A new survey has revealed that would-be customers begin searching for businesses in traditional ways but then turn to reviews in order to make their final decision.
A SOCi survey says that 83% use search engines to discover local businesses, while 73% make use of social media, and AI is the choice for 19%. Meanwhile, 91% of respondents said that they would use reviews in order to evaluate businesses, with 65% saying they would most likely pick businesses that have evidence of responding to reviews.
Gen Zs in particular are very interested in customer experience. This generation puts peer feedback, quality, and convenience above business reputation in the search for local businesses.
Influencing opinions
Company owners cannot control the way in which consumers look for businesses, but they can influence the customer experience while searching for information. CX company specialists such as signal.co.uk/ understand that good sourcing and transparency of information is vital for businesses. The actual content may vary, but whatever is offered must match what consumers are looking for from their discovery journeys.
Brands should seek to understand consumer search behaviour and customer preferences, and prioritise content that has been identified as important to customers. An understanding of factors such as changes in social media marketing is also important.
Searching for proof
Customers increasingly want proof of information discovered via AI or search engines. AI results can feel generic, impersonal and inauthentic, and this is why customers turn to reviews on customer experience before making decisions.
Businesses can benefit from promoting with trustworthy third parties, such as review sites, as well as making their own content. This helps give customers what they need and builds trust with consumers. Social posts also fuel engagement and help to foster relationships.
It is the job of businesses in the modern world to ensure that they are optimised for discovery and can then provide the additional resources required to fulfil consumer needs. This can be done by amplifying trusted third-party resources and social media posts and creating frequently-updated, relevant and high-quality content.
