Persuasion isn’t just about convincing someone to see things your way. It’s about creating a connection, fostering trust, and building a relationship that stands the test of time.

This can be challenging, but the key lies in understanding how people process information and make decisions—a concept beautifully encapsulated in the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM).

What is the Elaboration Likelihood Model?

Have you ever been scrolling through the internet and come across two ads for the same product that seem to speak to you in completely different ways?

Let’s say you’re looking for a new pair of sneakers.

One ad is all about the style—flashy colors, cutting-edge design, and an endorsement from your favorite celebrity.

The other is all about substance—it talks up the durable materials, foot support, and scientific proof that these sneakers can improve your running performance.

Both ads are trying to persuade you, but they’re using different strategies.

That’s where the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) comes in.

This theory in the field of psychology and human behavior (first developed in the 1980s by Richard Petty and John Cacioppo) explains that there are two distinct routes to persuasion: the Central route and the Peripheral route.

The route your audience takes depends on their level of involvement and ability to process information.

If they’re interested and capable, they’ll usually take the Central Route. If not, they’ll likely take the Peripheral Route.

Understanding this is critical to crafting persuasive messages.

The Central route: Convincing through solid arguments

When using the Central route, the strength of your arguments is critical.

Your audience is motivated and capable of processing information, so they’ll pay close attention to the details.

Here’s where you need to present clear, logical arguments backed by evidence. That includes:

• Scientific research
• Testimonials
• Hard data
• Stats
• Reports
• Case studies

Whatever it is, it should be strong enough to withstand scrutiny because your audience will be analyzing it closely.

For example, if you’re marketing a new health supplement, you would focus on the proven health benefits, share results from clinical trials, and cite expert endorsements.

This route requires a high-involvement audience willing to process this detailed information.

Think of it that way: the Central route is the equivalent of taking a direct highway to your destination.

It’s all about logic and the quality of arguments—like the ad that relies on durable materials and scientifically proven performance improvements.

We usually take this route when we’re deeply interested in the topic and ready to put in the mental effort to evaluate the information critically.

Fields where the Central route is prominent

• Financial Services: When people make decisions about their money, they are generally highly involved and willing to try to understand the details. A bank, for example, might use the Central route when advertising a savings account by providing information about interest rates, fees, and security features.
• Healthcare: Decisions about health are usually quite important, so people are more likely to be willing to think deeply about the information. For instance, a pharmaceutical company might use the Central route when promoting a new drug by providing detailed information about its effectiveness, side effects, and how it compares to other treatments.
• Education: When choosing a school or a course, people often want to make a well-informed decision. As a result, a university, let’s say, might use the Central route when advertising its programs by providing information about the curriculum, faculty qualifications, job placement rates, and alumni success stories.

The Peripheral route: Persuading with subtle cues

When your audience isn’t motivated to process information or cannot do so, they’ll take the Peripheral Route.

Here, your arguments’ strength matters less than how you present them.

This route uses subtle cues to persuade. That includes:

• The attractiveness/popularity of the speaker
• The quality of the visuals
• The emotions evoked by the message

Even factors like the length of your message or the number of arguments can influence your audience’s decision.

In industries like fashion or cosmetics, the peripheral route is often employed.

That’s because the focus here is to create an emotional connection through powerful visuals, celebrity endorsements, or aspirational storytelling.

The Peripheral Route is generally less direct, focusing more on secondary cues like celebrity endorsements or the product’s vibrant design.

We tend to take this route when we’re less invested or don’t want to (or can’t) put a lot of effort into processing the information.

Fields where the Peripheral route is prominent

• Fashion: In the fashion industry, purchases are often impulse-based and influenced by trends. For instance, a clothing brand might use the peripheral route by showing a famous celebrity wearing their clothes or by creating visually appealing ads with little text.
• Fast Food: Decisions about where to eat are often made quickly and without much thought. A fast-food restaurant, for example, might use the peripheral route by showing delicious-looking images of their food or by using a catchy jingle in their ads.
• Cosmetics: While some people are interested in the details of the products they use, many are influenced by factors like brand image, packaging, and endorsements. A cosmetics company might use the peripheral route by showing a famous model using their products or by emphasizing how the product makes you feel rather than its specific features.

4 factors that determine the best route

In marketing, as well as in other fields that involve persuasion, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to deciding which route is better.

The choice between using the Central route or the Peripheral route depends on several factors, such as:

1. Audience involvement: How much does the audience care about the topic? If they are highly interested or the decision is important to them, they are more likely to pay attention to detailed information and logical arguments, and therefore, the Central route may be more effective. On the other hand, if the audience is not very interested or involved, the Peripheral route may be more effective because they’re likely to be influenced by cues that don’t require much thought, such as a celebrity endorsement or a catchy jingle.
2. Audience ability: Does the audience have the ability (knowledge, time, cognitive resources) to process detailed and complex information? If so, the Central route might be more effective. However, if the audience lacks the ability or motivation to process the information, the Peripheral route might be a better choice.
3. Nature of the message: If the message is fact-based and aims to educate or inform, the Central route might be more effective. However, the Peripheral route could be more effective if the message is more emotional or subjective.
4. Longevity of the impact: Research suggests that attitudes or behaviors that are changed through the Central route are more likely to last longer and be more resistant to change than those changed through the Peripheral route.

In reality, many marketing campaigns use a mix of both routes to appeal to different segments of their audience. For example, a car ad might talk about the car’s specific features and superior performance (Central route) but also show images of attractive people having fun while driving the car (Peripheral route).

Mastering the Elaboration Likelihood Model: Tips and strategies for success

If your profession involves some sort of persuasion skills, the Elaboration Likelihood Model can be very helpful when you are unsure how to approach your audience.

But taking advantage of its power requires more than just understanding its principles.

Here are some key strategies that can help you use the Elaboration Likelihood Model effectively:

1. Understand your audience: The first step is to grasp your audience’s level of involvement and ability to process information. Is it highly interested and capable of scrutinizing details? Or is it casually browsing with minimal motivation to process complex information? Recognizing these traits will steer you toward the most effective route.
2. Craft your message thoughtfully: Once you’ve understood your audience, the next task is to design your message. If you’re employing the Central Route, make your arguments robust. Use compelling evidence, rational points, and validated data to persuade. However, if you opt for the Peripheral Route, focus on the subtleties—visual appeal, emotional triggers, celebrity endorsements, or other indirect cues.
3. Experiment and adapt: Persuasion is a dynamic process. It’s crucial to remember that not every strategy will work every time. So, always be ready to experiment with your strategies, gather feedback, and adapt as needed.
4. Balance both routes: While it’s crucial to understand when to use each route, it’s also worth noting that combining both routes can be particularly effective. Try incorporating elements of both the Central and Peripheral routes in your messages. This balanced approach caters to a broader range of audience members and can enhance overall persuasiveness.

Conclusion: Persuade your audience for life

The Elaboration Likelihood Model is a powerful way to persuade and create lifelong relationships with your audience.

Understanding how your audience processes information and makes decisions allows you to craft messages that resonate deeply with them.

This isn’t just the key to persuasion but also to building trust and fostering connections that last a lifetime.