How Digital Marketing has changed Consumer Behavior

To stay relevant and competitive in this fast changing digital era, it is necessary for an organization to understand the impact digital marketing has on consumer behavior.

Changing consumer behavior is very difficult to keep track of and always presents certain challenges to the brands, such as a sudden change in expectations, increase in negative publicity. But along with these challenges come opportunities, like the chance to engage and interact directly with customers who are looking at the overall brand value of the product as opposed to just the price tag. If a company can successfully understand the changing consumer behavior and change its customer service accordingly, not only can it gain the top postilion but also insulate itself from the new entrants in the market. 

The Digital revolution and marketing practices have caused several changes in the consumer behavior, some of the most prominent changes have been listed below (not an exhaustive list). 

Setting Standards

The consumers no longer set standards in the way it was done a few years back, with digital breaking all boundaries, consumers now set standards by comparing the level/quality of services they get. They directly compare how well a brand is providing a service, making it the gold standard and pitting other brands against it, these brands could be from different industries, yet they will be compared in terms of how they could do better or as good as the gold standard. 

Brands should no longer be focusing on their direct competitors, but instead focusing on how they can be better than the gold standard set by their consumers’ expectations.

Always Set a High Standard

Customer Tolerance

With hundreds of brands at their disposal, it satisfying a customer has become very difficult. Customers now have access to digital media which they will use almost instantaneously to let to world know of the unsatisfactory service or product that they got form the company. Today customers place a lot of importance on ease of service. Brands need to accept and be prepared to deal with unruly customers taking to social media over how even a small issue they faced is a major problem for the customer and that the brand shouldn't have let it occur in the first place.

Customers will get angry easily

Customer-to-customer dialogue

Word of mouth was and will remain a major influence on the minds of the customers, with social media platforms making communication even more easier, customer opinions and experiences can make or destroy a brand.

  

Loyalty is a thing of the past

Gone are the days where customers would stick to a company irrespective of how good or bad the product or service would become, if today a brand drops it quality of service/product, the customers will immediately jump to the next best option available in the market. Customer will not accept cheaper low quality good just in the same way that they will not accept an overpriced product. 
Eg: Oneplus 3 - Overshadowing all flagship phones from 2016.

Information

Consumers no longer trust the tradition media that the companies use due to the increasing mistrust growing in their minds. Brands often try to show their products as the absolute best, having no flaws. Consumers now know better than to trust those sources of information, they will cross check any information they find too good to be true. Brands no longer decide what information is handed to consumers regarding product knowledge, any information that a customer wants is now just a few clicks away.

Information access to all

Multi-Channel Communications

Brands no longer have control on which channel of communication works best for them, the customers will use the channel which works the best from them, and this channel can change from customer to customer based on this network with friends and family. The brand has to take the initiative to be present across these channels to communicate with the customers.
For a better idea on Multi Channel Communication, have a quick look at this informative video.

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Digital Marketing

Consumer Behavior

Read more about: Digital Marketing, Consumer Behavior.

Source for research: paconsulting.com and mediavisioninteractive.com

Mihir Shah

About the Author: 

Mihir Shah, Student at FLAME University.

A tech enthusiast who enjoys gaming, a photographer by hobby and a foodie at heart.

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