Notice how much this sounds like the typical board / CEO making decisions about SEO spending

[zihadhasan012]

They work least well when presented with a decision that we make regularly for small stakes and understand well (and where the reward / cost comes close to the point of decision). It's hard to Nudge someone to choose a flavour of ice cream they like less over one they like more. Nudges work best in the opposite case - decisions we make rarely for large stakes without understanding them well and where the benefits are not felt for some time after the decision point - this is when we don't get good / immediate feedback about our decisions (or don't get a chance to practice) and so we fall back more on our 'gut feeling' - which is very "nudgeable".


As with so many things, Homer said it best (fro qatar mobile phone numbers database m p.140 of my copy of Nudge): Canyonero salesman: Okay, here's how your lease breaks down. This is your down payment, then here's your monthly, annnnnnnnnd, there's your weekly. Homer: And that's it, right? Canyonero salesman: Yup.... oh, then after your final monthly payment there's the routine CBP, or Crippling Balloon Payment Homer: But that's not for a while, right? Canyonero salesman: Right! Homer: Sweet! I hope you've found this interesting.


I was fascinated by the ways we all trade off non-economic things in our decision-making. I'd be interested in hearing others' examples in the comments below and also other applications of Nudges in SEO or CRO. (*) note that I don't think anyone is these days claiming the early economic arguments that everything is evaluated in financial cost / benefit trade-off terms. Rather the argument goes that people have their own definitions of 'utility' which can change depending on mood, current situation etc.