Confirmation bias and how it can be used in marketing
Whether it’s research studies or browsing reviews on Amazon, confirmation bias can make an unwelcome appearance when trying to make an objective decision.
What is confirmation bias?
Confirmation bias is our tendency to favour and prioritise information that matches our preconceived beliefs and overlook information that does not fit within our existing opinions. Confirmation bias can have a blinding effect on objective analysis; a 1979 study by Lord, Ross and Lepper showed that the same evidence (in this case, on capital punishment) can be simultaneously used to support opposing beliefs — for and against capital punishment — by those who entered the study with those existing for/against beliefs.
The impact of the internet on cognitive bias
The internet and social media can (and has) exacerbate and exploit cognitive bias; algorithms can often construct an echo chamber when serving highly personalised content to a user. Google search tailors search results based on user browsing history, and social media platforms such as TikTok serve content based on what users have historically engaged with. In the Fake News era, this can be a dangerous spiral into misinformation — and the ‘filter bubbles’ formed by user-perpetuating social media algorithms have been criticised as a threat to democracy[1].
But — without dismissing the seriousness of the symbiotic relationship between cognitive bias and intelligent algorithms — it’s not all bad.
Cognitive biases can be useful; they can help us navigate a world of immense choice and reduce the stress that this brings. For those with maximising tendencies, it may also force them to research further to fulfil their validation needs and ensure that every single possible box is ticked before making that purchase.
For brands, confirmation bias can be a huge barrier to overcome.
Let’s say you’re a brand competing with a company who is perceived as being great quality and with fantastic service — you’re already at a subliminal disadvantage, competing with an intrinsic belief that will rear its ugly head at the most critical decision-making moments.
But there are also some benefits which marketers can tap into
- Create aspirational content
If you’re competing with ‘THAT brand’ in your marketplace, strive to become THE brand. Find your niche, exploit your USPs and align your product/service to what makes your consumers tick. It’s a long-game, but strive to become the brand behind the bias. It can work massively in your favour if you become the anchor that all other buying decisions are measured against.
2. Focus on your brand reputation
Focus your messaging around your brand reputation. What do you want to be known for? How do you want to be used as a shortcut? Amazon are a great example of this; if you want something quickly, you Amazon Prime it. There’s an inherent belief (bias) that Amazon will be the quickest to deliver the product you want — even if you could pick it up at a store that afternoon, there’s not much point when it could be delivered within 24 hours with minimal effort. Work out which shortcuts might exist (speed, quality, durability, etc) and where your brand fits in.
3. Encourage ALL reviews
If two people with opposing views can read the same study and both feel validated, reviews start to feel less risky. For every person who reads a bad review and sees it as confirmation of their concern, there may well be an individual who thinks “I thought that too, but I still like xyz about the product…”
Encourage reviews — unbiased, unedited — and benefit from more than just some honest social proofing.
Originally published on psykkd.com.
