Analyzing Online Advertising Language: A Study of Click-Through Rate and Emotional Appeals

Advertisements on Instagram aim to persuade consumers to buy products by using both visuals and text. In this study, researchers analyzed the text in health product and cosmetic ads to understand which types of language appeals are most effective. They used a linguistic analysis tool called LIWC (Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count) to count the number of words related to consumer psychology in each ad.
The results showed that negative appeals, such as words that create a sense of urgency or crisis, were more effective in getting clicks than positive appeals. For example, instead of saying "Buy our product for good health," an ad might say "Don’t miss out on this limited-time offer – buy now!"
The study also found differences between the types of language used in health products and cosmetics ads. Health products tend to use more words related to "cause" and "method," while cosmetics ads use more words related to "relativity" and temporal deadlines, such as "limited time offer."
Overall, this study shows that advertisers can optimize their text in ads by using language that triggers consumer psychology and creates a sense of urgency. By understanding the types of language that are most effective, advertisers can better target their audience and increase sales.