In the vast world of digital marketing, with how fast the internet is literally. Every single individual is online today, the interconnectivity of consumers has increased and this has changed their engagement with brands. Brands need to realize the changing impact of consumer’s behavior upon digital marketing and need to adapt, accordingly. As consumers have the capability to distress as well as boost up the current competition
Consumers have clutched the concept of digital marketing as it influenced their behavior. Decision making process with more influential impact on problem recognition, purchase decision and post purchase behavior. Digital era will continue to change social trends. Organizations must be aware of how consumers’ attitudes, values and beliefs impact digital marketing campaigns. Also and remain competitive in the business environment. This article aims to explore this concept from the perspective of organizations.
Consumers and their benchmarks
Consumers set their own benchmarks. With the rise of the digital marketing era, consumer’s behavior has changed in such a way that they will going to makes comparisons and will opt for the best in all scenarios. They are comparing not only the product but a list of brand elements such as service, quality, and overall customer satisfaction. Brands should focus on how they can be better than the best brands. The benchmark is set for other brands if one offers outstanding services. Consumers are no more loyal these days; every brand has to be on their toes to provide them with the best. This experimental behavior of consumers introduced success for many start-ups including UBER, OLX, Ola.
The customers will look almost everywhere possible for an authentic buyer reaction before buying. Word of Mouth is one of the biggest factors that can influence customers’ decision-making process. Customers depend upon reviews and opinions, whether it’s online or given by a friend of family. YouTube videos and Discussion forums like Facebook Questions, Twitter, and Instagram to Amazon, provide customers with better feedback and reviews for different products. Communication between customers on social media platforms has the ability to build and destroy a brand. Brands need to take proactive responses to reviews and make it possible to create a positive brand impression.
Loyalty of Brands
Modern consumers expect a more consistent and personalized experience. Brands need to understand that they have to provide high standards for customer service in order to suit modern tastes and attract a modern clientele. Customers want value for their money, they won’t accept poor standards. From ordering a product and looking at the quality, to the post purchase experience for customers has been equally important. They are free to switch their brands once they experience something bad and this affects the brand’s potential customers as well. Brands no longer decide what information is handed to consumers regarding product knowledge
Reduced tolerance
Brands need to accept the fact that customers are less tolerant than they used to be, and they need to act accordingly in order to retain their customer base. Customer’s need quick response to their queries. They will never tolerate if something is not delivered to them that was shown online. It will going to take few minutes for them to go online and destroy brands’ reputations. Negative comments influence more than positive comments. Every brand should follow Online Reputation Management (ORM) Strategy, where you make interactions with consumers to convert their negative image to the positive.
Promotion
Consumers no longer trust traditional information channels as they once did. And so consumer opinion and relationships are formed on other, digital based, channels. Thanks to digital marketing for creating awareness. Now, most of the brands connect to their customer base through influencers, social shares, and viral trends. Allowing for a more organic marketing experience. Customers are now welcoming new products with fresh and good quality features with applause. It’s vital that brands embrace conversations with consumers, in order to continue successful conversation and promotion with their customer base.
Advancement in digital technology has changed the course of certain dimensions of a provider-consumer relationship. Since smart phones have been increasing day by day. It is an added advantage to both marketers, designers as well as to consumers in fulfilling their needs and requirements. People are now more comfortable going window shopping on their mobile phones. Integration of IoT, Big Data and Cloud Technology, will be able to produce more personalized services for customers.
This is a world of augmented reality, now IKEA provides you option to try before you buy. These technologies have a positive outcome on customer’s behavior towards buying. A study shows that how exactly the use of augmented reality has favorably changed the customer’s shopping behavior. In this advanced world of digital technology, one thing still remains common among customer’s behavior. I.e. they still rely on Search engines to help them make their decision, or to answer their quires.
Decision making process
- The first step is problem recognition. This is where the consumer purchase process begins. Marketers in organizations attempt to motivate problem recognition by initiating the decision making process through advertising. This is done to trigger the consumer to buy or to at least look at the product specifications. A good ad will increase sales and brand awareness. Understanding the ways in which advertising affects consumer behavior will allow you to create stronger, more memorable ads. An ad is a great way for consumers to find out about the products or services they do need.
- The second step is information search, whereby the consumer searches for information to attend to the problem recognized. A few brands are strong contenders for the final choice to be made. Organizations identify the consumer choices to search for information in the digital space and prepare marketing initiatives that will reach out to the
- The third step in the process is the evaluation of options, whereby the consumer evaluates product brand alternatives to satisfy their needs and attain. Organizations should design their digital marketing initiatives to attract and retain consumers based on their values and beliefs.
- The fourth step is the purchase decision, when the consumer derives a preference among the brands considered and intends to buy the preferred brand. This is influenced by many risk factors. Organizations provide information through digital marketing to reduce the perceived risk consumers face so that the purchase can take
- The final step in the process is post purchase behavior. Which is the level of dissatisfaction or satisfaction the consumer derived from the experience post the purchase of the Satisfied consumers promote the product and are likely to purchase further products, whilst dissatisfied consumers will return and complain about the product. Organizations can use information derived from post purchase behavior, To understand consumers and build a relationship to entrench them and avoid consumer brand switching.
Also read What are the types of digital marketing?
Conclusion
Due to the shift in technology and consumer behavior. Brands that know how to make the most of their inbound marketing efforts, create useful content, and attract backlinks will get the rankings they need to race ahead of the competition. They need to develop marketing strategies that reach out to consumers at the moments that most influence their decision.
