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👋 Hey there, welcome back to POV: Ads + UGCs Unlocked!

Last week, we broke down the anatomy of a high-converting UGC video. If you haven’t seen it, you can check it out on your email. Last week newsletter might be ended up on the promotional tabs. This week, we’re diving one layer deeper — into the psychology that makes people click.

Here’s the truth: people don’t click because of your product. They click because of how your ad makes them feel. You can have the sharpest hook, the prettiest visuals, or the best deal, but if you’re not speaking to the human brain’s triggers… your ad will get ignored.

So today, we’re unlocking The Psychology of Clicks: Why Some Ads Convert and Some Don’t — with real examples you can steal for your next ad campaign 👇

Let’s dive into it🚀

🔓Unlocking Buyer Brains: The Secret Science of Clicks

1️⃣ Curiosity: The Brain Loves an Open Loop 🔄

Our brains hate unanswered questions. It’s called the “Zeigarnik Effect” — once you start a story, people crave the ending.

👉 That’s why “teaser” style hooks perform so well. You don’t give everything away upfront; you leave just enough mystery that clicking feels irresistible.

Fresh examples that trigger curiosity:

• “This tiny gadget saved me hours every single week…” (but doesn’t reveal how yet).

• A travel ad that shows the view from a hidden rooftop bar… without saying the location.

• “Most people do this wrong (I’ll show you the right way).”

💡 Pro tip: Pair your curiosity hook with a strong visual (like a blurred product reveal or an unexpected result) to double its pull.

2️⃣ Emotion: People Click With Their Feelings, Not Logic 💖

Humans are emotional buyers who justify with logic after. If your ad only lists features (“fast shipping,” “all-natural,” “50% off”), you’re missing the emotional hook.

Fresh emotional angles to use in ads:

• Relief: A busy mom showing how meal-prep containers finally ended her nightly stress.

• Belonging: A fitness app ad showing a creator saying, “I finally found a community that cheers me on.”

• Confidence: A clothing brand showing a customer’s glow-up story: “I actually look forward to dressing up again.”

💡 Pro tip: When writing ad copy, ask: what emotion do I want the viewer to feel right before they click?

3️⃣ Urgency + FOMO: Don’t Miss Out ⏳

Fear of missing out is one of the strongest motivators. People would rather act quickly than feel regret later. That’s why urgency-based CTAs are conversion gold.

Fresh urgency-driven lines:

• “Spots are closing fast — last 100 sign-ups get early access 🎟️.”

• “This candle keeps selling out… grab it before it disappears again.”

• “Limited-edition flavor. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”

✅ Other Example: A beauty brand’s ad where the creator casually says, “I almost missed this drop last time — not taking chances again.” Sounds natural, yet pushes urgency.

💡 Pro tip: Match your urgency level with your brand tone. A playful beauty ad might say “Run, don’t walk 💃,” while a finance ad might lean serious with “Spots are limited. Secure yours today.”

4️⃣ Social Proof: The Herd Instinct 🐑

We’re wired to follow what others are doing. When people see others raving about a product, they assume it’s worth their attention.

Fresh ways to weave in social proof:

• Creator unboxing a package and saying, “It finally came! I saw so many people posting about this.”

• Showing a live counter of how many people signed up today.

• Sharing duets or stitches of real users reacting to the product.

✅ Example:

🌟A travel UGC ad where the creator says, “I booked this hotel because literally everyone in my feed was staying here.” It makes the choice feel validated.

🌟A fitness UGC ad where the creator casually says, “I saw this everywhere, so I had to try it.” That line instantly builds credibility without feeling like an ad.

🔑 Key Takeaway

Clicks aren’t random — they’re driven by psychology.
👉 Nail the curiosity (open loop)
👉 Tap into emotion (pain → relief)
👉 Add urgency/FOMO (act now)
👉 Sprinkle in social proof (others are doing it too)

When you layer these triggers into your UGC ads, you stop sounding like a brand and start feeling like a friend — and that’s what makes people click.

⭐ Tools Spotlight: Kojo

Okay, Bestie moment 💡 — most AI tools just pump out more ads (like we need another 100 drafts 🙃). But what we actually need are better ads that work.

That’s why I’ve been loving Kojo. It looks at your paid social data, predicts which concepts will convert, and then sends the winning idea to a real creator who makes it feel authentic. The whole thing? Less than 20 seconds ⚡.

If you’re juggling multiple campaigns or working with a team, this tool makes life 10x easier. Check it out here 👉

Find your next winning ad creative in seconds with AI

Most AI tools promise you thousands of ads at the click of a button. But do you really need more ads—or just better ones?

Kojo helps you cut through the noise. We analyze your paid social data to uncover the ideas with the highest chance of success. Then, our AI predicts which concepts will perform best, so you don’t waste budget testing what won’t work.

Instead of drowning in endless variations, Kojo sends your best idea straight to a real human creator who makes it engaging, authentic, and ready to win on social. The entire process takes less than 20 seconds, giving you certainty before you spend and better performance without the waste.

Why gamble on guesswork or settle for AI spam when you can launch ads proven to work, made by people, and backed by data?

Book a Demo

🔮 Coming Up Next Week...

We’ll build on this topic with real ad breakdowns to show you how these psychology triggers show up in the wild. Stay tuned for:
“Ad Makeovers: Why This One Converts (and That One Doesn’t)” 👀

P.S. Want me to break down one of your ads in a future issue or if you have any further question about the topic? Just hit reply and send me the link — I might feature it!📧