends with them.

As a brand manager in influencer marketing, it is crucial to select influencers based on perceived similarity for effective content and an increase in brand recognition.

When regular people feel a connection or really want to be like famous influencers, it sets off a series of emotions that affect how they act. 

Also read: why use unboxing videos with influencers for your products?

Can Influencers Motivate Us To Improve?

Companies have caught on to including influencers as a part of their strategy.

A recent study showed that when consumers see influencers as similar to themselves, it triggers ‘assimilative comparison emotions’, basically saying “Hey, I can be like them!” 

On the flip side, if a consumer feels that they’re super different from the influencer, it triggers ‘contrastive comparison emotions’. This is where the consumer feels a lower sense of control, inferiority and thinking others are just lucky. 

 It is important to note that even though these feelings are completely opposite (‘I can be like them’ vs ‘I’m nothing like them’), both types of these comparison emotions affect how motivated people are to follow the influencer for self-improvement. If you feel similar, you’re more likely to want to learn from them. But if you’re wishing to be like them, it can also motivate you to take action to improve yourself. 

Interestingly, when people feel both positive and negative emotions toward an influencer, it actually pushes them to want to better themselves. This, in turn, makes a customer like the influencer’s products and want to buy them, and they engage more with the influencers posts, like leaving comments or sharing. 

What Does This Mean For My Marketing Strategy? 

As a marketer, when you pick an influencer to represent your brand, make sure they’re someone your audience can relate to.  It’s not all about looks, the most important thing is that they share similar beliefs. If they’re seen as a role model that’s the ultimate goal. 

In addition, if your influencer shows how your product can help followers improve themselves you are on the right track. People will be more motivated to follow your brand and buy your items. 

Companies and brands must find influencers relatable and be more inclined to trust their recommendations. This creates a genuine connection between the influencer and your audience. Remember, authenticity is key.