In the fast-paced world of social media, it is crucial to understand how consumers behave and trends in their interactions with local businesses.
SOCi’s 2024 Consumer Behavior Index dives into how consumers interact with local businesses, both online and offline.
This report provides valuable insights that social media agencies can use to refine their strategies and strengthen customer relationships.
We list the key insights for you.
Helpful online profiles
Consumers strongly prefer complete and accurate social business profiles.
As many as 80% of consumers search for local businesses online at least once a week, and nearly 99% find local search tools convenient.
You can find SOCi’ s entire report here. This means businesses need to make sure their online profiles on platforms such as Google Maps and Facebook are up-to-date and informative.
A good online profile is often the first impression a customer gets of a business, so it is essential that that impression is positive and clear.
Search engine or social?
Although search engines such as Google continue to play a dominant role in local search, the findings show that younger generations such as Gen Z in particular increasingly prefer social media for local discovery.
In the 18 to 24 age group, Instagram is the most popular tool, followed by TikTok and only then Google.
This highlights the shift toward visually and socially oriented interactions for young consumers.
Companies must therefore be visible on both search and social media platforms to reach them effectively.
Consumers value recommendations from peers
The power of online reviews and recommendations remains undeniable.
The report shows that 87% of consumers regularly read online reviews before making decisions.
Moreover, most customers have high expectations of companies’ star ratings; the majority prefer companies with at least four out of five stars.
This underscores the importance for businesses to deliver positive customer experiences and proactively handle feedback and reviews.
Social media: Where customer relationships flourish … or fail
Social media is not only a platform for discovery, but also for interaction.
The right approach in social engagement can strengthen relationships with customers.
The more active and personalized companies respond to comments and questions on their social channels, the better.
Unfortunately, only 31% of consumers say companies respond quickly to their comments.
So there is a big opportunity for improvement here!
Connecting through digital communication
The report highlights that most offline purchases today begin online.
Whether the purchases are large or small, consumers expect all the information they need to be readily available online.
Companies should take advantage of all the tools and features available on popular platforms such as Google and Facebook to stand out from the competition.
AI is OK, but transparency is essential
AI is changing the way companies communicate with customers, but transparency about its use is crucial.
Consumers want to know when and how AI is being used to improve their experience.
Companies would do well to be open about AI use and ensure that human oversight remains in place for the most personalized and accurate guidance.
As a brand, it is important to use these insights to improve your social media strategy and build strong customer relationships.
Understanding consumer behavior based on actual data is the key to success.
By investing in your online presence and actively participating in the customer experience, you can differentiate your brand in a competitive marketplace.
Contact us for more information
At Glue, we know how to align strategies with the latest insights and trends.
Want to take your social media campaigns to the next level?
Contact us today and find out how we can help you grow and prosper in the digital world!💡
