The psychology of marketing blog series:
- Blog 1: What is marketing psychology?
- Blog 2: Cutting through the noise: The psychology of attention
Getting attention is only half the battle. Once someone notices your message, they quickly start making decisions. Should I read this? Does it matter to me? Is it worth my time? Should I take action now or come back later?
These questions are rarely answered through careful analysis. More often, people rely on shortcuts, assumptions, and cues from their environment to decide what to do next.
That’s what makes the consideration stage of the marketing funnel so important.
In the previous blog, we looked at the psychology of attention and why some messages cut through while others get ignored. This time, we’re exploring what happens after someone notices your communication, and how to make it easier for them to take the next step.
Why more information isn’t always better
When engagement is low, the instinct is often to provide more information. More details. More links. More explanations.
After all, if people aren’t taking action, they probably need more information, right?
Not necessarily. Think about the last time you tried to choose a movie on Netflix. Hundreds of options are available, yet many people spend more time scrolling than watching. Or think about walking into a restaurant with a ten-page menu. Instead of feeling informed, you can end up feeling overwhelmed.
Psychologists call this the paradox of choice. While choice is important, too much of it can make decision-making harder.
What this looks like in local government
We see this regularly on websites and in service communications. A resident visits a webpage to find information about a local event and is presented with multiple calls to action, several related services, and links to additional resources. Everything may be useful, but presenting it all at once can create friction.
The same thing happens in consultations. A consultation page might contain background reports, technical documents, FAQs, surveys, project timelines. All valuable information, but potentially overwhelming for someone who simply wants to understand what the project means for them.
Often, simplifying the journey can have a bigger impact than adding more content.
People want to know one thing first
Before deciding whether to engage, most people ask themselves a simple question: What’s in it for me? Not because they’re selfish, but because attention is limited.
Take these two headlines as an example:
Changes to waste collection services
Versus
Find out how these waste collection changes affect your household
Both communicate the same thing, but one focuses on the process, and the other focuses on the outcome. The second immediately answers why someone should care. Small shifts in wording can make communications feel far more relevant to the audience.
Making your communication feel relevant is an important first step, but relevance alone doesn't always lead to action. People don't make decisions in isolation. When we're uncertain, we naturally look for signals that help us decide whether to take the next step. This is where another psychological principle comes into play: social proof.
Why we look to other people for guidance
Imagine you're visiting a new city and looking for somewhere to eat. You walk past two restaurants. One is empty, the other has a line out the door. Most people will assume the busy restaurant is the better option.
That’s social proof in action. When we’re uncertain, we naturally look to other people for guidance. It's why recommendations from friends often carry more weight than advertising. And it's why seeing other people participate makes us more comfortable participating ourselves.
Social proof isn’t just for businesses
Many government organisations underestimate how powerful social proof can be.
Imagine you're considering whether to provide feedback on a proposed development. You might be interested, but you're unsure whether it's worth taking the time.
Now compare these two messages:
Feedback is now open for the proposed development.
Versus
More than 200 residents have already shared their feedback on the proposed development.
The second message provides reassurance that other people are already participating. It creates a sense that the consultation is active, relevant, and worth being part of.
The same principle can be applied to many government communications, for example:
- Highlighting how many residents have already completed a survey
- Sharing attendance numbers from community events
- Showcasing stories from residents who have benefited from a service
- Sharing positive outcomes from previous community initiatives
When people can see that others are already engaged, they're often more confident about engaging themselves.
Social proof can reduce uncertainty, but it's only one part of the decision-making process. The way information is presented also has a significant influence on whether people continue to engage.
Clarity builds confidence
One of the strongest themes in marketing psychology is that people prefer things that feel easy to understand.
Think about why Canva is so popular. Its interface is intuitive, making it easy for almost anyone to create professional-looking designs without specialist knowledge.
Or why food delivery apps like Uber Eats let you reorder your favourite meal in just a few taps. Every unnecessary step removed makes it more likely you'll complete the order.
The same principle applies to communications.
If residents have to work too hard to understand what the message is about and what they need to do, many won't continue.
Clear communication doesn't just improve understanding. It increases confidence. And confident people are more likely to take action.
Putting the theory into practice
If reading this has got you thinking about your own communications, here are a few questions to work through when reviewing your content and campaigns:
- Are we overwhelming people with too many options or competing priorities?
- Is it immediately clear why this matters to the audience?
- Are we focusing on benefits and outcomes, rather than organisational processes?
- Could social proof help build trust or encourage participation?
- Is the next step obvious?
- Could we simplify our content or layout to reduce friction?
- Are we making it as easy as possible for people to engage?
Making decisions easier doesn't mean removing information.
It means presenting information in a way that helps people feel confident taking the next step.
What's next?
In the next blog, we'll move into the acquisition stage – the point where people decide whether to take action.
We'll explore:
- Why urgency influences behaviour
- How people respond to potential gains and losses
- What communications teams can do to reduce hesitation and encourage action
Because even when people are interested, they still need a reason to act.