Digital marketing is the marketing of products or services using digital technology. By leveraging the power of the internet, digital marketing campaigns can target consumers with a much higher degree of precision and effectiveness. This has resulted in a more personalised and customised approach to marketing, which has, in turn, leads to higher engagement rates. Digital marketing has also allowed businesses to build stronger relationships with their customers as it allows businesses to connect with their customers more personally through social media and other digital channels.
What is consumer behaviour?
Consumer behaviour is the study or analysis of individuals or market segments and how they purchase, interact and use goods and services. Consumer behaviour in digital marketing studies how people use technology to purchase products and services, why they purchase certain products, how they use them and how they feel about them.
Examples of digital marketing include:
- Social media marketing
- Email campaigns
- Content marketing (e.g blogs)
- SEO (search engine optimisation)
- PPC ads
- Influencer marketing
How digital marketing affects consumer behaviour
If used effectively, digital marketing can influence consumer behaviour. Unlike traditional marketing methods, such as TV adverts and print advertising, digital marketing is able to connect with consumers on a more personal level, and therefore may be able to impact their behaviour and control their shopping habits more effectively. Some of the ways digital marketing may affect consumer behaviour includes…
Buying habits
Digital marketing can have a significant impact on what consumers purchase. For example, if a company is selling a product that is not well known, they may use digital marketing to raise awareness and convince potential customers to purchase it. Additionally, if a company utilises software that creates targeted ads, they can ensure consumers are shown adverts for products and services that are relevant to their previous shopping habits. For example, if a consumer abandons an item in their shopping cart, targeted ads can be used to advertise the abandoned product directly to the consumer, urging them to complete their purchase.
Frequency of purchases
Digital marketing can also affect how often consumers purchase items. For example, if a company is selling a product that is only available for a limited time. They may create a digital marketing campaign to create a sense of urgency and encourage people to buy it before it runs out such as by posting news about the limited item to a sponsored Instagram story. This gives a sense of urgency as Instagram stories expire after 24 hours. Additionally, if a company sells a popular and high-demand product, it may use digital marketing to encourage people to buy it before it sells, such as inviting them to pre-purchase the item via an email campaign.
Company perception
Digital marketing can also change how consumers view a brand. For example, a new company may release a video series that explains who the company is and what its goals and mission are. Additionally, if a company sells a new product, it may use digital marketing to generate buzz and excitement about the product, such as by sending it to popular influencers to feature on their channels.
Brand loyalty
Digital marketing can also determine how long consumers stay loyal to a brand. For example, a company may create digital loyalty cards and advertise these cards via their social media. They may also wish to create a digital blog series which will inspire their customers to return to their site on a daily, weekly or monthly basis to read the next instalment of the blog.
Conclusion
Digital marketing can have a significant impact on consumer behaviour. It can influence what consumers purchase, how often they purchase items, what they think about a product, how they view a brand, where they purchase items, how long they stay loyal to a brand and what they say about a product. Digital marketing is a powerful tool companies can use to shape consumer behaviour. When used effectively, it can significantly impact a company’s bottom line.
At Fifteen, we can help you utilise the power of digital marketing through our wide range of digital marketing services. Get in touch with us to discuss in more detail how we can help your business grow and build a stronger relationship with your customers.