marketing psychology Archives

RRF Explained: Rank in ChatGPT and AI Search

Before jumping to how to rank in ChatGPT search or RRF, let me share a scenario. Imagine you’re selling water purifiers. You rank on Google for “best water purifier in India.” Sounds good, right?

But when someone asks ChatGPT, “Which water purifier should I buy?” — your page might not even show up.

Why?

Because ChatGPT doesn’t use search the way we think. It doesn’t rely on one keyword. It runs many related searches and then combines those results. The method it uses is called Reciprocal Rank Fusion, or RRF.

What is RRF (Reciprocal Rank Fusion)?

Think of RRF like a school exam where your final score doesn’t depend on one subject. It depends on how well you did in all subjects — math, science, history and English — and each subject gives you a small part of your total marks.

Now, replace “subjects” with “search queries.”

When you ask ChatGPT, “What’s the best budget laptop?”, it doesn’t search that one query. Instead, it sends out 5–10 versions of the same question:

“Best laptops under 50k”
“Top affordable laptops 2024”
“Laptop for students India”
“Budget laptops with SSD”
“HP vs Dell for home use”

Then, it takes the top results from each query and gives each result a score based on its rank. That score is calculated using this formula:

RRF score = 1 / (60 + rank position)

Let’s say your website shows up:

Rank #2 in query 1 → score = 1 / (60+2) = 0.0161
Rank #4 in query 2 → score = 1 / (60+4) = 0.0156
Rank #1 in query 3 → score = 1 / (60+1) = 0.0164

Now add them up: total RRF = 0.0481

So even if you’re not rank #1 for any one keyword, if you show up multiple times in top 10 across variations, your total RRF score adds up — and ChatGPT might feature your site in its answer.

Why RRF Matters for SEO

Let’s say you want to be known as a good guitar teacher.

Option A: You teach just one student really well.
Option B: You teach 10 students decently — and all of them talk about you.

Whose name will spread faster?

Option B — because reach and repetition matter more than one perfect review.

That’s how RRF sees your site. It rewards consistent presence across many related topics.

If you’re only trying to rank for one high-volume keyword, you’re missing the future of search rankings. That worked when the search was simple.

But now, LLMs (like ChatGPT or Google SGE) think more like people. They look at clusters of meaning. The more queries your site appears in — even if it’s not always at the top — the better your visibility becomes.

You don’t need to chase “rank 1.”

You need to show up everywhere your topic lives.

A Case Study That Proves This Works

When I wanted Mapsted to show up in ChatGPT’s answers, I didn’t aim for one high-ranking article. Instead, I listed out 50+ real questions someone might ask about hospital navigation, RTLS, or asset tracking in India.

I started by writing simple, clear blogs on Medium, answering practical queries on Reddit, and sharing useful posts on LinkedIn. These weren’t written to impress Google — they were meant to exist where ChatGPT pulls its knowledge from. I made sure every piece addressed a different angle, using everyday language, avoiding jargon.

Once that base was in place, I moved to platforms with stronger authority. I pitched guest posts to B2B healthtech blogs and reached out to journalists for news coverage in trusted portals.

Slowly, Mapsted started appearing in GPT responses — not because we ranked #1 for any single keyword, but because we were present across many related searches. That’s exactly how RRF works: it doesn’t reward perfection in one place; it rewards relevance across the board.

How to See If Your Content Is Gaining Weight in Hybrid Search

After I rolled out keyword clusters and content for Mapsted, I wanted to understand something deeper:

Was the visibility boost real — or just wishful thinking?

That’s where Azure’s new search score debug feature came in.

Here’s an example of hybrid query that returns subscores in debug mode:

An Example to understand “search score debug feature”

Let’s say you run a hotel and you want to know why a guest picked your place over others.

Now imagine the guest says:

“Well, it was near restaurants (keyword), the photos looked good (semantic), and it felt right based on my past stays (vector).”

That’s kind of how modern AI search engines like ChatGPT or Azure rank content. They don’t just look at exact words you use (keywords), but also:

How your content feels similar to the question (vector match)
How your sentences mean the same thing, even if different words are used (semantic match)

Now, if you use Azure’s debug mode, it shows you exactly how much each of these factors mattered — like a scorecard:

Did you rank well because your keyword matched?
Or because your content’s meaning was close to the question?
Or because your content lives in the same context as other top answers?

This helps you understand why one blog shows up in ChatGPT, but another doesn’t — even if both have the same keyword.

In my case with Mapsted, this was useful to confirm that even if our content wasn’t top in Google, it was winning on meaning and context, which LLMs like ChatGPT care more about.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

You pass a hybrid query with the “debug” parameter set to “vector”, “semantic”, or “all”
Azure returns detailed subscores for each result — showing how keyword rank, semantic rank, and vector match contributed

What Are We Trying to Do?

You’re asking Azure:

“Give me the top 10 results for ‘hospital indoor navigation India’, but also tell me why each result ranked — based on keywords, semantic meaning, and vector similarity.

This is useful for debugging how search systems like ChatGPT or Bing pick content. This understanding will help you rank in chatGPT search or even other AI engines.

5 Steps to Make Your Content Visible Across AI Search Engines

Let’s break this into steps. Here’s how to optimise your content for RRF-style search:

Step 1: Build a Query Set

Don’t stop at one keyword. For “best water purifier,” make a list of nearby topics:

“RO vs UV water filter”
“Water purifier for borewell water”
“Top purifiers under ₹10,000”
“Water filters for small families”

These are not LSI keywords. They are real, user-like queries.

Step 2: Check Where You Rank

Use tools like Google Search Console or Ahrefs. Even ranking at #8 matters. Every spot in the top 10 gives you a small RRF score.

Step 3: Build Clustered Pages

Create content that connects — not one giant blog, but a network of pages:

One hub article (main keyword)
5–6 spokes (related queries)
Interlink all of them

Step 4: Track “Visibility Breadth”

Instead of checking how well you rank for just one keyword, look at how many different queries you show up in. The wider your net, the better your chance to appear in ChatGPT answers.

Step 5: Expand Monthly

Every new supporting article can slightly raise your RRF score. That’s the compound effect. Over 3 months, your entire topic authority goes up — not just for one post.

In Summary

This is not a trend. It’s the way search is shifting — from keyword matching to meaning mapping. This is how we get rank in ChatGPT search and other AI agents.

If you want to win in ChatGPT, Gemini, or Bing CoPilot, don’t just ask: “Where do I rank for X?”

Ask:

“How often do I appear across all the questions people ask around X?”

That’s what RRF rewards.

And once you understand that, your content strategy won’t just aim for rank.

It’ll aim for relevance — again and again.

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Forget Creativity: Build a Marketing Machine That Delivers

Do you think marketing is more about creativity?
In my experience, it’s Not. It’s about structure and marketing automation. You can have the best illustrations, a catchy headline, even a viral reel. But if you don’t have a system that consistently brings in leads, builds trust, and converts — it’s just noise. Then what marketing actually looks like!!

1. The Hidden Truth Nobody Tweets

Most marketers still believe clever taglines and viral reels are what we want. But in a survey 63 % admit their landing pages convert below 10 % . Worse, the clicks that do arrive often vanish because there is no follow‑up system. But businesses that nurture prospects with automation see a 451 % jump in qualified leads .

So the point is — automation is the engine, while design or a clever ad copy is like the paint or headline. One grabs attention. The other keeps things moving.

2. Five Pillars That Turn Chaos into a Pipeline

2.1 Content calendars: Plan It Once, Show Up Every Week

Imagine creating a spreadsheet with 200 ideas mapped 90 days out. Boring task? But it is effective.

Blogs + SEO are the best in terms of ROI for B2B brands in 2024 (HubSpot).

Companies publishing 16 + posts a month pull 3.5X more traffic than those posting four or fewer.

Consistency is what matters. When you post regularly, people start to notice, and platforms push your content more. It’s like saving a little every day — small, but it adds up.

Open a sheet, list 200 pain‑point topics, lock slots for the next 90 days.

2.2 Automation: Let Marketing Automation Do the Boring Work for You

Robots do not replace marketers; they replace forgetfulness. It’s like a water pump with an automatic timer — you don’t need to switch it on every time.

Marketing Automation takes care of the boring stuff — posting, tagging, and follow-ups — so you can focus on real work. It’s like a machine that keeps running even when you’re not around.

76 % of firms see positive ROI from automation within year one (Firework).
Automation also lifts sales productivity by 14.5 % (Oracle)

Start small. Automate simple things first — like sending a thank-you message after form submission, adding leads to your CRM, or scheduling posts in advance. Use tools like Zapier, Make, Mailchimp, or WhatsApp Business API (sequencing via Meta Business Suite is so effective).

You don’t need to know coding — just set it once and let it run. Focus on building a system that works even when you’re not online.

2.3 Your Ads Should Bring Leads, Not Just Likes

It’s easy to get excited by likes, shares, and nice comments — the so-called vanity metrics. But if your ad isn’t bringing in sign-ups, demo bookings, or real revenue — the sanity metrics — then it’s not doing its job.

Most brands run video ads hoping people will like, share, or maybe remember them. Headway, an EdTech company from Ukraine, did the opposite. They used AI to create many short video ads — but each one had a clear goal: get people to subscribe.

Every ad led directly to a subscription page, not a homepage or a branding reel. No distractions, just one clear path. That focus helped them get 40% higher ROI and 3.3 billion views in just 6 months.

As a rule of thumb: If your ad report can’t tell you “₹1 in, ₹X out,” stop running it. Ads should be treated like investments, not billboards. Whether it’s Google, Meta, or YouTube — always ask: “What action do I want the viewer to take?”

But here’s the catch. Even if your ad is good, it’s your landing page that decides whether people will take that action.

2.4 Landing pages: Answer WHY Before WOW

On average, landing pages convert at 6.6%, but if you get that to just 8%, your cost per lead drops by almost 25%. That’s a big difference with a few small changes.

👉 Want better results? Fix these four things on your landing page:

Headline: It should solve a real problem (e.g., “Get faster crop loans without paperwork” is better than “Welcome to AgriFinance”).
Proof: Show reviews, client logos, or a testimonial video — and place it right on top, not hidden below.
Form: Keep it short, and make sure it’s easy to fill on a mobile screen.
Speed: If your page loads in 1 second, it converts 3x better than one that takes 5 seconds. Use tools like PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to check.

2.5 CRM: Don’t Give Up on Cold Leads

Most people think a lead is lost once they go silent. But silence doesn’t always mean ‘not interested’ — sometimes it means ‘not now’, or ‘still unsure’. Many leads don’t need a reminder that you exist. They need a message that makes them feel like you understand where they are in their journey. That’s the real trigger — relevance, not presence.

That’s exactly what Porch Group Media did for a retail brand. They ran a simple win-back email campaign, not with discounts or pressure, but with friendly messages like “Still thinking about it?” or “Need help deciding?”

The result? 29% of inactive customers came back. That’s nearly 1 in 3 cold leads reactivated with just a few well-timed emails.

But here’s the smarter part — they didn’t send the same email to everyone. They used lead scoring.

👉 Here’s how it works:

Cold leads (no activity in 30–60 days): Nurture them with light, value-based emails
Warm leads (opened recent emails or clicked pricing): Invite them for a call or offer a limited-time deal
Hot leads (booked demo, replied, or asked questions): Pass them straight to sales

Once your CRM is set up to track and tag these behaviours, your team will stop wasting time on dead leads — and focus on the ones most likely to buy.

Creatio Dashboard for Marketing Automation

In fact, companies that properly use a CRM report 29% higher revenue on average.

So if you have 100 old leads sitting idle, don’t delete them. Just talk to them differently based on where they are. That’s how structure brings in sales — even from silence.

3. It Even Works in “boring” Industries

Sector	Machine tweak	Measurable lift	Source
Real Estate	Lead‑nurture emails + CRM tagging	50 % more sales‑ready leads at 33 % lower cost	(Styldod)
Hardware dealers	SEO, gated spec sheets, retargeting	207 % rise in monthly leads, 144 % more organic traffic	(Emulent)
Big Basket	AI‑driven re‑engagement emails	20 % of dormant users re‑activated, 9 % lift in reach	(Netcore Cloud)
EdTech (Headway)	AI‑generated video ads + tight funnel loop	40 % higher ad ROI, 3.3  billion impressions	(Business Insider)

Marketing Automation Insights

4. Blueprint: Build Your Machine in Six Weekends

✅ Step 1: Focus on Problems, not Features

Start by writing down the top 10 problems your customers face — in their own words. Think about what keeps them up at night.

Example:
Instead of “We offer 24×7 customer support,”
Say: “You don’t have to wait for help when something breaks.”

Turn each of these pain points into a blog post, a short Instagram reel, or a simple 2-slide LinkedIn post.

People don’t connect with features — they connect with problems they recognise.

✅ Step 2: Create in Batches

Pick one weekend a month and record or write 4–5 pieces of content in one go.

Then, schedule one per week using a tool like Meta Business Suite, Hootsuite.

Why?
Batching saves mental energy. You avoid the stress of last-minute posting and can stay consistent without burnout.

✅ Step 3: Automate the Hand-offs

Don’t waste time copying leads from your website form to a spreadsheet.

Set up simple automation using tools like Zapier, Make, or Pabbly.
Here’s a simple example:

Someone fills your enquiry form
They’re added to your CRM or Google Sheet
They get a thank-you email or WhatsApp instantly
You get notified with their details

Set this up once. It’ll run forever.

✅ Step 4: Track Lead Behaviour

Every lead is different. Some are curious, some are ready to buy, and some are just browsing.

Use a basic lead scoring system:

Opened your email? +1
Clicked your pricing page? +3
Booked a demo? +10

This way, your CRM can automatically move people into different follow-up flows.

Cold leads? Send educational content.
Warm leads? Offer a deal.
Hot leads? Ask to schedule a call.

You’re not chasing — you’re guiding.

Five months of focus on these basics will outrun five years of sporadic ‘viral’ brainstorms.

A Final Thought

A clever ad or viral post can get attention. But without a system behind it, that attention fades fast.

Most founders who say, “We tried marketing, it didn’t work,” usually mean they tried random tactics without a plan.

If that sounds familiar, don’t scrap marketing — fix the machine or bring in Marketing Automation.

Start small:

One Google Sheet with content ideas
One automation that saves you manual work
One landing page that answers “Why should I care?”

Improve it every week.
Let the system do the heavy lifting — quietly, consistently.

Marketing isn’t magic—it’s a science, or an arithmetic repeated until the sum becomes momentum.

Marketing Case Study: How Content Can Drive B2B Growth

Why Your Startup Pitch Fails Before It Begins

Every founder believes their idea is groundbreaking. But for investors, VCs, and even potential customers, a pitch can fall apart in seconds. Why?

I did my first pitch at the age of 22 during my final college year in 2014. In 6 months, we found an investor. Three years after that, we shut down our project. And now, a decade later, I found myself doing it all over again. Pitching is a strange game—equal parts confidence, clarity, and survival. Over the years, I’ve seen and made every mistake possible. Let’s break down WHY MOST PITCHES fail.

1. Overusing Buzzwords

“We’re revolutionising the industry!”

“It’s the OpenAI of X!”

“We empower stakeholders to drive synergies and unlock value!”

Stop. Just stop. Overloading a pitch with buzzwords makes it sound hollow. Investors have heard every version of “next-gen, innovative, game-changing” before. The more you rely on vague, overused terms, the less you seem to understand your own business.

Why it won’t work: People trust specificity. When pitches are filled with generic hype, the brain categorises them as marketing fluff rather than substance. It’s why saying, “We help small retailers increase repeat purchases by 40% through AI-powered inventory forecasting,” is 100x better than “We disrupt retail with AI.”

2. Focusing More on Idea Than Execution

The idea itself isn’t the hard part—execution is. Every investor knows that ideas are cheap. If your pitch spends more time on “why this is a great idea” instead of “how we’re actually making it happen,” you’ve already lost them.

Why it won’t work: A great pitch isn’t about why the problem exists; it’s about why you are the best person to solve it. The execution plan, traction, and market insights separate a winning pitch from wishful thinking.

3. Vagueness

If a founder can’t answer basic questions—“Who is your target audience? How will you acquire customers? How will you make money?”—it’s over. Investors don’t fund question marks.

The Science of Persuasion: People buy (or invest) in what they understand. If you can’t explain your business in one clear sentence, you don’t understand it well enough.

4. Over-Promising or Forcing AI into Everything

“We’re going to change the world!”

“Our AI-powered toothbrush will disrupt the dental industry!”

Not everything needs AI. If your business can’t survive without adding trendy tech for the sake of it, then it’s not a real business—it’s a gimmick.

Why it won’t work: People are skeptical of exaggerated claims. The more you promise, the higher the mental resistance. Investors and customers both respond better to grounded, achievable milestones.

5. Dodging Tough Questions

Nothing screams “I haven’t thought this through” like avoiding a tough question. Investors will challenge your numbers, your strategy, and your risks. If you dodge, deflect, or get defensive, they know you’re not prepared.

Psychology of Confidence: The best founders don’t bluff. They acknowledge weaknesses but show they have a plan. Transparency builds trust; avoidance kills it.

6. No Social Proof or Testimonials

“Do you have examples of past work?”

“Sorry, it’s all confidential.”

🚩🚩🚩

If you can’t show results—case studies, testimonials, pilot runs—why should anyone believe you? Whether it’s an investor or a potential client, people need proof that what you say isn’t just theory.

Consumer Trust Principle: Humans rely on social proof to make decisions. That’s why reviews and case studies convert. If you can’t provide proof, people assume the worst.

7. Acting Like a “Founder Persona” Instead of a Real Person

Rehearsed, robotic, over-the-top confidence? Investors see through it.

The best pitches are conversations. If you believe in what you’re building and have real traction, you don’t need to “perform.” Just be real, know your numbers, and explain your business like you’re talking to a smart friend.

How to Fix Your Pitch

Cut the buzzwords—be specific.
Talk about execution, not just the idea.
Answer questions with clarity, not fluff.
Don’t force AI or trends where they don’t belong.
Show proof. Numbers, testimonials, traction.
Be a person. Have a conversation.

The best founders don’t sell a dream; they sell a plan. And the best investors don’t fund hype; they fund execution.So next time you pitch, ask yourself: Is this real, or is this just noise.

How to Spot a True Leader

What is Li Keqiang Index For Marketing?

Li Keqiang was a provincial Communist Party chief, he shed light on the challenges of accurately assessing China’s economic state. In a world driven by glossy economic reports and iron fist politics, Li candidly acknowledged the limitations GDP figures like GDP. He famously referred to them as “man-made” and instead relied on three other tangible indicators. How is this related to marketing?

Li highlighted three metrics he personally relied on to gauge economic activity:

Electricity Consumption: A real-time reflection of industrial and household activity.
Rail Cargo Volume: A measure of the movement of goods across the country.
Bank Loans Disbursed: A proxy for financial activity and business confidence.

Li’s approach resonated with economists globally because it stripped away the noise and focused on what actually drives an economy. His metrics told the story GDP couldn’t—what was happening on the ground, in real time.

What Can Marketing Teams Learn from Li Keqiang?

Marketing is no different from economics. We, too, get lost in vanity metrics—traffic, impressions, or followers—without asking what they really mean. We should look into Sanity metrics.

Sanity metrics are the numbers that actually matter to your business.
Things like leads generated, demos booked, sales closed, or revenue earned.

They show whether your marketing is working — not just making noise.

Unlike vanity metrics (likes, views, followers), sanity metrics are tied to outcomes, not attention.
If it doesn’t move the business forward, it’s not a sanity metric.

Inspired by Li’s tangible approach, here’s how marketers can build their own “Li Keqiang Index” for measuring growth, which are actually sanity metrics:

1️⃣ Customer Retention Rate = Marketing’s Rail Cargo

Just as rail cargo reflects goods in motion, retention shows the health of your customer base.

Are you keeping customers engaged and coming back? Growth isn’t just acquisition—it’s how much value you retain.

2️⃣ Revenue per Marketing Dollar = Marketing’s Electricity Consumption

Electricity powers economies, just as marketing spend powers growth. But are you generating enough value for every dollar spent?

This metric ensures you’re not just consuming energy—you’re converting it into meaningful outcomes.

3️⃣ Lead-to-Customer Conversion Rate = Marketing’s Bank Loans

Bank loans signal business confidence. Similarly, conversion rates reveal how effectively you turn leads into paying customers.

It’s the ultimate measure of how well your campaigns connect with the right audience.

Takeway From His Mysterious Death

Li Keqiang’s genius was in simplifying complexity. He found metrics that revealed the truth rather than relying on numbers designed to impress. In marketing, we must do the same. Focus less on vanity metrics and more on indicators that reflect actual growth, trust, and efficiency.

Because in the end, whether it’s running a country or a marketing campaign, the goal is the same: find the truth, act on it, and grow sustainably.

Li Keqiang’s death in 2023 reminded the world of his uncommon honesty in a political system often cloaked in opacity.

His willingness to challenge convention and rely on practical metrics left a lasting impression, not just in politics but across industries.

Digital Marketing in 2024: 7 Behavioural Economics Principles You Can’t Ignore

Do you ever wonder why your digital marketing campaigns aren’t converting the way you expect? Have you noticed your customers browsing but not buying? Or maybe your emails aren’t getting the attention they deserve? It’s frustrating, isn’t it? The good news is, there’s a way to change that. By understanding how people really think and make decisions, you can tap into the power of behavioural economics to influence their actions.

In this blog, we’ll explore simple but effective strategies you can use to boost engagement and drive more conversions. Ready to find out how? Let’s dive in.

Introduction to Behavioural Economics

Behavioural economics explores the psychological factors that influence economic decisions. For example, why do you instinctively pick a particular brand of coffee at the supermarket, even when there’s a cheaper option right next to it? It could be because you’ve seen that brand everywhere—on billboards, TV, and in your favourite influencer’s post. You start to trust it more without even realising it.

Unlike traditional economics, which assumes that individuals always make rational choices, behavioural economics acknowledges that humans are often irrational and influenced by cognitive biases.

Key Principles of Behavioural Economics

1. Loss Aversion:

Loss aversion means people feel more pain from losing something than the happiness they get from gaining something of the same value.

For example, losing ₹100 will upset you more than finding ₹100 would make you happy!

Agoda: “Only One Left” is an example of LoA

Amazon makes excellent use of loss aversion in its lightning deals. By showing how much a customer could save if they purchase before it ends, Amazon creates a sense of urgency, making the fear of missing out on savings a powerful motivator for action. Similarly, Agoda use the same with hotel bookings.

This tactic plays on customers’ reluctance to lose a perceived deal rather than simply gaining a discount. This tactic reinforces the idea that waiting means losing out.

2. Social Proof

Social proof is when people copy what others are doing because they think it must be the right choice.

For example, if you see a restaurant packed with people, you’re more likely to believe the food is good and want to eat there too!

Agoda: “14 Booked today” is an example of social proof

Agoda leverages social proof by showing how many people booked the same hotel or how many left. This creates a sense of urgency and validation, encouraging users to book quickly to avoid missing out.

The presence of real-time data (“14 people booked this property today“) reinforces trust, especially in uncertain situations like choosing accommodation in a new location.

3. Anchoring Effect

The anchoring effect happens when you rely too much on the first piece of information you see, which affects your later decisions.

For example, if a shirt is marked as originally ₹2,000 but now priced at ₹1,000, you think it’s a great deal because your mind compares it to the higher price first.

Agoda showing 2929 and then showing 2231 is an example of anchoring

When browsing hotels on Agoda, you might see a price listed as ₹2,929, then see it crossed out with a new price of ₹2,231. This makes you feel like you’re getting a significant discount because your mind compares the new price to the higher, original price first.

The higher-priced listings were used as anchors, making subsequent deals seem more affordable by comparison. This method subtly influenced consumers’ perception of value, making them more likely to purchase.

4. Framing Effect

The framing effect happens when the way information is presented changes your decision-making.

For example, people are more likely to choose a snack advertised as ‘90% fat-free’ rather than one labelled ‘only 10% fat,’ even though both mean the same thing.

Food products and insurance companies use this effect regularly. A health insurance company might highlight that ‘90% of claims are settled with their care’ rather than mentioning that ‘10% are not settled,’ making their service seem more reliable and positive. The catch is that in 1000 people, 100 claims were denied 🙁

5. Decoy Effect

The decoy effect occurs when an additional option is introduced to make another choice more attractive.

For example, if you’re choosing between two coffee sizes—small for ₹100 and large for ₹200—but then they add a medium option for ₹180, you’re more likely to pick the large one because it now seems like a better deal compared to the medium.

Hostinger effectively uses the decoy effect with its four-tiered pricing plan:

₹69 for the basic plan, ₹149 for a more feature-rich option, ₹249 for even more benefits, ₹699 for the enterprise-level plan.

Here, the ₹249 plan acts as a decoy. It makes the ₹149 plan seem like the best value because it’s more affordable than the higher-priced plans while offering sufficient features. This strategy subtly pushes customers towards the ₹149 plan, increasing its sales, much like how The Economist used the decoy effect to boost subscriptions.

6. Priming

Priming is when exposure to one stimulus influences how you respond to another, even if you’re unaware of it.

For example, red is often associated with urgency, danger, or importance, which can prompt quicker action or attention.

Agoda uses priming by highlighting certain areas in different colours, such as when it shows a red or orange banner with the message “This property is in high demand.” This subtle visual cue primes users to perceive urgency and scarcity, encouraging them to act quickly to avoid missing out.

Next time, when you browse Agoda go through the colour differences, you will understand this better.

7. Endowment Effect

The endowment effect means people value something more highly simply because they own it.

For instance, Volkswagen cleverly uses the endowment effect with their “Free Range” test drive experience. They let potential buyers take a VW for an extended test drive, even overnight.

Free rage test drive is an example of **Endowment Effect**

Once you’ve driven the car, parked it in your driveway, and experienced how it fits into your daily life, it starts to feel like it’s already yours. This emotional attachment makes it harder to give up the car, increasing the likelihood that you’ll buy it.

By making the test drive more personal and less confined, Volkswagen taps into this psychological principle to boost sales.

FAQs about Leveraging Behavioural Economics in Digital Marketing

What is behavioural economics?

Behavioural economics is a field that combines insights from psychology and economics to understand how people make decisions. It acknowledges that humans are often irrational and influenced by cognitive biases.

How can loss aversion be used in digital marketing?

Loss aversion can be used in digital marketing by highlighting what consumers stand to lose if they do not take action. This can be achieved through limited-time offers, free trials, and emphasising the benefits they would miss out on.

What is social proof and how can it be leveraged?

Social proof is the tendency of people to follow the actions of others. It can be leveraged in digital marketing through customer testimonials, user-generated content, and influencer partnerships to build credibility and trust.

How does the anchoring effect influence consumer decisions?

The anchoring effect influences consumer decisions by providing an initial reference point that affects subsequent judgements. In digital marketing, this can be used by displaying original prices alongside discounted prices or presenting high-value products first.

Can behavioural economics principles be applied to all types of digital marketing?

Yes, behavioural economics principles can be applied to various types of digital marketing, including email marketing, content marketing, and website design. By understanding and leveraging these principles, marketers can influence consumer behaviour and drive conversions.

By integrating the principles of behavioral economics into your digital marketing strategies, you can better understand and influence consumer behavior, ultimately driving higher engagement and conversion rates.

How Storytelling Can Elevate Your Content Marketing Strategies in 2024

How to utilise the power of storytelling in content marketing to engage audiences, foster emotional connections, and drive conversions. Let’s elevate the content marketing strategies today!

Storytelling has long been a powerful tool for human communication, but its significance in content marketing has surged in recent years. By weaving compelling narratives, brands can engage audiences, foster emotional connections, and ultimately drive conversions. In this article, we will explore how storytelling can elevate your content marketing strategy, providing practical insights and examples.

Key Takeaways

Engagement: Storytelling captivates audiences, making your content more engaging and memorable.
Emotional Connection: Effective storytelling fosters emotional connections, enhancing brand loyalty.
Conversions: Well-told stories can drive conversions by aligning your brand’s message with the audience’s values and needs.

Why Storytelling Matters in Content Marketing

In a world inundated with content, capturing and retaining audience attention is increasingly challenging. Storytelling offers a solution by transforming mundane information into captivating narratives. Here’s why it matters:

Enhanced Engagement

Stories are inherently more engaging than straightforward facts or figures. They draw readers in, making your content more likely to be consumed and shared. This increased engagement can lead to higher traffic and better SEO performance.

Example: The “Like a Girl” campaign by Always

Emotional Connection

Humans are emotional beings, and stories have the power to evoke emotions. By tapping into these emotions, brands can create deeper connections with their audience. This emotional bond can lead to increased trust and loyalty.

Cadbury Ad with Emotional Connection

Clear Messaging

Stories can simplify complex ideas, making them easier to understand and remember. This clarity is crucial in content marketing, where the goal is often to communicate a brand’s message or value proposition effectively.

TATA Tea Ad

The Elements of a Compelling Story

To harness the power of storytelling in your content marketing, it’s essential to understand the key elements that make a story compelling.

Relatable Characters

Characters are the heart of any story. In content marketing, these characters could be your customers, employees, or even the brand itself. The key is to make them relatable so that your audience can see themselves in the narrative.

HDFC Ad: Example of using Relatable Characters

HDFC Life’s “Bounce Back” campaign tells the story of real people who have faced challenges and overcome them with the help of financial planning. These characters, who could be anyone from a middle-class family man to a single mother, are relatable because they reflect the struggles and aspirations of HDFC Life’s target audience.

Conflict and Resolution

A good story involves conflict and resolution. This structure keeps the audience engaged and provides a sense of satisfaction when the conflict is resolved. In marketing, the conflict could be a problem that your product or service solves.

For example, Google’s “Reunion” campaign in India told the emotional story of two elderly friends separated during the Partition of India and Pakistan. The conflict was their long separation and the emotional pain it caused. The resolution came when their grandchildren used Google to reunite them.

Emotional Appeal

As mentioned earlier, emotions play a crucial role in storytelling. Whether it’s joy, sadness, fear, or excitement, evoking emotions can make your story more impactful and memorable.

For example, the Cadbury Ad that we have seen before.

Authenticity

Authenticity is key to building trust. Your stories should be genuine and reflect the true values and mission of your brand. Authentic stories resonate more with audiences and build long-term loyalty.

Tanishq’s “Ekatvam” campaign focused on authentic storytelling by showcasing real stories of diversity and unity in India. The campaign featured different communities and traditions coming together in celebration, reflecting Tanishq’s commitment to inclusivity and authenticity.

Techniques for Effective Storytelling in Content Marketing

Now that we understand the importance and elements of storytelling, let’s see some techniques to incorporate it into your content marketing strategy:

Use Customer Testimonials

Customer testimonials are powerful because they provide real-life examples of how your product or service has made a difference. These stories can be written, video-recorded, or even shared on social media.

Create a Brand Narrative

A brand narrative is a cohesive story that encapsulates your brand’s history, mission, and values. This narrative should be consistently reflected across all your marketing channels to create a unified brand image.

Nike’s “Find Your Greatness” campaign is a prime example of creating a cohesive brand narrative that reflects the company’s history, mission, and values.

The campaign was built around the idea that greatness is not reserved for elite athletes but is something everyone can achieve in their own way. This narrative aligns with Nike’s long-standing mission to inspire and enable every athlete (with “athlete” being defined as anyone with a body).

Leverage Visual Storytelling

Visual elements can enhance your storytelling efforts. Use images, videos, infographics, and other visual content to support your narrative and make it more engaging.

Idea advertisement

Incorporate User-Generated Content

Encourage your audience to share their own stories related to your brand. User-generated content not only provides fresh perspectives but also builds a sense of community and authenticity.

Utilize Data Storytelling

Data can be dry and uninteresting on its own, but when presented as part of a story, it becomes much more compelling. Use data storytelling to highlight trends, demonstrate value, and support your narrative with evidence.

Case Studies: Brands Excelling in Storytelling

To illustrate the power of storytelling in content marketing, let’s look at some brands that excel in this area:

Nike

Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign goes beyond simply showing products; it tells stories that connect with people’s emotions. By focusing on athletes who overcome challenges, Nike isn’t just selling shoes but promoting a mindset of determination.

This way, customers feel inspired and motivated, which creates a strong emotional bond. People are not just buying a product; they are buying into the idea of being a part of a community that values hard work and success. This connection is what helps in driving sales because people feel like they’re supporting something bigger.

Airbnb

Airbnb’s strategy is all about sharing personal stories from both hosts and guests. These stories highlight unique experiences, making each stay feel special and different from staying in a regular hotel.

When people read these stories, they connect emotionally with the idea of being part of a larger, more personal experience. This emotional connection encourages people to choose Airbnb over traditional options because it feels like a more meaningful choice. By focusing on these real-life stories, Airbnb successfully converts interest into bookings.

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign is a great example of how personal stories can drive sales. By replacing the logo with popular names, Coca-Cola encouraged people to share a Coke with someone special.

This simple idea made each bottle feel personal and meaningful, which connected with people’s emotions. When people shared their stories online, it further spread the campaign’s reach. This emotional connection made people more likely to buy Coke, not just as a drink but as a way to share special moments. This approach significantly boosted sales by turning a simple purchase into a personal story.

Measuring the Impact of Storytelling

To ensure that your storytelling efforts are effective, it’s important to measure their impact. Here are some metrics to consider:

Engagement Metrics

Track metrics such as time spent on page, social shares, and comments to gauge how well your stories are engaging your audience.

Emotional Response

Use surveys, feedback forms, or social listening tools to assess the emotional impact of your stories. Positive emotional responses can indicate strong storytelling.

Conversion Rates

Ultimately, the goal of content marketing is to drive conversions. Monitor your conversion rates to see if your storytelling efforts are translating into tangible results.

Brand Sentiment

Analyze brand sentiment through social media monitoring and customer feedback. Positive sentiment can be a sign that your storytelling is resonating well with your audience.

Integrating Storytelling Across Channels

For storytelling to be truly effective, it should be integrated across all your marketing channels. Here’s how you can do it:

Website

Your website is the hub of your online presence. Use it to share your brand narrative, customer testimonials, and other stories that highlight your value.

Social Media

Social media platforms are ideal for sharing short, engaging stories. Use a mix of text, images, and videos to capture your audience’s attention and encourage interaction.

Email Marketing

Incorporate storytelling into your email campaigns to make them more engaging. Share customer success stories, behind-the-scenes looks, and other narratives that add value to your emails.

Content Marketing

Your blog, whitepapers, and other content marketing efforts should all reflect your storytelling strategy. Use these platforms to dive deeper into your stories and provide valuable insights to your audience.

Storytelling in content marketing helps to engage audiences, foster emotional connections, and simplify complex messages, ultimately driving conversions and building brand loyalty.

Human Interactions: Understanding the Lonely Wolf and the Social Butterfly

Today, I want to share a conversation I had with my good friend Venkat. He looked confused and asked me, “Akhil, how do you manage both networking and productivity together?” He made a good point: the most productive people—I call them “Lonely Wolves”—among us often work alone, while people who like to socialise a lot, “the social butterflies,” often focus more on taking breaks. Let’s understand the nuances behind human interactions here.

The Evolutionary Tale of the ‘Lonely Wolf’

Imagine the ‘Lonely Wolf’ as someone who’s skilled at their tasks, but deep down, there’s a fear that holds them back from social interactions. Think of it like being hesitant to jump into a pool. Most people want to try that, but they are scared of the consequences. Maybe they are scared of an accident.

Similarly, here the reason for this social distancing isn’t just that they’re shy or prefer being alone; it’s rooted in our ancient history.
In the old days, if you were excluded or rejected by your tribe or group, it was like being left out in the cold without a jacket. You were vulnerable to the elements and wild animals, making survival really tough.

So, being pushed out or ostracised was, in many ways, a death sentence. Our brains are always trying to protect us. Hence, our brain developed a mechanism that made social rejection hurt, almost as if it were physical pain.

Neurologically, when they think about initiating a conversation, their brain’s anterior cingulate cortex (responsible for detecting physical pain) activates, making the mere idea of a possible rejection daunting. This isn’t mere shyness; it’s a protective mechanism that’s years old.
Yet, once they establish a connection, their brain’s reward system gets activated intensely. The hormone oxytocin, responsible for bonding, is released in higher doses. It’s nature’s way of ensuring that once a connection is made, it’s deeply valued. Hence, they often form deeper attachments, valuing quality over quantity.

Historical Roots of the Social Butterflies

Throughout history, individuals who could quickly build rapport, create alliances, and foster relationships had advantages. They were the diplomats, the traders, and the village storytellers. Their strength wasn’t just in the number of their interactions but in the richness of the tales they carried and shared.

Neurologically, every interaction stimulates the release of oxytocin, promoting bonding, and serotonin, enhancing mood and self-esteem. But it’s not just about these chemicals. Their brains are wired to seek variety. Just as our tongue craves different flavours, their neural pathways relish diverse interactions.

Genes of: Social butterflies vs Lonely Wolves

For social butterflies, their brains have likely evolved to prioritise social feedback. The release of oxytocin and dopamine in response to social interactions is more pronounced, reinforcing their social behaviours. Just as some people have a sweet tooth and relish desserts due to evolutionary reasons (sweet usually meant nutritious and calorie-rich), the Social Butterflies have, metaphorically speaking, a ‘social tooth’. Their ancestors were likely those who thrived and survived due to their social adeptness, passing down these traits.

For Lonely Wolves: Their brain prioritises deep work and introspection. This might be due to a heightened activation of regions associated with focus and task-oriented behaviours. Their ancestors were likely the ones whose survival was ensured not by vast social networks but by their individual skills, deep thinking, or problem-solving prowess.

Nature vs. Nurture

While evolutionary and neurological factors play a significant role, one’s upbringing, personal experiences, and the environment can’t be ignored. A naturally sociable child, if repeatedly exposed to negative social feedback, might withdraw and exhibit ‘Lonely Wolf’ tendencies. Conversely, a naturally introverted child, when encouraged and provided positive social experiences, might develop more extroverted tendencies.

In essence, the disparity between ‘Social Butterflies’ and ‘Lonely Wolves’ can be viewed as nature’s way of ensuring that a tribe had both: individuals who could form quick social bonds and those who could delve deep into problem-solving. Both these traits had their unique evolutionary advantages, ensuring the survival and thriving of the group.

How do we bridge the gap?

For the Social Butterfly

The Art of Deep Conversations: Social Butterflies often flit from one topic to another. To add depth, they can practice active listening. It involves not just hearing words but understanding and interpreting them. Instead of preparing the next thing to say, truly listen. This leads to meaningful conversations that leave a lasting impact.
Scheduling ‘Me’ Time: A day, or even a few hours, reserved for self-reflection can work wonders. During this time, indulge in activities that promote inner growth – reading, journaling, or even a solitary walk. Embracing moments of silence and solitude can offer profound insights and a renewed sense of purpose.
Read: Books can be wonderful companions. They can offer the ‘Social Butterfly’ a world of knowledge while also teaching them the joy of solitude.

For the Lonely Wolf

Baby Steps: Social interactions don’t need to be grand gestures. Start small. Maybe a hello to a colleague, a smile to a stranger, or a compliment to a friend. Remember, every long journey begins with a single step.
Find Your Tribe: The ‘Lonely Wolf’ doesn’t need to fit in everywhere. They need to find their tribe – a group of like-minded individuals who share their passions, hobbies, or beliefs. When you share a common interest, initiating conversations becomes easier.
Seek Mentorship: One way to learn about the nuances of social interactions is to learn from someone who excels at it. A mentor can guide, providing insights into the art of communication and relationship-building.

In conclusion, the digital age, though complex, offers myriad opportunities for both the ‘Lonely Wolf’ and the ‘Social Butterfly’ to grow, learn, and bridge the chasm between them. While their innate natures are different, they can certainly borrow pages from each other’s books, creating a balanced narrative for their lives.

For more perspectives and thoughts, click here.

How to Deal With Uncertainities:Cognitive Survival Kit

Picture yourself driving along your daily route to your nearest theatre. You know every turn, every stoplight, and have become accustomed to the rhythm of this familiar journey. You are confident that you will reach the theatre before the show begins.

Suddenly, you encounter an unexpected detour sign in the middle of your path – the road you’ve always taken is temporarily closed for construction. Now, you must navigate a new route to reach your destination.

This unforeseen obstacle not only disrupts your routine but also challenges you to adapt to the change and find a new way forward.

A symbolic representation on How to Deal With Uncertainities — Image credits: Canva

Such is the course of our lives. We are often moving along familiar paths when unexpected obstacles or anomalies arise, throwing us off our well-planned routes. This post is trying to decode our human responses to these unexpected shifts and explore how they can shape our journey through life.

Navigating the Unforeseen: Our Brain’s Role

Humans are naturally inclined to seek stability and predictability in their environment. This inclination is rooted in our evolutionary history, where predictability equaled survival. We build our lives around familiar routines and predictable patterns, creating a cognitive map of our world that allows us to anticipate future events and plan accordingly.

However, when an unexpected obstacle appears, it not only halts our progress towards our goals but also presents us with a profound question: this obstacle wasn’t supposed to exist, so why does it?

Now, our brains must engage in a process of ‘cognitive updating,’ where they reconcile the new information with our existing worldview. This involves substantial mental work as our neural networks reconfigure to incorporate the unexpected data. Sounds challenging, right? That’s the idea!

Cognitive Dissonance: The Psychological Clash

When we meet the unexpected, it triggers a psychological clash. This clash, called cognitive dissonance, happens when we juggle opposing beliefs or ideas.

On one hand, we have our idea of how things should be, built from our routines and predictions. On the other hand, we face the real-life hurdle that stands in our path. To deal with this dissonance, we often change our beliefs and attitudes. In some cases, we might need to rethink our whole view of the world.

So, facing the unexpected isn’t just about breaking routine. It’s a major cognitive and psychological event that demands that we reshape our understanding of the world.

Unpacking Grandpa’s Survival Kit: The Modern-Day Predicament

Losing a job unexpectedly is similar to encountering a ferocious predator on our regular way home. 1000 years ago, that predator was an uncertainty for our forefathers; now it might be a layoff.

It is a disruption that throws off the steady rhythm of your life, bringing in its wake uncertainty, financial stress, and an understandable level of anxiety. To tackle this change effectively, cognitive flexibility – akin to what our ancestors exercised in the face of predators – becomes a crucial tool in our survival kit.

1. Embracing the Hard Truth

Start by acknowledging reality. You’ve lost your job. It’s a tough fact to digest, especially due to our innate ‘confirmation bias‘. We have a tendency to favour information that aligns with our pre-existing beliefs or situations, and it is cognitively more comfortable to deny or downplay the shift. But to make any progress, accepting the truth is vital.

2. Shifting Perspectives through Cognitive Reframing

Next, reframe the situation. In cognitive psychology, reframing is a technique used to help create a different way of looking at a situation, person, or relationship by changing its meaning.

It involves actively constructing a new perspective. Instead of viewing the job loss as a disaster, see it as an opportunity for growth, a chance to explore new career paths, or a chance to gain new skills.

3. Divergent Thinking – Fostering Creative Solutions

Once you have reframed the situation, brainstorm potential solutions. In this phase, it’s crucial to exercise ‘divergent thinking,’ a thought process used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions. Consider different career options, alternative income sources, or even acquiring new skills or education. Consider any solution, no matter how outlandish it may seem initially.

This is where the decision-making and prioritisation tools that can be useful.

For example, the Eisenhower Matrix, one of my favourites. The matrix consists of four quadrants: urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and neither urgent nor important. Read more about it here.

4. Implementing Change Step by Step

Finally, it’s time to act. Implementation can feel daunting, especially after a job loss. However, it’s important to remember that progress often happens incrementally. Break down your chosen solution into manageable steps and tackle them one at a time. This approach, called ‘action planning’, can make a big task seem more approachable, and it has been scientifically proven to enhance goal achievement.

Throughout this process, it’s essential to maintain a self-compassionate perspective. Job loss can lead to feelings of self-doubt or criticism. However, research has shown that treating yourself with kindness in times of failure or difficulty can foster resilience and well-being.

Final Thoughts: Tackling Life’s Crises with Evolutionary Tactics

As we journey through life, navigating unexpected obstacles and tackling life’s crises, it’s fascinating to consider the neurological systems at play. Just as our ancestors used specific neurological systems to detect and react to physical threats – like a lurking predator – we use these same systems to perceive and manage the abstract threats and issues we face in modern life.

Abstract problems – like losing a job or facing a break-up – become the ‘predators’ of our lives, lurking just outside the safety of our known world. When these problems arise, they activate the same neurological platform used by our ancestors, proving how our evolutionary history still influences our reactions to contemporary challenges.

So, dealing with the unexpected isn’t just about updating our cognitive map of the world, it’s also about confronting these abstract ‘predators’, managing life’s crises, and leveraging our inherent neurological capabilities. As we better understand and harness these capabilities, we can become more adept at navigating the uncertainties of life.

Good Thinking Begins with Clear Thinking, read more on how to think clealry using Marcus Aurelius Approach.

Good Thinking Begins with Clear Thinking: A Marcus Aurelius Approach

Almost everyone considers themselves a good thinker, yet this is a quality possessed by a surprisingly small fraction of the population. According to the Marcus Aurelius, true cognitive development requires perpetual transformation. Don’t worry about the jargons, will simplify it soon.

Marcus Aurelius' Meditations HARDCOPY — Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations

Take a moment to look around – how many individuals do you observe progressively advancing in life? How many are consistently overcoming challenges? Conversely, how many seem stuck in a loop, forever wrestling with the same issues they’ve faced for years?

It quickly becomes apparent that excelling at problem-solving is directly linked to the quality of one’s thinking. And, good thinking begins with clarity.

Marcus Aurelius: The Power of Clear Thinking

Marcus Aurelius, esteemed as the last of the Five Good Emperors of Rome and admired as a philosopher-king, is an excellent example of a great thinker. His ability to lead was inextricably linked to his clear thinking.

He honed his critical thinking skills through personal introspection, encapsulated in his private writings – now known as his Meditations. In these profound reflections, Aurelius meticulously organized his thoughts, pondering the causal relationships between his actions and their outcomes.

How he organised his thoughts?

How he redefined the relationships between his actions and outcomes?

Clear Thought: The Foundation of Good Thinking

A clear thought is one that is unambiguous, captures the essence of a concept, and is logically formulated. Such thoughts can be articulated succinctly using simple ‘if-then’ statements, such as “If you learn driving, then you can drive a car” These clear, concise ideas lead to straightforward, intentional actions. Consequently, the above statement translates into a definitive action: when you want a solo ride- learn driving.

How do you know, whether you are good at driving or not?

Clarity Begets Clarity

Clear and intentional actions, in this context, lead to concrete results. When you sit behind the wheel after learning to drive, you will immediately find out whether your initial thought was correct. Either you can operate the wheels proficiently, or you cannot.

This clear feedback, confirming or debunking your supposition, aids in refining your comprehension of your abilities. By discovering whether your self-perception aligns with your actual skills, you move closer towards self-awareness. The more accurate your self-understanding, the better you become at overcoming personal challenges.

Emulating the Greats: Practical Steps towards Clear Thinking

If your goal is to improve your own problem-solving abilities, it’s advisable to emulate Aurelius’s approach.

Begin by organizing your thoughts. Eliminate ambiguity, striving for clarity by encapsulating them in straightforward ‘if-then’ statements. This reductionist logic leads to clearer thoughts, which, in turn, yield clear and intentional actions. These actions produce clear feedback, improving your understanding of the world and, thus, enhancing your problem-solving abilities.

Let’s consider this example: “If I incorporate a philosopher’s name into my writing to establish its authenticity, then more readers will be drawn to my work out of curiosity.” This hypothesis ( maybe a null-hypothesis 😉 ) is not only clear but also steeped in logical reasoning, which catalyzes clear action – crafting and publishing the piece.

Once published, the feedback received—measured by the number of readers, their engagement, and their responses—provides immediate validation or negation of the initial idea. It helps you understand your readers’ preferences better and improves your writing strategies for reader engagement. As a result, you’ll be better equipped to meet your goals as a successful writer.

Other Major Learnings From Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius’s ‘Meditations’ is a profound philosophical work that distills key lessons from Stoicism, a philosophy that emphasizes virtue, wisdom, and the understanding of nature. Here are some of my favourite key teachings from ‘Meditations’.

1. Embrace the Stoic Perspective

Acceptance of Life’s Unpredictability:
- Take the example of a sudden job loss or a pandemic like COVID-19. No one can predict such life-changing events, and they can leave us feeling anxious and unsettled. However, accepting the fact that life is unpredictable and that we can’t control everything helps to reduce anxiety and stress.

Virtue as the Highest Good
- Consider the story of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi led India to independence from British rule through his virtue of non-violence, which he held as a moral excellence. Despite numerous provocations and adversities, he never compromised on his principle of non-violence. This virtue was within his control and he consistently chose to uphold it, leading by example and inspiring millions.
Wisdom Over Emotion
- Imagine a situation where someone cuts you off in traffic. Your immediate emotional response might be anger, and you might feel like retaliating in some way. However, by using wisdom over emotion, you would realize that retaliating won’t solve anything, and might even create more problems, like causing an accident or escalating the situation. Instead, by staying calm and moving on, you can ensure your safety and maintain peace of mind. Road Raging is a serious issue.

2. Pursue Rationality

Value Reason: As rational beings, we should let reason, not desire or fear, guide our decisions and actions.
- Let’s imagine you’re the marketing manager of a successful sportswear company. You’ve recently noticed an uptick in popularity for eco-friendly products. The initial desire might be to immediately launch an eco-friendly product line to capitalize on the trend. However, instead of acting on impulse, you decide to let reason guide your actions.
- You initiate comprehensive market research, analyzing competitors, potential price points, and your target audience’s willingness to pay for environmentally-friendly sportswear. Only after careful and reasoned consideration, evaluating the cost-benefit ratio, do you decide to proceed with the launch, ensuring a more successful outcome.
Pursue Knowledge: We should continuously seek wisdom and knowledge for personal development and betterment of society.
- Imagine a small business owner whose company has been successful for many years using traditional business methods. However, with the rise of e-commerce and digital marketing, don’t you think there is a need to adapt? Instead of sticking to what they know, they should pursue knowledge in these new areas.

3. Cultivate Resilience

Transform Obstacles into Opportunities
- During the 2008 economic recession, Airbnb faced a significant obstacle: people were reluctant to travel, let alone stay in strangers’ homes. However, Airbnb saw an opportunity in this crisis. They focused on providing affordable accommodation alternatives to expensive hotels, a value proposition that attracted cost-conscious travelers during the downturn. The company has since grown exponentially and is now a major player in the global hospitality industry.
Cultivate Emotional Resilience: We should remain undisturbed by external events and maintain equanimity, no matter the situation.
- In 2008, Starbucks faced declining sales due to the global economic crisis and growing competition. Howard Schultz, then CEO, returned to the company and made tough decisions, including closing hundreds of stores and reducing staff. It was a challenging period, but Schultz maintained emotional resilience. He believed in the company and his strategy. Today, Starbucks has rebounded and continues to be a leader in the global coffee industry

To quote Marcus Aurelius himself: “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” By striving for clarity and cultivating emotional resilience, by seeking knowledge and valuing reason, we can transform obstacles into opportunities, thereby enhancing the quality of our thoughts and, ultimately, the quality of our lives.

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How to Optimize Website for Maximum Lead Generation with Google Ads

This is the second part of this series. Here we are going to see how to prepare our website for lead generation with Google Ads. Let’s dive into the specifics and see how you can leverage it too.

Read the first part of this series here.

Keep it Ready: Persona

First things first, knowing your audience is the backbone of any successful marketing campaign. Imagine if you’re a Chetan Bhagat or Amish Tripathi, successful Indian authors, crafting a new novel. You wouldn’t write without understanding your readers’ preferences, would you?

The same principle applies to your business. Your ‘reader’ is your customer. Recognise their characteristics, study their pain points, understand their goals, identify what they read, and determine where they live. This understanding will be the foundation of your Google Ads strategy.

Once you have prepared some personas, let’s move on to the website. Now we are going to modify the website keeping these personas in mind.

Get more tips on Consumer Psychology and prepare a better buyer persona by clicking here.

Making Your Website User-Friendly: On-site Optimization

Think of your website as your digital storefront. If you own a physical store, you would make sure it’s clean, organised, and welcoming to your customers, right? Similarly, your website should be welcoming, relevant, and easy to navigate.

Define Your Landing Pages Based on the Ad

Let’s say you run an online tutoring service, ‘Qrious Minds.’ You need to define the specific pages where you will send traffic from your Google Ads. If someone clicks on an ad about your IIT-JEE preparation course, they should be directed to the page specifically about that service, not your homepage. This is akin to guiding a customer directly to the section of the bookstore that houses their favourite genre.

Homepage & Branded Traffic

When we talk about a company’s homepage, we’re referring to the main landing page for a website. If branded traffic is your major channel, then you should work hard for ‘homepage’.

Branded traffic refers to the visitors that come to a website directly (like typing the URL into the browser) or through organic search results by searching for a brand’s name or specific product of a brand. These individuals already know about the brand and are seeking it out specifically, often indicating a higher level of interest or intent compared to non-branded traffic.

The homepage should be clean enough to guide them towards taking a desired action, like making a purchase or signing up for a service.

One of my favourite example is Dropbox homepage

Its sub-headline is simple yet powerful
A large and relevant motion graphics clearly explains why Dropbox
The more you scroll, the more they build desire by describing different use cases for their tool.

The Art of a Clear Statement of Value

Once your home page design is ready, the next step is the master text.

The website should include a clear ‘statement of value,’ aka master text.

To put it simply, why should a student choose ‘Qurious Minds’ over other tutoring services? Perhaps you have IIT alumni as tutors, or maybe you offer personalised study plans. This statement is your ‘USP’ (unique selling proposition), the cornerstone of your business.

Drafting Your Master Text

Do thorough research and understand why people love your service or product, then highlight it. Most people ignore this part.

In an article I once came across, the CEO of a software company believed that their fast service and competitive pricing were their key selling points. However, a deeper dive revealed that people love them for different reasons. Those were their user-friendly interfaces and local operations in Mexico. Unlike many competitors who operated overseas, their location allowed real-time communication with US clients and facilitated cost-effective, in-person meetings. Moreover, their software was praised for its simplified user interface, offering just the essential features and avoiding overwhelming users with unnecessary functions. By emphasising these strengths in their messaging, they underscored the disadvantages of dealing with distant operations and complex software, effectively reshaping their unique selling propositions.

So think twice before you draft your master text.

Some of my favourite examples are from

Grammarly (Short & Sweet)

Getprospect (Nothing fancy, straight to the point, easy to read and comprehend)

The Power of Social Proof

Your site should include social proof. This is the digital equivalent of word-of-mouth publicity. For instance, if ‘Qrious Minds’ has testimonials from previous students who cracked IIT-JEE thanks to your coaching, those reviews would be your social proof.

Aggregating enough reviews takes time, so ask your customers for a review after 30 days of purchase and give them an incentive or reward for completion. Actually, this 30-day time frame is a hack; it gives you at least a few days or weeks to resolve any issues—and get a good review for it.

Authority Bias and the Culture Code Behind Social Proof

There is even a psychology behind it: Authority bias.

Showcase or mention a celebrity using a similar product or service, and leverage that to your advantage by drawing similarities between your audience and this person to convince them to make the purchase to increase their status quo.

Another rationale behind it is culture; you can classify your audience into two types: collectivist cultures and individualistic cultures. India has a collectivist culture. Individualism is about your personal interests; collectivism is about the interests of the group. This group can be your direct family, but it can also be your company or country.

In collectivist cultures, advice from social groups is generally considered important. So, people are more likely to follow the ratings of other users.

Crafting Clear Calls-to-Action ( CTA )

Imagine being in a bustling Indian bazaar with numerous sellers vying for your attention. Among all the noise, a shopkeeper with a loud, clear voice stands out, inviting you to his shop. Similarly, on your website, amidst the wealth of information, a clear and bold CTA button plays the role of that sales assistant, directing visitors to the next step.

The online retail giant, Amazon, is a prime example of this. Their bold, yellow “Add to Cart” button is highly visible and directs shoppers to the next step of the purchasing process.

Multiple CTAs

Furthermore, your website should have multiple conversion conduits, or Call to Actions (CTAs). This is the digital equivalent of different salespeople for different sections, and eventually they will be guiding the customer to the checkout counter.

For example, after reading about your IIT-JEE course, there should be a clear, visible button that says “Enrol Now” or “Book a Free Demo.”

EXAMPLE OF A clear CTA from Simplified — A clear CTA from Simplified

Blog Section: After reading an informative blog post about the benefits of personalised learning, a CTA could be, “Try Our Personalized Learning Approach! Start Your Free Trial Today.”

Course Description Pages: Each course description should have a clear and concise CTA, like “Enrol in This Course Now!” or “Download Course Curriculum.”

Contact Us Page: On the contact page, a CTA like “Get in Touch with Our Advisors Today” encourages prospective students to reach out for more information.

Free Resources Page: If you offer free study resources, a CTA might be, “Download Free Study Material Now!” or “Access Free Practice Tests.”

Newsletter Subscription: A CTA like “Stay Updated! Subscribe to Our Newsletter” can help grow your email list for future marketing campaigns.

Remember, the goal of each CTA is to guide visitors towards a desired action. A well-crafted CTA is clear, concise, and compelling, using action-oriented language that creates urgency and excitement.

Add Badges, Add Trust & Make it Special

Trust is the cornerstone of any business. Just as a customer feels reassured when they see an ISO certification or FSSAI mark at a restaurant, website verification badges like secure payment, BBB, SSL, guarantees, and free returns can build trust in your online services.

For ‘Qrious Minds’, if you offer free shipping for your study materials or free returns on course enrollments, turn these into badges on your website. It’s like a restaurant highlighting their ‘Hygiene Certified’ status – it provides an extra layer of trust for the customer.

examples of Badges from different websites — Badges from different websites

Companies like Flipkart and Amazon showcase trust badges prominently, which reassure customers about the safety of their transactions. Emulating such practises can enhance the trustworthiness of your website.

Accessibility and Trust: Contact Information on Your Website

Before writing this article, I did my research by visiting multiple websites from different domains. This last point is missing in 90% of the website, and I believe that will impact your service. As a customer, before I make a purchase, I want to ensure that you are easily accessible for after-sale service.

I always prefer Amazon over Flipkart for this one simple reason: it’s easier to reach out to Amazon compared to Flipkart. Secondly, it builds trust. Customers buy from businesses they trust.

Levi Footer with Contact numbers & Email id

A good example of a website that efficiently incorporates contact information in the footer is the Levi.in website. It contains everything a good website footer should have: a logo, links, social network links, and contact information.

This arrangement not only makes the brand easily accessible to customers but also adds to the overall aesthetic and functional appeal of the website. And their ‘Help’ & ‘Track Order’ buttons are on the right top.

Some Additional Tips For Better Results

Product title and subtitle: Ensure these are clear, descriptive, and honest to attract relevant traffic. For example, Amazon uses specific and honest product titles without keyword stuffing.
Descriptions: These should elaborate on the specifics of your product or service. For instance, an online clothing retailer might highlight the type of fabric, fit, and special features in the description.
Media: Customers are visually driven, so use custom images and videos. Apple, for instance, uses high-quality images and videos to showcase their products from various angles, helping customers visualise the product better.
Nested navigation: Clear, easy navigation is crucial. Websites like IKEA use breadcrumbs, enabling users to track their navigation path and easily return to previously viewed pages.

In conclusion, Optimizing your website for lead generation with Google Ads is a multi-faceted process, involving everything from customer understanding to site design, social proof, clear CTAs, and trust-building. By integrating these elements into your strategy, you stand a better chance of converting your site visitors into loyal customers, thereby driving your business growth.