Since the recession, there has been a change in how consumers view what is worth their money. We now prioritise ‘doing stuff’ more than ‘buying stuff.’ As the economy has shifted, so has how we demonstrate our status. Rather than posting pictures of what we have bought, we instead share pictures of our holiday. This is the experience economy. Now, I know what you are thinking: what does the shift to an experience economy have to do with how you manage your online presence? Not only are consumers craving experiences offline, but there is also a demand for rich, valuable experiences online. From this trend, there is now a growing emphasis on creating satisfying experiences for your consumers through different digital platforms. People now place higher significance on experiences with brands, both offline and online. Keep reading to learn how to make it happen!
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOUR ONLINE PLATFORMS?
Users want easy and convenient websites to enhance their experience. If a website is taking ages to load, users are very likely to get frustrated and give up. As technology has developed and made our lives easier we have gotten more impatient and our expectations have grown. By just ensuring your pages can load quickly and are easy to navigate, this already gives your website an advantage in building customer loyalty. By ensuring all your site interactions are positive for consumers, you also benefit from a reduced bounce rate.
HOW CAN YOU ENHANCE YOUR CUSTOMER JOURNEY?
From the first moment a user takes an interest in what your brand is offering, their experience begins. This is exactly why having a good SEO strategy is paramount. When users are searching for a phrase or keyword, you want your company to appear high in the SERPs to give more credibility to your site. Once a consumer has taken an interest in your brand, you want to be able to show that you understand them by providing relevant valuable content to them, without necessarily the objective of getting them to buy things. One brand who does this very well is Anthropologie. From recipes to general lifestyle articles, Anthropologie is there for their consumers’ micro moments. By being there for customers when they are looking for help, brands can build relationships based on trust. It is also important that users can easily navigate your site to satisfy their needs. Poorly designed websites will just result in higher bounce rates and discontented customers. For users to continue their journey, you have to ensure your website easily meets all their needs. Through having an in-depth customer journey analysis, it is easier to understand the different touchpoints consumers are having with your brand and how to maximise these opportunities.
THE MERGING OF ONLINE AND OFFLINE EXPERIENCES
You can no longer just have a store and expect this to be enough for customers. To be truly successful, brands need to be communicate with customers using an omni-channel approach. More and more brands are combining their offline and online experiences. Brands such as Sephora have adopted this approach by digitally encouraging consumers to visit their in-store showrooms. By providing consumers more opportunities to actively engage with their journey, Sephora is empowering them to make a more informed purchasing decision. Another way in which online and offline experiences have mixed is the new trend of researching businesses for their opening times and listings before you visit them. For example, say a user looks up your opening hours but finds out when they arrive at your business that you are closed. This will create a negative perception. Because of this, managing your local presence is critical.
WHAT NEXT?
Our online presence matters more now than ever. Every touchpoint you have with a customer will impact on their perception of you. If you want help in creating an effective digital marketing strategy or have any questions, contact DAC.
