Social Media Marketing Content and Its Influence on Consumer Buying Behavior

The use of Social Media is no longer limited to connecting people for conversations (or sharing pictures of lunch). These platforms are no stranger to change. They are evolving faster than the world around us, transforming into an accommodating tool for eCommerce businesses. As the use of mobile devices remains on the rise, the omnipresence of Social Media takes personal assessments to a fresh and unique level.

Innovative improvements and upgrades in online selling have altered the way consumers shop. We owe much of this change to the most highly sought after demographic on the scene: The Millennials. This generation agrees with skipping the time spent hopping from one store to the next in search of the product that is the best fit for you. To them, their social feed alone is an array of answers ranging from reviews to actual product listings.

With the amount of time the Millennials spend online, they would find great difficulty escaping a myriad of purchasing opportunities. According to the Deloitte Report, 47% of Millennials find their purchasing decisions influenced by Social Media. This easily helps rank Social Media as an aptly effective marketing tool.

Does Social Media marketing content influence consumer buying behavior? The simple answer-YES. However, to really understand how or why we should first brush up on the concept of Buying Behavior.

Buying Behavior

Consumer Buying Behavior studies how members of society choose and use various products and services. It is a concept that runs deeper than just demographics, rather it includes Personal, Psychological, and Social factors. This study considers how people research, shop, and select between brands which help to scrutinize how brands can tweak marketing campaigns to effectively influence purchasing. So basically- in layman terms – this means that the study will cover analyzing anything that influences a customer to make a purchase.

Now if you want to know how Social Media marketing is successfully influencing consumers, you may want to keep reading.

Factors Influencing Buying Behavior

Influencer Reviews:

Social Media has given us marketers the advantage of Social Media Influencers. These Influencers usually already have a large following and impact their decisions with detailed product reviews and visual demonstrations.

Family and Friend Reviews:

More often than not, people are likely to decide on buying something a family or friend has referred to due to the affiliations of trust. And just simply knowing that someone in their circle has already used the product favors their decision to purchase.

Brand’s Online Presence:

An effect of the hi-tech world we live in is the accessibility to digital devices. Users are constantly on-the-go and look for convenient solutions. The first thing a user does now is to check a brand’s online availability and its penetration on social media platforms. If you’re not online, chances are you will lose potential customers before you even had a chance.

advertising through Social Media:

Social Media has an incessant ability to get across to a wider audience which has caused the identification of two products, hyper-focused targeting and retargeting. This makes it easier for brands to maximize resources and plan marketing strategies that establish contact with their particular market.

Social Media Algorithms:

Even Social Media Platforms have implemented significant changes that facilitate buyers and shoppers. For instance, they shifted from displaying posts based on chronology to engagement. The more, likes, share, or comments and the more your content will remain in view.

Effects Of Social Media On Consumers

Enhanced Brand Recognition:

If you want to be seen. Post it. According to Big Commerce, digital store owners having an online presence claimed 32% higher sales as compared to those who didn’t have a presence.

When you or any random Social Media user is posting anything about your brand, it’s definitely going to bring you in the spotlight. New users will gradually become familiar with your products and their features and existing followers will increase purchase patterns based on popularity. The way your brand is presented requires great attention to detail in order to build lasting recognition amongst users.

Increase Brand Loyalty:

Fear will cost you your business. The only way to reduce the fear of taking a chance with your brand is to make sure that you radiate loyalty and trustworthiness as your brand image. Obviously, you will be doing everything at your end to create a perfect brand image, but the experience your customer shares of the overall shopping process is an irreplaceable factor that genuinely creates loyalty. The better the experience the more likely they will post a positive review. Customers enjoy associating themselves with certain brands, making it known that they are happy shoppers that aren’t going anywhere.

Boost Referrals:

By utilizing this modern-day version of Word-Of-Mouth Marketing, you can effortlessly encourage a boost in referrals. Past shopping summaries tell your user everything they need to know about your brand and many users use Social Media platforms to post them. A vast majority of users now use these platforms to voice recommendations for products and services to family and friends.

Raise Chance of Purchase:

Good reviews equal trust in your brand. In our technology-driven world, the hold pf power has shifted from seller to buyer. The consumers hold the key to your success. The best way to uphold faith in your brand is to create and maintain a healthy online presence.

Benefit You By Using Social Media

Businesses will have to keep up with the ever-changing advancements in technology. With every passing minute, our devices and software are being fine-tuned to assist these changes and make it simpler to cope with. Social Media has made a not-so-gradual transfer from a communication platform to an essential eCommerce tool.

With the right strategies, Social Media might just become your favorite influencing tool to help gain a considerable share in your market.