Influencing the Buying Process Through Social Media

Extended process due to

information available on

the social web

The Process

Stage one

Consumer thought processes

I need a new widget, orI want a widget

Consumer actions Passive actions prior to requirement such as seeing adverts, reading editorial & blogs, following brands on social networks, absorbing brand information

Brand social media activity

• Brand exposure and awareness through creative and engaging relationship-building activity• Non-sales led approach• Channels include Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Flickr

Stage two

Consumer thought processes

I need a new widget, orI want a widget

Consumer actions Passive actions prior to requirement such as seeing adverts, reading editorial & blogs, following brands on social networks, absorbing brand information

Brand social media activity

•Brand exposure and awareness through creative and engaging relationship-building activity•Non-sales led approach•Channels include Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Flickr

Consumer thought processes

• What are my choices?• Do my friends/networks have any recommendations?• What are the specific advantages of each of my options?

Consumer actions Active research such as asking friends/networks, reading reviews, researching product/service issues, evaluating emotional measures

Brand social media activity

• Push product/service information to influence opinions• Driving positive feedback into the loop• Information (not sales)-led approach• Channels include blogs, review sites, forums, Twitter and Facebook

Stage three

Consumer thought processes

• Am I making the right choice?• Have I considered all the variables?• What do my friends/network feel about my choice?• What do my emotions say?

Consumer actions Seeking validation and investigating credibility

Brand social media activity

• Harness the extended consideration phase and the power of recommendations and advocates using positive feedback across all channels

Stage four

Consumer thought processes

• Does the product/service live up to my expectations?• What is the customer service like?

Consumer actions Cognitive dissonance and evaluating the emotional and tangible elements through further validation

Brand social media activity

• Offer effective and efficient customer support and service• Twitter is the ideal channel, to a lesser extent Facebook

Stage five

Consumer thought processes

• Would I recommend it to others?• What would I improve?• Shall I tell others about it?

Consumer actions Leave information on review sites and post updates across social networks

Brand social media activity

• Monitor brand/product mentions• Thank, re-post/re-use positive mentions• Address negative mentions (where appropriate)

Drive brand awareness via non-sales led creative

initiatives that build affinity

Feed positive product/service information into the social web to inform

consumers during

research

Utilise brand advocates to

influence opinions and

make recommendatio

ns

Provide effective and efficient customer

support and service

Monitor brand/product mentions,

utilise positive

mentions and address negative mentions

Summary