ROI
Infographic: Consumers Spend a Lot of Money on Love
People are often shocked to hear that I met my boyfriend, whom I’ve been with for two years, on OKCupid, where millennials end up with more tales of horror than success stories. And even though millions of singles pursue online dating, more couples still find each other through friends than via screens and algorithms, per a 2015 Mic survey. It goes to show that a recommendation from someone you trust still carries a lot of weight.
Digital marketing can be a lot like online dating. It’s fueled by blind communication, and all it takes is one wrong move to ruin a relationship. According to the latest infographic from The Shelf, an influencer marketing platform, brands need to work on those moves. Thirty-four percent of U.S. adults broke up with a brand due to bothersome, disruptive marketing like banner ads.
The best long-term relationships still stem from a base layer of trust, which is harder to cultivate online. But brands are increasingly using social media influencers to break the ice with consumers. After all, before we buy (or swipe right), we like to know what we’re getting into, especially this time of year.
Last year, consumers spent a record $18.9 billion on Valentine’s Day gifts, and to tap into that market, brands are getting more active with social influencers on Instagram, YouTube, and Vine. Thus far, it seems to be working: Companies saw a 37 percent increase in customer retention when people found them through word-of-mouth ads rather than paid ads.
Check out the full infographic below to learn how to court your customers more effectively.
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