Digital Marketing: Do You Know What Consumers Really Think?

Digital Marketing: Do You Know What Consumers Really Think?

Contrary to current doctrine, brand marketers aren’t the best judges of consumer wants. In fact, professionals don’t even come close to being first in the field. The people who indisputably lead the pack are consumers. They know exactly what they want. It’s up to marketing squads to find out what it is.

Currently, surveys supply the needed connection to the inner world of consumers. Properly crafted, it reveals what shoppers think and feel about the topic at hand – whether that be products, web experience, latest ad campaign, or other factor.

Be aware, however, that question selection is not a haphazard affair or wishful guessing game. Survey questions must strike a responsive chord and unlock a flow of feedback.

Leading the list of effective survey questions is the commonly-asked “How did you hear about us? This is a heavyweight among inquiries. Simple on its surface, it reveals which media found the target, and which uselessly wandered. Pinterest, digital video, Bing, trade show, whatever … any one of the countless possibilities might be delivering your biggest punch. Marketers should focus their energies on the best performers, shifting away from the weaker links in the chain.

Was the website helpful? is another revealing question. If the answer is positive, you’re on the right track – but the journey isn’t over. Marketers must follow up with more probing inquires such as Why did you find it helpful? or something along those lines. Drilling down to specifics provides crucial building blocks for website improvements.

Also valuable is a question such as “How easy was it to buy the product? This invites consumers to supply a detailed picture of their shopping experience. Extremely important, particularly when hoping for repeat business.

These, of course, are only a small sample of possible survey questions that have proven their might through the years. Nevertheless, they clearly underscore the importance of eliciting actionable feedback from consumers.

If you have questions or comments about optimizing survey questions, or about any other brand-related topic, feel free to send them our way.