How online behaviour forces companies to boost their online presence

Online has made people change their behaviour when it comes to discovering information about companies, individuals, products and services. As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult for companies to make their voice heard and get their message across to potential customers. In fact, we argue that due to online it has never been easier to reach and interact with people, nor has it ever been harder, and relying solely on traditional “outbound” marketing schemes just doesn’t cut it anymore.  Let us explain why.

First of all, it is now commonplace that consumers spend most of the pre-purchase phase gathering facts and comparing different purchase alternatives online. A recent survey by PWC found that as many as 80% of consumers across 7 countries (US, UK Switzerland, Netherlands, France, Germany and China) conducted online research before they bought electronics, computers, books, music and movies. And what we have learned to do effortlessly as consumers, we are increasingly starting to expect to also do in our professional roles as sellers and buyers in the B2B marketplace. 

Further, according to research firm Comscore, 1 in every 5 minutes spent online is spent in offsite communities (aka "social media") such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Wikipedia and Twitter. By being present in these offsite communities, companies not only gain the opportunity to interact and build relation with their customers and stakeholders in the online places they prefer to spend their time, it will also significantly enhance chances of showing up in search results when someone searches for a particular product or service. This is a winning combination as people increasingly rely on search engines such as Google, Baidu or Yandex and others to find information about companies, individuals, products and services. 

Moreover, another survey (by Capgemini), of 16 000 individuals in 16 countries, found that 56% of respondents said that they were likely to spend more money at a physical store if they had used online channels to do research prior to purchase.

As a result, it’s no longer enough to simply have a nice looking .com, or "onsite" presence. Every company needs a full online presence and be present everywhere where their customers are spending time online, including also being present in offsite communities.

Are you ready to boost your online presence? Get in touch with Zooma if you want to find out how we can help your company to boost its online presence.