Dogs chasing squirrels chasing nuts
What the heck is friction?
What the heck is friction?
"What's this?" he said, curiosity piqued.
He had been searching for weeks—maybe months—for rare Tibetan monk nuts, known to aficionados as Himalayan Danglers. He’d scoured grocery aisles, specialty shops, and online stores only to be fooled by cheap imitations.
His pulse quickened. Could these nuts be real?
He examined the photos and product details. The price was a steal.
Glancing up, he saw nothing but 5-star reviews—every single one.
This was it.
Hovering over the “Buy Now” button, he was drawn back to the perfect reviews and the low low price. Something felt off.
Not again.
The euphoria drained from his face. Closing his eyes, he slumped into a sigh and hit the back button.
The lesson here?
For marketers, situations like this will quickly and quietly derail your marketing efforts—and friction is often the hidden culprit.
Editor’s note: An attempt was made to remove this juvenile nut nonsense, but Jeff insisted, claiming it was a pointed exercise in friction. He is so pleased with himself. Please accept our apologies.
In marketing, friction is the invisible force that slows or stops someone from taking action—whether it’s a physical obstacle, a mental roadblock like distraction, doubt, confusion, or uncertainty—or noise from your mother-in-law while you're trying to shop online. Yes, Shirley, I do need another throw blanket.
Where was I? Ah, yes. Friction.
While some friction is unavoidable, much of it can be prevented.
On your website, friction shows up as frustrating navigation, slow load times, or confusing checkout processes.
1
Confusing menus or unclear site structure can frustrate users.
Fix: Use intuitive layouts, clear labels, and a search function that actually works. Ensure your most important content is easy to find, and avoid burying key actions behind multiple clicks.
2
No one likes to wait. Even a few seconds can cause visitors to leave.
Fix: Optimize images, minimize code bloat, and leverage caching to improve speed. Consider a content delivery network (CDN) to distribute your content faster across different regions.
Editor’s note: The reader is advised that Jeff has done absolutely nothing to optimize the images on this site. When questioned, he mumbled something about image clarity, retina displays, and modern download speeds. Hypocrite.
3
Asking for too much information too soon can turn people away.
Fix: Only request essential details upfront—save the rest for later. Break long forms into manageable steps and use autofill to reduce effort. Adding a brief note explaining why certain information is needed can also build trust.
4
People won't buy if they don't feel they fully understand.
Fix: Use clear descriptions, helpful visuals, and real customer reviews* to provide confidence. Highlight product benefits as well as features and include FAQs to address common concerns. Even small details—like dimensions, materials, or instructions—can prevent hesitation.
*As we saw in the nut example, if your offer feels too good to be true, people won’t trust it—and conversion will drop. Sure, lead with a few good reviews but be sure to include thoughtful reviews that aren't perfect. Data shows that a few reasonable imperfect reviews actually make sites convert better. More on the dangers of being too perfect below.
5
If your site doesn’t work on mobile, you’re missing out.
Fix: Prioritize mobile-first design with touch-friendly buttons and streamlined content. Test across devices and ensure your site loads quickly on mobile networks.
6
The more steps you add, the more carts you’ll lose.
Fix: Offer guest checkout, reduce form fields, and provide clear progress indicators. Include trusted payment options and show total costs upfront to avoid surprises. Any unexpected request for information can trigger doubt, so keep it brief or provide an explanation.
7
If people don’t feel safe, they won’t stick around.
Fix: Display security seals, real customer reviews, and clear contact information. If applicable, highlight any guarantees, refund policies, or certifications to provide peace of mind. Lack of reassurance—especially when personal or payment details are required—can create doubt even if there’s no real risk.
Remember Dug, the dog from the movie Up? No matter how focused he was, the moment a squirrel appeared—bam, total distraction.
Sound familiar? Your customers are just as susceptible.
Friction allows distractions to sneak in, creating a gap where thoughts and external stimuli can slip in and take over. Whether it’s a slow page load, a confusing message, or an extra step in your form, even a tiny bit of friction can let your audience’s mind wander.
Keep the path smooth, keep distractions minimal, and keep your customers focused. Don’t let the next digital squirrel take them away.
With marketing content, friction is often vague messaging, overwhelming information, or unclear next steps.
These elements pull focus away from your main message.
Multiple messages
When a single piece tries to achieve too many things (like promoting, storytelling, and sharing news at once), it confuses readers. Fix: Stick to one clear message per piece. If you have multiple points, split them into separate posts or messages.
Clutter
Too many images, competing design elements, or chaotic layouts make it hard for the audience to know where to focus. Fix: Use one primary visual that supports your message. Keep designs clean and consistent.
Ads
Unexpected pop-ups or auto-play videos interrupt the reader’s flow, especially in blogs. Fix: For the love of God, just don't do this.
These elements make engaging with your content feel like work.
Long-winded introductions
Dragging out the setup before getting to the point makes people lose interest. Fix: Hook your audience immediately. Get to it.
Too much information
Long, dense paragraphs (walls of text), overly detailed explanations, or trying to cover too many points at once make readers lose focus. Fix: Keep it concise. Break content into short paragraphs of varied lengths. Use bullet points and subheadings. Prioritize clarity.
Spam
Bombarding your audience with constant emails, social posts, or push notifications leads to fatigue. Fix: Space out communications and focus on quality over quantity. Make each message purposeful.
These elements make people think you're a schmuck.
Exaggerated claims
Bold statements without evidence sound like hype and hurt credibility. Fix: Back up claims with specifics – data, testimonials, or examples.
Inconsistent messaging
If your brand sounds different on social media than in emails or ads, it feels inauthentic. Fix: Develop a consistent brand voice and use it across all platforms.
Misleading visuals or clickbait headlines
If the content doesn’t match the promise, it breaks trust and makes readers wary of your future messages. Fix: Be transparent. Align your content with the expectations set by the headline and visuals.
Think of your customers as cute, determined bloodhounds—nose to the ground, tracking the irresistible scent of something they really want. They’re focused, they’re on a mission… until the scent suddenly disappears.
Imagine you’re searching, say, for a cozy throw blanket. You click on an ad promising “soft, stylish throw blankets,” but the landing page takes you to a general home decor page. That disconnect breaks the scent, causing friction and making you much less likely to purchase.
In marketing, broken scent is a common type of friction. If your messaging doesn’t stay consistent from ad to landing page, email subject line to content, or social post to offer, your customers will lose the trail and move on.
Keep the scent strong, clear, and consistent to guide them all the way to conversion.
A curious thing about human perception: the absence of any obvious friction is friction.
I know. I’m sorry.
Overly optimized emails that feel scripted, AI-generated voiceovers that sound flawless, and impeccably crafted social media graphics, with every detail fine-tuned to perfection, might look or sound stunning but often lack the authenticity that connects with real people.
Your audience will skip right over them.
Authenticity matters. People respond to communication that feels human, not staged. If your marketing feels too perfect, you might be pushing your audience away without realizing it.
So next time you’re putting together a marketing piece, make sure it has a few minor imperfections or subtle flaws to make it feel real. A conversational tone, a touch of humor, or a slightly off-center image can make your presentation more relatable. These “flaws” will ground your message in authenticity and make your audience feel more comfortable engaging with your brand.
I went a little nuts with the friction in this post to make a point. It was distracting, right? Bonus points for sticking with me.
Jeff’s Rule #3