New research from the 2010 Cone Consumer New Media Study reveals that consumer on average only show affinity defined as Facebook liking, following and RSS subscribing with 4.6 companies online. They are more willing than before (86% vs. 78% in 2009) to engage online with companies. The following reveals what is need for companies to encourage consumer engagement.
Online Engagement Factors
Company tactic/% of respondents that engage
- Incentives (products, services, coupons, discounts): 77%
- Solve problems (service, information): 46%
- Solicit feedback: 39%
- Entertain (access to premium content): 28%
- New ways to interact (games, apps, contests): 26%
- Market directly (targeted ads): 21%
Locations Where Consumers Seek Free Products, Coupons & Discounts
- Social networks: 48%
- Mobile devices: 20%
- Message boards: 20%
- Blogs: 13%
- Photo, audio, web-sharing: 11%
- Online games: 12%
- Microblogs: 4%
Factors Driving Consumer Disengagement
- Over-communication: 58%
- Irrelevant content: 53%
- Under-communication: 36%
- Censoring user-generated content: 28%
Benefits of Consumer Engagement
- Brand awareness: 63%
- More likely to share information: 62%
- Stronger connection: 61%
- Better served: 60%
- More likely to purchase: 59%
- More likely to follow company: 59%
Preferred Engagement Channels
- Web sites: 63%
- Email: 62%
- Social networks: 38%
- Mobile devices: 16%
- Online games: 15%
- Blogs: 13%
- Photo, audio, web-sharing: 11%
- Microblogs: 3%