By Jay Rathod
Integral Ad Science’s (IAS) latest survey titled “Festive buying goes digital in India”—How digital advertising and contextual relevance influence festive shopping, delves into the significance of digital advertising in the consumer purchasing process as well as how consumers view contextually relevant advertisements during purchasing time. According to the survey, 95 percent of Indian customers are more likely to remember a contextually appropriate ad compared to 91 percent of Indian consumers. It also says that 97 percent of Indian customers use online advertising to find products and deals. The survey found that 93 percent of Indian customers valued online advertising for discovering new items and deals. According to the survey, 54 percent of Indian consumers believe online commercials lessen seasonal shopping stress, and 50 percent are more open to online ads during the festive buying season.
Given that we are at the beginning of the digital era, customers are always connected and spending more time on digital media. As a result, data-driven marketing, sophisticated lead-generation strategies, social media marketing, and digital marketing are all getting a lot of attention. Consumers also read online reviews regularly, and a shocking number of individuals believe and rely on these reviews. Without a doubt, capitalising on the newest trends through digital and social media marketing may help firms stand out among their peers. Influencers, a new breed of marketing champions, are further pushing customer purchasing decisions by raising awareness and providing reviews about the items and services that consumers desire to acquire.
Capability to investigate and experiment:
When it comes to making purchasing judgments, modern consumers have become unusually good researchers. They are gaining greater insight and awareness as technology enables them to make more informed judgments online. As firms try to sell their products on the Internet, they are exposed to a large amount of content. This has helped consumers’ purchase processes, as they can now research and compare products online before deciding what to buy.
Because of the wealth of knowledge available on the Internet, they have even been able to experiment with other brands and findings. While they have enabled marketers to influence their purchasing decisions, they have also greatly empowered people. Digital marketing has assisted customers in making the most of the open interaction that firms are willing to have with them and in better understanding specific services and products.
Influencing impulse purchases:
Brands can use digital marketing to promote their items in the appropriate location and at the right moment when the consumer is most likely to make an impulsive or spontaneous buy. Brands utilise strategies such as online bargains, offers, and discounts to persuade customers to buy their products immediately. This is extremely unusual in an offline context and can be leveraged by marketers to entice buyers. Digital marketers leverage this widespread tendency to favourably influence consumer behaviour. Brands use digital advertising to showcase appealing deals, discounts, and offers that shoppers are eager to investigate. Brands frequently promote their highlighted deals on social media channels and third-party websites, which influences consumer behaviour.
Loyalty and digital marketing:
Thanks to the rise of digital marketing, customers have now been exposed to a wide range of items and information from a variety of brands. They desire high-quality goods that provide good value for money. Brands can now establish open communication lines with customers and give them a deeper understanding of their products and services. Discounts and excellent customer service can influence consumer purchases and increase customer loyalty.
Digital word-of-mouth:
Digital word-of-mouth, also known as influencer marketing, is a reliable means of recommendation. Consumers nowadays focus their purchasing decisions on what their role models approve of or what others propose. Other types of recommendations, such as customer reviews, influencer marketing, testimonials, and comments, can also aid firms in gaining consumer confidence. Customers are more likely to trust a brand that has positive digital word of mouth.
The process of customer decision-making has transformed beyond recognition in the age of digital marketing. User behaviour has been simplified, and the business model of today is considerably shorter than in the past. When a consumer determines they need a product, they can quickly go online, find exactly what they need almost instantly, and make a purchase decision. Online research takes minutes or hours rather than days of scouring stores and calling vendors. Consumers may read reviews and watch product demos straight away before making a purchase choice. This ease of access has had a significant impact on the traditional business model. It no longer follows a traditional and linear path. It has evolved into a shifting target with digital marketing at its core.
(The author is the founder of Koffeetech Communications)
Also Read: US consumers looking to trade down in their purchases: Report
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