Hello fellow nerds,
I think I’ll always be in awe of how the most insignificant (at first glance) things can subconsciously influence us.
Which brings us to this week’s insight: researchers wanted to see if the visual “distance” of images in ads (how zoomed out vs. how close-up) affects conversions.
How the study worked:
The study looked at 116 different images and 249 ad variations from a real ad campaign by a Chinese game company launching a new game on Weibo(a social media site)
(Liu & Yu, 2022)
Researchers tracked each ad’s clicks and downloads, analyzing how image style (close-up vs. distant) related to user behavior
🧪What they found:
Distant images get more clicks at top funnel:
These wide shots are better for grabbing people’s attention and getting them to click in the early awareness stage.Close-up images drive more conversions at bottom of the funnel:
Close-up, focused images are more effective at actually getting people to download or buy in the later decision stage.
Why?
The researchers hypothesize that this works because ads are more effective when they match the consumer’s psychological state (Liu & Yu, 2022)
At the early stage of the funnel, you’re far from buying and you process information in a “big picture“, abstract way. Wide images match this way of thinking, making the ad “feel right“.
When at the bottom of the funnel, you’re closer to buying, so “closer“ images “feel right”.
I also suspect there are other reasons too:
Wide shots give us context
A wide image shows where and how the product might be used, who it’s for, and the situation around it. If it’s our first time seeing the product, this helps us quickly judge if the ad is interesting or relevant.
Close-ups give us reassurance
In bottom funnel stages, we want reassurance we’re making the right decision. So I think close ups feel good because seeing details, imagining ourselves using it, can make us feel like we did our due diligence, so it helps us rationalize spending money.
Caveat
The study was done on one platform, so we still need to test to see if it holds up on other platforms.
💡Takeaway
If your ad is top of funnel, try distant images.
If your ad is bottom of funnel, try close-up images.
Till next time,
Ksenia (the chief nerd)
P.S. Thanks for being amazing. It means a lot that marketers like you are actually reading my newsletter.
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P.P.S. BTW you can reply to this email with your most burning ad psychology question. I’ll do the research and publish it in a future edition(if an answer exists)!