At the age of 21 this year, no one can challenge Google’s dominance in the search world. After all, it has a large share of 81.5 percent worldwide. However, new players are starting to regain their place in Europe and North America – especially when it comes to users looking for products – and they fall into different regions. The Social Media Is Fast Becoming Your Customers’ Product Research Tool, So Look Beyond Google.
As social platforms become less of chatting and entertainment, the online behavior of the consumer is also changing. Content, focusing on social networks, creates a prime place to research. And buy new products, a behavioral trend that responsive brands can now see as a great opportunity.
Product Search runs on social
Historically, consumers have always turned to search engines to interact with products of interest. As a result, search engine optimization (SEO) . And pay-per-click (PPC) advertising were critical to allow brands to distribute their products to users. The Social Media Is Fast Becoming Your Customers’ Product Research Tool, So Look Beyond Google.
However, users now turn to social networks to search for products. Recent studies by GlobalWebIndex and Facebook have found. That more than a quarter of global users between the ages of 16 and 64 have switched to social networks while searching for products online. 81 percent of respondents identified that Instagram, originally established as a photo-sharing platform, is now looking for a consumer.
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This trend becomes more pronounced when focusing on younger consumers. As reported by GlobalWebIndex on social media. Social media has already outpaced the search engine. As the leading channel for product research among 16 to 24 year olds.
This is the trend that should continue in our minds. As ideas indicate that Gen Z will become 40 percent of all consumers by next year.
Prioritize the Gen Z market
The growing influence of Gen Z is evident. Geographically young and rapidly growing emerging markets such as Latin America, Middle East and Africa are already fully engaged in social research.
57 percent of Latin American users are more likely to begin their product research on social media. And 64 percent of users in Central and East Africa will do the same. There is a definite indication that the trend has been set globally.
Therefore, for brands operating in the European and North American markets. 2020 is a tremendous opportunity – if companies are ready to change their strategy. General likes photos, so companies need to adapt their digital marketing strategies to prioritize photo-based content. In addition to investing in their social media management, while ensuring that they have the appropriate resources.
Beauty matters social
Social product research is a completely different experience from the traditional and complex advertising search experience that we all use. Users expect to see products presented in realistic natural settings – and most importantly, they expect to do it beautifully. This means eliminating general advertisements promoting the business with silent attention to the first product.
To capture their audience, companies need to invest honestly in design and creativity. They need teams of people who can create photos and assets that will inspire and captivate the social user – and they need to quickly.
After 2020: visual research on the horizon
These links are with visual search, which, despite its inception, is already powered by the likes of Google Lens and Pinterest Lens. These platforms allow users to take pictures or use an existing image to find related products. Technology is ready and ready for research.
Pinterest CEO Ben Silberman believes the future of search will be “about images rather than keywords” – meaning they are ready to address the entire search space.
Earlier this year, Facebook purchased an emerging IQ company, which created a visual search technology that allowed people to take pictures of an actual item and use it to search for similar items online. He also talked about upcoming visual search technology similar to the Lens technology of Google and Pinterest. He claims that it will allow users to take a picture of something they like, and then the marketplace searches its listing to provide it with similar items.
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Meanwhile, Instagram has begun offering alternative text for images in an effort to make the platform easier – and images are more discoverable. They also introduced in-app purchases, which will be expanded to other areas in the near future.