Why Nudges are NOT One-Size-Fits-All
How to Behaviourally Optimise Your Nudges
You know about nudging already. Tell people that you only have one hotel room left, but 9 people have viewed it recently, and you can reserve it now without obligation, and they’ll be more likely to buy it.
But behavioural science is not one-size-fits-all: some nudges work better for some people than others. Agreeable people, for example, would be nudged to follow the crowd, but disagreeable people would probably do the opposite just to spite you; for them, it’s end the request with, ‘…but it’s up to you.’
Agreeable people may follow the crowd, but disagreeable people would probably do the opposite, just to spite you. (Photo: Anete Lusina / Pexels)
Here's a worked example for nudging people into recycling.
Firstly, the standard message presents people with a functional, rational argument.
Recycle all your plastic before it’s too late.
It tells the audience what to do, and why. There’s nothing wrong with that per se (and it’s certainly better than nothing), but it neglects the fact that audiences tend to be emotional and irrational with limited attention spans. We don’t have the time nor the brainpower to engage with most rational arguments.
Next, we have a behaviourally optimised message.
Recycle just one plastic thing a day to protect turtles like Ronnie.
It’s improved in three ways: it uses an emotional image of a turtle to grab attention (since we’re hardwired to attend to cute things); it uses what’s called ‘the identifiable victim effect’, giving Ronnie the turtle a name and personifying the issue; and it tunnels a complex, intimidating behaviour (saving the planet) into one simple action everyone can do.
But again, nudging is not one-size-fits-all.
Can you recycle just one plastic item each day to care for turtles like Ronnie?
If we were to target left-leaning people (who are more open to experience), for example, we would ask them a rhetorical question, focus on the moral foundation of care, and make the imagery more creative and unusual.
(Conservatives, on the other hand, would prefer direct language, an appeal to purity and heritage, and representational imagery).
We do all this because it works.
You can use data analytics and technology to target different messages with specific nudges to different audience groups - the same approach that reduced cost per acquisition by 39% for a Financial Services Brand.
A separate study from Cambridge University found that personality-target Facebook ads had conversion rates that were up to 50% higher.
Find out how to target, design and apply “personalised nudges” across your business