Monday, 8 June 2009

We trust family and friends more than strangers

It may come as a surprise to some, but a recent study by Mintel revealed that online recommendations from "virtual" friends is the second most accepted form of advice for making a brand decision. As you would expect, family and friends ranked as number one.

If you are a digital marketer this is very encouraging. However, as they say, the devil is in the detail. A closer look at this study provides some interesting details.

According to this study of consumers making brand decisions:

34% look to friends and family
25% ask their spouse (not quite family I guess)
5% use online friends

So even though online recommendations is the second most accepted source for brand decisions it still only represents 5%! That is very low. If online recommendations in the form of social media, blogs, forums and other consumer feedback is largely ignored 95% of the time where does this put TV, print, radio and other forms of advertising? Well, I have a thought on that.

The path that most of us take in making a decision to buy is usually not a snap one. It is usually a process of research and talking it over. The more important (more money) the more time we put into making our decisions. That influence which nudges us one direction or another at the final moment is most often from family and friends. However, before that final decision was made such influences as social media, TV, print and radio all played a role in helping us to do two things:

  • Learn that we needed something
  • Learn what it was that we needed
To summarize: Traditional advertising will be here for a very long time. Social media is very real, and as always, we trust the people we know more than those we don't.

Much success,

Doug

14 comments:

  1. Interesting study, however i would've liked the researchers to be more specific in demographics.

    In my own environment i see a great difference between generations in this matter. For instance, i think most of my friends would give more meaning to 10 user reviews on the internet, than to one friends testimonial. Whereas my parents wouldn't even try to find user reviews on the internet.

    ReplyDelete
  2. While people may have different views still good things should always be appreciated. Yours is a nice blog. Liked it!!!. For More Information about market research you can check RNB Research

    ReplyDelete
  3. Interesting study, however i would've liked the researchers to be more specific in demographics.

    ___________________
    Andrew
    Apply now Nation wide cash

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Early scholars of family history applied Darwin's biological theory of evolution in their theory of evolution of family systems.[11] American anthropologist Lewis H. Morgan published Ancient Society in 1877 based on his theory of the three stages of human progress from Savagery through Barbarism to Civilization.[12] Morgan's book was the "inspiration for Friedrich Engels' book" The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State published in 1884.[13] Engels expanded Morgan's hypothesis that economical factors caused the transformation of primitive community into a class-divided society.[14] Engels' theory of resource control, and later that of Karl Marx, was used to explain the cause and effect of change in family structure and function. The popularity of this theory was largely unmatched until the 1980s, when other sociological theories, most notably structural functionalism, gained acceptance
    greetings
    buy cialis

    ReplyDelete
  6. very cools,its so much interesting. I liked it.Tech Mentro

    ReplyDelete
  7. I think your blog is one of the best blogs in the world. The content of this site is the most reliable.I liked it.Career Mint

    ReplyDelete
  8. Very nice Information and so much intresting.i love it.


    java training in noida

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for Sharing a Great Post.
    Kvch Delhi delivers 6 Weeks Android Summer Training Center In Delhi for M.Tech, B.Tech CSE, MCA, BCA, BBA, MBA and more.
    For More Information: G-18, 2nd Floor, Preet Vihar, Delhi-110092
    Email: delhi.trg1@kvch.in
    Contact: +919212260630, +919212577708

    ANDROID SIX WEEKS PROJECT BASED SUMMER TRAINING IN DELHI
    BEST 6 WEEKS ANDROID INTERNSHIP COMPANIES IN DELHI

    ReplyDelete
  10. THANKS FOR SHARING THIS POST.
    If you have some interested in python training in Noida then you could become an expert by KVCH 6 week’s summer training. The biggest advantage is of KVCH is that we have the high qualified trainer from 10+ years experienced. For more information visit our website and contact us at +91-9266-625-607.
    best python internship
    Best JAVA Summer Internship

    ReplyDelete
  11. I’ve bookmarked your site, and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.
    offshore safety course in chennai

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank you for sharing this! I truly appreciate stumbling upon such exceptional content filled with valuable insights. The ideas presented are not only excellent but also remarkably intriguing, which makes the entire post a delight to read. Please continue your fantastic work.
    visit: Web Development 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Full Stack

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks a lot to sharing this information with ourself. I think everyone should focus this social media management in asia in this we have learnt more about this content. Kindly drop your focus at this also to increase your knowledge moreSome reasons to learn full stack in 2023

    ReplyDelete
  14. "Gratitude flows as smoothly as data through Python! 🐍✨ The world of Data Science, powered by Python, opens doors to insights, solutions, and possibilities. It's where magic meets analytics, and I'm eternally thankful for this incredible journey. For more information in It field in Skill required in Skill required in Full stack Development

    ReplyDelete