6 Things You Need to Know About the DIYers Digital Habits
Photo Credit: Just Ard via Compfight cc
DIY Consumers are playing an incredibly important role in how technology is transforming online and in-store purchase behaviors. There is a lot of talk about today’s digital shopper, but this article focuses specifically on the digital habits of DIYers and how you can market to them.
DIYers are Connected Everywhere, All the Time
Gone are the days where you have a limited number of ways to connect with your audience. Think about all of the different devices people are using these days: phones, tablets, and computers, eReaders and apps galore. They text, call, chat with friends, share photos, watch tv, shop online, and a whole lot of other things. You can’t walk anywhere in public without seeing someone staring at their phone.
This can be quite a paradox for marketers because although people have more opportunity for connection with your brand, it also means that grabbing someone’s attention has become that much more difficult. Keeping someone engaged on multiple platforms can be powerful, but you must consider what you can do to elevate above the noise.
Lowe’s is a great example of a brand that is constantly finding ways to go above the noise. I recently saw their digital ebook, which is full of animations that help people with their spring home improvement jobs. Lowe’s is capitalizing on the mobile technology trend by existing in all of the spaces their audiences play.
DIYers Consume a Ton of Information
Every year studies are released on the constant increase of downloads, website views, and time spent online in comparison to the previous year. In fact, the average American currently consumes 34 Gigabytes of data a day, and we’re reading about 100,000 words a day as well. That’s a lot of noise to compete with.
The problem is that although the accessibility to content and information has greatly increased, the attention span of the average American has been shortened. Most people don’t read an entire article. In actuality, you’re probably even skimming this one.
In order to market to DIYers your content needs to be relevant, to the point, and right in front of them. And all of these things must be done often and through multiple channels.
DIYers Want “it” Right Now
Think about the last time you waited for a website to load for 6 seconds. Chances are that you can’t remember the last time this happened.
No longer does what we watch on TV dictate when we watch our favorite shows. Everything from DVR to Hulu to apps allow us to dictate what we watch, when we watch, and how we watch. This same mentality is bleeding over into how consumers expect brands to serve them.
Consumers expect customer support to respond to them instantaneously. Products shou
If you have a “how-to” video keep it short and sweet. I can stand it when I have a 5 minute introduction to a 2 minute how-to video.
They want the cliff notes version to life.
DIYers want Social Validations and Recommendations
If you look at almost any home buying show on HGTV, you’ll see that the homebuyers will often bring along a friend or a parent to provide input. This is done to help with the decision making and also help validate the buyer’s decisions.
This same process of getting personal input and approval is being done on social media. Whether it’s posting a question on Facebook or showing off a recent purchase through Instagram, consumers want social validation in addition to research based insight.
The whole community around the product influences the decision to makes the purchase, not just the individual. Play to this desire by DIYers and help make the purchase process easier by giving opportunities to share and get feedback on social media.
DIYers Fact Check Everything
Its no secret that people are comparing prices, checking online reviews and comparing one product to another all while in a store through their mobile devices.
Having a knowledgeable staff in your store than can speak to your products benefits as well as address any negative reviews will help the DIYer make the decision as well as influence them to purchase from your store versus leaving and purchasing online.
Conclusion
As we continue into the age of technology, consumers will be looking to access information about your brand and your product more easily and more frequently. Marketing is no longer wrapped up in a strong TV ad campaign, it’s about being everywhere your consumers are and offering the information they want based on the channel you’re using.
Information overload shows no signs of slowing down. Get out there, get engaged and get noticed by your consumers. Remember to engage with them not only about your products, but about the things that matter to them. Check out Crystal’s article on building brand loyalty for more information on how to personalize your online campaigns.
What changes in the need for technology have you noticed over the last 5-10 years? What changes have you or your company made to meet the growing demand for information?
Let me know what you think in the comments below.
