Okay, be honest — have you ever seen an ad for something right after talking about it? Or clicked on a product just once, and then suddenly it’s following you everywhere? Yeah… not a coincidence.

Brands today are seriously smart. They’ve got all these digital marketing tricks going on in the background that most people don’t even realize. So let’s break down 5 sneaky (but honestly clever) things brands are doing online to grab your attention — without making it obvious.

Ever bought something online u wasn’t even planing to? Yep, brands are using smart (and sneaky 😅) marketing tricks that work without you even realising it. Here’s a few 👇👇

1️⃣ FOMO is real – “Only 2 left!” or “Ends in 1 hour!” makes you panic buy 😵💫 2️⃣ Those ads that follow you – You searched once… now it’s in every corner of the internet 😩 3️⃣ Fake-looking real reviews – Sometimes it’s not just random people loving a product, it’s planned af 4️⃣ Colors + fonts mess with your head – Red = urgent. Blue = trust. Yellow = happy. It’s psychology, fr 5️⃣ Micro-influencers over celebs – They feel relatable, but it’s still an ad 🙃

1. Re-targeting Ads That Literally Follow You

You look at one pair of shoes… and ‘bam’, those same shoes are on your Instagram, in your Facebook feed, and even on random blogs. That’s re-targeting — brands track what you click and show you ads for those exact products so you don’t forget them. It’s a bit creepy… but it works.

2. Fake Urgency (That Feels Real)

Ever seen stuff like “Only 2 left in stock” or “Offer ends in 5 minutes”? Most of the time, that’s just a trick. It’s called scarcity marketing — and it pushes you to act fast before you even think twice. You rush to buy it… and then realize later, it wasn’t that urgent.

3. Personalised Emails That Know What You Like

You check out a product and don’t buy it — and a day later you get an email like, “Still thinking about this?” Yeah, brands are watching your behavior and sending automated emails based on what you looked at. It feels like magic, but it’s just clever email automation.

4. Influencer Marketing That Doesn’t Look Like Ads

Not all influencer posts say “sponsored.” Some of them seem super casual — “Just got this amazing skincare, obsessed already!” But chances are, that post was part of a brand collab. These low-key promotions are designed to feel authentic, so you don’t even realize you’re being marketed to.

5. Chatbots That Feel Human (But Aren’t)

You land on a website and a chat pops up: “Hi there! Need help finding the right size?” You might think it’s a real person, but nope — it’s a chatbot. These bots are trained to talk like humans, guide you through the site, and even help you make a purchase — all while collecting data about what you like.

Conclusion:

So yeah, digital marketing can be kinda sneaky — but in a smart way. These little tricks are happening all the time while you scroll, click, and shop online. And honestly? When done right, they can actually make your experience better (even if you don’t notice them happening).

Keep an eye out — now you know what to look for.

Author: Harshit Chaturvedi