How do consumer emotions impact search engine use and paid search ad clickthrough rates? A new study explores

Three researchers from University of Georgia published a new Journal of Marketing study that examines how experiencing positive emotion when searching online for a product can impact what consumers search for in their search queries.

The study, forthcoming in the Journal of Marketing, is titled “Positive Emotions During Search Engine Use: How You Feel Impacts What You Search For and Click On” and is authored by Sarah C. Whitley, Anindita Chakravarty, and Pengyuan Wang.

Last year, advertisers spent approximately $110 billion in the U.S. on paid search ads. But despite increases in digital ad spend, marketers are questioning the effectiveness of digital advertising, and advertisers do not have a full understanding of why consumers click (or don’t click) on ads.

Prior research has proposed that advertisers use deal-related words, brand names, retailer names, product category names, and location information for this purpose. When consumers’ search queries include these keywords, advertisers can then provide more relevant ads as a way to increase clicks.

This new Journal of Marketing study provides insights about how consumer emotions can impact search engine use and paid search ad click-through rates. As advertisers grapple with the challenges of reaching their target audience effectively, this research sheds light on a powerful, yet often overlooked, aspect of digital advertising.

Impact of Positive Emotion on Search Behavior

The study examines the impact of positive emotion unrelated to the search task on consumer search engine behavior. “Specifically, we look at how experiencing positive emotion when searching online for a product can impact what consumers search for in their search queries,” says Whitley. “This effect of emotion subsequently spills over to how consumers respond to paid search ads that appear in search results.”

Using a search engine involves a sequence of decisions. The research team focuses on how positive incidental emotion influences two steps of engaging in online search via a search engine: (1) keyword selection (i.e., the words a consumer chooses to describe a product and subsequently types into the search engine) and (2) ad clicks.

Chakravarty says that “experiencing positive emotion at the outset of an online product search primes emotionally congruent thoughts. This priming makes consumers more likely to use positive emotion keywords than neutral keywords to describe the product they are searching for. Thereafter, upon encountering sponsored content such as paid search ads in search results, consumers are unlikely to use their lay beliefs about advertisers’ ulterior motives to manipulate them.” As a result, consumers are more likely to click on paid search ads if they used a positive emotion keyword rather than a neutral keyword in their query.

Lessons for Chief Marketing Officers

These findings are important for marketers and advertisers in a number of ways:

• The study provides advertisers with insights into the psychological aspects behind consumer online search engine behavior. Emotions can impact how people think about products and how they search for them.

• Search queries containing positive emotion keywords are associated with higher clicks on paid search ads. This suggests that digital advertising managers should consider incorporating positive emotion keywords in their paid search ad targeting strategies.

• Anecdotal evidence suggests that advertisers are not currently targeting positive emotion keywords in their digital advertising strategies. Targeting these types of keywords would not only represent a novel strategy for marketing managers but it may also improve costs per click, as bid prices for these types of keywords are low yet consumer ad clicks in response to these keywords is higher.

• When targeting positive emotion keywords, advertisers could be even more strategic by focusing their targeting strategies during time periods where consumers are more likely to be experiencing positive emotion. For instance, during weekends and holidays there is an uptick in the number of consumer search queries that contain positive emotion keywords. This suggests that advertisers may want to consider a day or holiday-based scheme for bidding on positive emotion keywords.

• Positive emotion keywords are employed in search queries more often for products considered more hedonic in nature (e.g., clothes, entertainment, dining). Marketing managers for these types of products may have more success targeting positive emotion keywords in their digital advertising strategies.

“In a competitive digital landscape where every impression counts, understanding the psychology behind consumer behavior is key to success,” Wang says. “Our research challenges traditional approaches to search advertising, urging advertisers to rethink their strategies and embrace the power of emotions.” By incorporating positive emotion keywords into their paid search ad targeting strategies, advertisers can unlock new opportunities for engagement and drive meaningful connections with their target audience.

Full article and author contact information available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429241263012

About the Journal of Marketing 

The Journal of Marketing develops and disseminates knowledge about real-world marketing questions useful to scholars, educators, managers, policy makers, consumers, and other societal stakeholders around the world. Published by the American Marketing Association since its founding in 1936, JM has played a significant role in shaping the content and boundaries of the marketing discipline. Shrihari (Hari) Sridhar (Joe Foster ’56 Chair in Business Leadership, Professor of Marketing at Mays Business School, Texas A&M University) serves as the current Editor in Chief.
https://www.ama.org/jm

About the American Marketing Association (AMA)

As the leading global professional marketing association, the AMA is the essential community for marketers. From students and practitioners to executives and academics, we aim to elevate the profession, deepen knowledge, and make a lasting impact. The AMA is home to five premiere scholarly journals including: Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, Journal of International Marketing, and Journal of Interactive Marketing. Our industry-leading training events and conferences define future forward practices, while our professional development and PCM® professional certification advance knowledge. With 70 chapters and a presence on 350 college campuses across North America, the AMA fosters a vibrant community of marketers. The association’s philanthropic arm, the AMA’s Foundation, is inspiring a more diverse industry and ensuring marketing research impacts public good. 

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