Understanding both the needs and behaviours of consumers in the digital world is crucial if brands are to stay one step ahead of their competitors. So, together with Future Laboratory and IPG Media Brands, we’ve sought to deeper understand the digital habits, perceptions, wants and needs of both the consumers of today and those of tomorrow.
Based on a survey of over 8,000 people and interviews with members of the public, we’ve uncovered a series of eight distinct digital trends that will help us to understand customer insight and behavioural changes on a greater level.
These trends allude to some of the dominant consumer behaviours that we believe the industry needs to take note of, and today I want to share with you the first four:
Age of Serendipity
With 48 per cent of UK consumers more likely to buy from brands if a surprising experience is delivered, it’s clear that serendipity is still a pleasant coincidence and that, in fact, not everything should be entirely predictable. Consumers are expecting to experience online connections, encounters with fresh content, and recommendations that excite because they are acutely relevant. The result is an emotional response that enriches advocacy and resonance between consumer and brand. Marketers should not become scheduled and robotic with ad buys, otherwise they will lose the opportunity to have the extremely important serendipitous connections with consumers.
IntelligentlyON
In a constantly connected world, people are seeking smarter ways to reduce the chaotic clutter when online. Consumers want technology that disappears when they need it to, but doesn’t disconnect. 42 per cent of UK consumers expect brands to know the right moment to talk to them and patience is reducing. 46 per cent are interested in future technology that is able to predict when users want or need to be connected, and when they want to switch on and off.
Ultimately, technology products and services will have moments of maximum relevance, and smart brands will know when to disappear when they’re not required, so that consumers aren’t blinded by ambush advertising. Context is key to successful advertising.
Value Me
UK consumers understand the true value of their data as a commodity, with a third of online (35 per cent) and over a quarter of offline (27 per cent), showing more interest in services that allow them to exchange their data for something of value to them.
This developed understanding will produce one of the most interesting developments in data, as we witness a value exchange between brand and consumer never seen before. Over a third (34 per cent) of UK consumers online say that they would be willing to sell all of their digital data to the right brand at the right price.
With consumers more in control of their digital world, the balance of power between customers and brands has shifted. People are increasingly able to opt in or opt out of advertising, meaning that businesses need to engage on the customer’s terms, creating digital content that is targeted, relevant and capable of flowing across multiple devices.
Enhancing the Real
Despite commerce becoming increasingly reliant on digital to extend customer reach and increase sales, the physical is as important as ever before. The Digital Trends research revealed that almost half (49 per cent) of UK shoppers are more likely to buy from a brand that allows them to touch and feel or experience the products – whether in a store or online.
Customer expectations are growing all the time – and brands and publishers must ensure that they have the technological expertise to match these demands, and work in collaboration with media owners to engage audiences in new ways.
The trend also shows the consumers’ increasing desire for technology that takes them beyond the flat surface of a touchscreen or a two-dimensional TV. 37 per cent of those studied were more interested in multi-sensory experiences that immerse them in a combination of high-definition graphics, sound, scent and touch technologies. The evolution of such technology means that we can now smell, taste and touch what we could previously only hear and see.
The insights from the research indicate a new level of technology confidence amongst consumers, who are more so than ever before understanding the full capabilities of how technology can be used to better their lives. Customer expectations are growing all the time – and brands and publishers must ensure that they have the technological expertise to match these demands, and work in collaboration with media owners to engage audiences in new ways.
Our Digital Trends report, which you can read in more detail here, emphasises our passion to create unique experiences for both brands and consumers alike, and frequent collaboration with the two allow us to help businesses make better informed decisions. For Microsoft to continue being truly innovative in digital advertising experiences, we need to learn and evolve in way that is driven by consumer behaviour.
Consumers are increasingly pushing the boundaries of the “here and now” in search of a more fulfilling digital experience, and businesses must fully understand the opportunities available if they are to capitalise on them effectively.
