For brands, it is becoming more challenging to retain customer loyalty with all the options that millennials have at their fingertips. It is not surprising that millennials approach most aspects of their lives differently; from the way they eat to the way they relate to media. Digital marketers, now more than ever, must recognize the differences between marketing to baby boomers and how they should market to millennials. It’s important to get this distinction because millennials are the largest working force in Canada since 2017.
Traditionally, it was assumed that consumers search for product reviews or new places to visit, only if they don’t know about these things already. The thought process was “Why would a regular or loyal customer have the need to search for a brand they are already aware of”.
Recent data demonstrates that it is extremely common for consumers to look up a brand even if they are loyal to it. Due to the Google effect called digital amnesia, it is common to forget information that can usually be found online on search platforms such as Google. This was discovered in the 2015 study of Most Americans Suffer from Digital Amnesia. In a nutshell, the study claims that due to the overwhelming volume of ads and media that we see every day, human brains have become lazy and it is harder for us to retain specifics. Therefore, instead of making an effort to retain information in our memories, we rely on search engines like Google or Bing to provide the information when required.
Making a Decision Based on Local Search
For example, if you are in a new city, you most likely won’t know of any good places to go to have a great meal. Now, all it takes is for you to grab your phone and Google “places to eat nearby”, and everything you need will be conveniently ranked based on the highest reviews and quality of service. Consumer can now find any product or service and they will feel confident with the choice that they make because online it says it is the best place to go. Not only that, but they can compare prices with other similar products and retailers. Due to this, it is not surprising that consumers are having a hard time remaining loyal just to one brand.
Loyalty in local search is being on the top of mind of consumers when there is the need to make a choice. Having a good local search optimization strategy is an excellent way to be successful among the variety of choices that consumers have at hand.
Here are some basic facts on the value of digital brand loyalty:
-According to Google, it costs up to 10 times more to acquire a new customer compared to retaining an old one.
-Existing customers are three to 12 times more likely to buy from a business than a new customer.
-A Koyne Marketing study shows that existing customers are 50% more likely to try new products and they spend 31% more than new customers.
How to improve your Google online reputation with SEO
Google Local Listings
According to Chatmeter, Google Local Listings is the foundation of your online reputation and responsible for over 50% of how Google ranks your business online with local search. The key is to ensure that all the information provided is kept up to date and accurate on the web. As an example, having your hours up-to-date is the base type of information that should always be updated and accurate, despite holiday or seasonal changes that may affect your business hours.
Positive Reviews
84% of people trust online reviews as much as they do for a personal recommendation, according to Chatmeter. For a business, having a wide variety of good reviews gives the business credibility and an advantage amongst its competitors. As long as these reviews are positive they will convince new costumers that your option is the best out there.
Encouraging customers to leave a review on your Google Business profile is an easy way to maintain brand reputation and awareness. It is also much easier to leave a review since most people nowadays own a Facebook or Google account. This way the business-consumer relationship grows in a stable way. However, responding and engaging with consumers and their reviews is equally important. Negative reviews need to be addressed as soon as they are posted online. Consumers listed that “having a negative review unaddressed while continuing to receive offers” as the top reason they would break up with a brand. Responding to negative reviews demonstrate to consumers that you are on top of your customer service and are proactive about fixing problems and customer satisfaction. Anyone can make a mistake. Few are prepared to resolve it. This is one of the biggest characteristics that separates one brand from another.
Rich Media content
High resolution images and videos on your social media channels can boost the engagement and interaction that consumers have with your brand. For example, on Facebook, consumers can Geotag your business and the experience that they encounter. When someone looks for you online they will be able to see these different types of experiences and depending on the content, they will be inclined to choose your business over the competition.
iRISEmedia | Digital Marketing Agency Toronto
iRISEmedia.com is a Toronto based digital marketing agency that is determined to help you rank high on Google’s Local listing by optimizing your website content and meta data. We specialize in Social Media Marketing and Search Engine Marketing. Contact us today to get started!
