A recent study from the University of Georgia Terry College of Business sheds new light on how emotions, particularly happiness, significantly influence online shopping behavior. The research highlights that consumers’ moods play a crucial role in their interactions with digital advertisements and their overall shopping experience.
The study, which analyzed over 5 million archived searches and involved 6,800 participants, found a compelling connection between positive emotions and online shopping habits. Researchers discovered that individuals who were exposed to positive imagery, such as images of babies or sunshine, were more likely to use positive language in their search queries. This use of upbeat, emotional terms like “joyful” or “inspiring” resulted in a dramatic increase in their likelihood of clicking on advertisements.
Sarah Whitley, an assistant professor of marketing at UGA’s Terry College, emphasized the significance of these findings. “There’s a lot of research about how you feel when you’re in a store, but people often begin their shopping journey online,” Whitley noted. “We need to understand how emotions, particularly happiness, influence their behavior in the digital space.”
The study bridges a gap between traditional marketing research, which typically focuses on consumer emotions in physical stores, and the evolving dynamics of online shopping. It reveals that consumers’ positive emotional states do not necessarily relate to the products they are searching for but significantly impact their search behavior and engagement with online ads.
Professor Anindita Chakravarty, a co-author of the study, pointed out that the positive emotions experienced by consumers lead them to use more emotionally charged search terms. This phenomenon was observed across various product categories, from everyday items like water bottles to more niche products such as posters. “The positive feeling has nothing to do with the product itself; it’s purely a reflection of their current mood,” Chakravarty explained.
These insights have practical implications for digital marketers. By targeting consumers who are currently experiencing positive emotions, marketers can potentially enhance ad engagement and drive higher click-through rates. “Marketers should consider integrating positive emotion-based search terms in their strategies, rather than relying solely on deal-based approaches,” suggested Professor Whitley.
Furthermore, the study highlights how happiness not only affects search behavior but also drives impulse buying. Consumers in a positive mood are more likely to make spontaneous purchases, adding another layer to the impact of emotions on online shopping.
