People prefer what's familiar to them
Description
Familiarity bias is the preference of the individuals to remain limited to what is familiar to them.
They wish to remain within their comfort zone and do not want to take the path never taken.
Humans have a tendency to believe more in the choice that they recognize and are aware of.
Many people only buy a specific brand of clothes, go to the same restaurants, take the same route on their way to work.
These are examples of familiarity bias in routine life.
Research:
The familiarity bias can be utilized well on social media. Buzzsumo looked at over 100 million articles and found that repeated sharing over different social media platforms increases reach and engagement by 686%. If the users weren’t interested initially but seeing the same article repeatedly reposted it might prompt them to read. Along with that, 82% of Google users’ first clicks are on a familiar brand.
Application
Retargeting Campaigns
By leveraging retargeting ads, marketers can repeatedly expose potential customers to their brand or product. This repeated exposure increases familiarity, making it more likely that the audience will choose the familiar brand over competitors when making a purchase decision. Essentially, the more often a consumer sees a brand, the more trustworthy and preferable it becomes.
Content Marketing Consistency
Consistently presenting brand messaging, visual elements, and values across various digital platforms (such as social media, blogs, and email newsletters) helps build a cohesive brand image. This consistency in content marketing helps increase brand recognition and familiarity. Over time, this familiarity leads to trust and loyalty, influencing consumers' purchase decisions favorably towards the brand.
