Nudging is about making a change in the choice situation that makes a person behave in a desired way, without prohibiting or removing any options. This can be effective for marketing purposes. But what are the opportunities and risks of nudging? We'll look at that in Part 2.
What is nudging?
Nudging is about making a change in the choice situation that makes a person behave in a desired way, without prohibiting or removing any alternatives. One theory behind the concept is that we humans usually know what is right to do. However, we do not always make rational decisions, and many of our decisions are based on routine and habit. We humans often have problems with self-control, succumbing to temptation, putting things off or doing what everyone else does.
Read more Part 1 if you want to learn more about what nudging is.
Who can be cuddled?
There is often a gap between willingness and action, in which case there is a good chance that nudging is the right tool. Nudging works best when you target people who want to change their behaviour. You can then help those people to behave the way they wish they did, not the way they do. The picture above shows the gap between will and action, and where the people who want to change a behaviour are. It is the people in the middle, those who want to choose the cycle sometimes, who are the ones to target with nudging to get the best effect. These people are more receptive to changes in their behaviour and therefore more receptive to your nudge.
You should avoid targeting nudges to people with very strong opinions, as they can be difficult to influence. But this does not mean that they cannot be reached. Nudging can theoretically be targeted at all individuals, some are easier to reach while others are more difficult to reach.
What opportunities are there with nudging?
Although human behaviour is complex and thus complicates and delays the implementation of successful nudging methods, a long-term approach to nudging can have a significant impact. Insights from psychology on which nudging is based can help marketers link complex processes and goals to individuals' daily decision-making.
For the customer, nudging provides two benefits:
- Guidance in difficult decision-making processes
- The ability to opt out of things that go against the customer's wishes
Advantage number one relates to the idea of the bounded rationality inherent in human decision-making. Although individuals want to make good decisions, cognitive limitations prevent them from making an informed choice. Nudging works best when there are immediate or short-term benefits for the customer.
What are the risks of nudging?
One risk with nudging is that there is a lack of evidence that nudging is cost-effective and that the methods will have long-term effects. This is because all individuals function differently. Some individuals are better equipped to make decisions and are therefore more difficult to reach through nudging. Another reason is that all individuals have the option to opt out of the choices offered through nudging. It can also sometimes be difficult to measure the effect of nudging as the effect can increase slowly over a long period of time.
There is also a risk that companies or organisations manipulate their customers but call it nudging. Manipulation belongs not more nudging together. Nudging gets never exclude options for individuals. However, as an outsider, it can be difficult to see the difference and it is therefore difficult to detect the companies that use manipulation. When using nudging, the sender should always be open about who it is for and what the desired effect is.
Now you know a bit more about the possibilities and risks of nudging. I Part 3 we will go through how you can use nudging in your communication. We'll also have a visit from a nudging expert, you won't want to miss that!
