Indeed, people are using the internet and social media to purchase and be introduced to a brand. This trend is having a revolutionary effect on the advertising industry.
More and more people are finding and experiencing brands for the first time not through advertising or brand marketing, but through review sites and word of mouth (social media, i.e. Facebook, Twitter). These review sites provide a great way for a potential consumer to find what they need to make a buying decision.
So those companies wanting to “advertise” in the digital age must work on authentic tribe-building through great customer service, great products, and providing a place where their happy customers can advocate their product or service with a review. Interestingly enough, the numbers show that people are even taking the time to express themselves and conduct more online product research after the purchase.
Marketers now need to target people at each stage of the purchase cycle: discovery, consideration, evaluation, purchase and after purchase. Now, the after purchase is more important than ever before because that is the same place the pre-consumer is discovering your brand.
