[No. 168] Encounters with Business Books: Stopping the Finger and Hacking the Brain. The Science of the Moment You Click: 'Psychological Techniques for SNS Advertising'
In this **[Encounters with Business Books]** series, I will review one business book at a time that I have encountered and that has served as a catalyst for changing my perspective on life and business.
Have you ever had the experience of mindlessly scrolling through social media on your smartphone, only to have your finger stop abruptly on a specific ad and, unconsciously, click (tap) the link?
'I just happened to be curious and clicked it.' We think that, but in reality, behind it lies a 'meticulously calculated trap (psychological technique)' designed to stop your finger and stimulate your brain's reward system.
The Book and the Author
The book I am introducing today is the latest digital strategy book by Drew Eric Whitman, a top-tier advertising consultant in the U.S. and author of the legendary bestseller 'Cashvertising', titled 'Psychological Techniques for SNS Advertising: The Mental Mechanisms That Make Customers Want to Click, Revealed by the Latest Research' (Original title: Cashvertising Online).
What kind of book is it?: A book that updates the universal psychology used in print advertising (such as the LF8—the Life Force 8) for the front lines of modern digital advertising like 'Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).' It reveals, through the latest data from neuroscience and behavioral psychology, how to grab a user's attention and get them to click in an SNS space where content is scrolled past in 0.1 seconds.
Introduction: The Goal of SNS Advertising Is Not to 'Sell'
There is a major mistake that people who run ads on social media or post links to blogs often fall into. That is 'trying to sell the product within the ad itself.'
The author asserts: 'The sole purpose of an advertisement is to get a click.'
Users do not open social media to see your ads. They came to see posts from friends or people they follow. If you suddenly start talking about product specs to them, you will only annoy them. What we must do is force their thumbs, which are scrolling unconsciously, to stop (thumb-stopper), and raise their curiosity to the limit so they think, 'I want to read more (I want to click).' That is all.
The Core of the Book: The Law of the 'Thumb-Stopper'
This book covers a wide range of visual and linguistic techniques to stop scrolling, but I will introduce two particularly powerful ones.
1. Images: Choose 'Human Faces with Emotion'
In digital advertising, the biggest thumb-stopper is a 'face.' Our brains are hardwired through the process of evolution to instantly read 'other people's faces and expressions.' A close-up photo of a human face revealing 'strong emotions' like fear, surprise, or joy will force the human brain to stop more effectively than a beautiful photo of scenery or a product. Furthermore, if you place text where the face's 'gaze' is directed, the user's eyes will naturally be guided there as well.
2. Apply the 'Life Force 8 (LF8)' to Digital
The author's trademark is the '8 innate human desires (wanting to survive, wanting to eat delicious food, wanting to feel superior, etc.).' In short social media text, you poke at these desires with 'questions' or 'intense contrasts.' Words that stimulate the LF8, such as 'Why is that person losing weight even though they are eating?', create an obsession in the brain that 'I must know the answer,' which induces a click.
Application to Modern Business / Practice: Disguising Ads as 'Content'
SNS users extremely dislike 'ads (sales pitches).' Therefore, the most effective ads are 'ads that don't look like ads.'
Blend in natively: Shiny banner images that look like they were taken by a professional photographer are as good as declaring 'this is an ad,' and they are immediately scrolled past (ignored). Instead, amateur-looking photos taken on a smartphone or designs that mimic user posts (UGC) blend more naturally into the SNS timeline, resulting in an overwhelming click-through rate.
Summary: The Human 'Brain' Has Not Changed in 10,000 Years
Even as devices shift from newspapers to smartphones and AI continues to evolve, the 'structure of the human brain' that receives information has not changed at all since prehistoric times.
That is precisely why marketers who understand fundamental human desires and fears (psychology) can consistently win without being swayed by platform algorithm changes. For every business person struggling with 'low ad click-through rates' or 'SNS posts not being seen,' this is the ultimate practical guide that teaches you how to 'manipulate humans' in the digital space.
▼ Recommended reading (from past installments)
This is a must-read list to further solidify the power of the 'psychological hacks in digital space' and 'techniques to get clicks' learned in 'Psychological Techniques for SNS Advertising'.
[No. 4] 'Cashvertising: How to Use More than 100 Secrets of Ad-Agency Psychology to Make Big Money Selling Anything to Anyone' [Reason for selection: The author's origin and absolute bible] The legendary previous work by the same author, Mr. Whitman. This book covers the buttons of human psychology, such as the 'Life Force 8 (LF8)' and the '9 Learned Wants' that flow at the foundation of 'Psychological Techniques for SNS Advertising.' Knowing this basic theory will change your level of understanding of this book tenfold.
[No. 141] 'Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products' [Reason for selection: Understanding the 'hunting ground' of SNS] Why do users continue to scroll through SNS unconsciously? This book reveals how the very platforms where we place ads, like SNS, hack the human brain and form habits (hooks).
[No. 3] 'The Copywriter's Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Copy That Sells' [Reason for selection: Patterns of words that get clicks] After stopping the finger with an ad image (the face), the power of 'short words (headlines)' is what finally decides the click. The '35 formulas to trigger reader curiosity and desire' proven by John Caples are the strongest weapons in SNS advertising, where character limits are strict.
[No. 122] 'The Methods of Persuasion: How to Use Psychology to Influence Human Behavior' [Reason for selection: Digital cognitive guidance] Nick Kolenda explains 'unconscious guidance techniques' in web design and price display. Micro-tactics on how to manipulate the human brain on a digital screen, such as eye-tracking, color psychology, and the priming effect of fonts, reinforce the lessons of this book.
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▼ I introduce various other things too!