Online consumers have given some very explicit information regarding their preferences when it comes to advertising. According to research conducted by Jupiter (www.jup.com), a worldwide authority on Internet commerce, there are several things online business people need to be aware of in order to increase their advertising effectiveness.I have created this 3-part series of articles as a commentary relating to
results of Jupiter's study entitled, "Inside Mind of Online Consumer". It will help you understand what information means to you. Taking heed to recommendations Jupiter reveals will most certainly improve your advertising response rate.
Customers Use Internet for Information
Forty-eight (48) percent of consumers online use Internet primarily as a utility device, not an entertainment device. This means they are using Internet as a tool, not a toy. Because of that fact, consumers are primarily looking for information, not games. This is not a new revelation. However, how this fact relates to advertising is new.
Customers Want Information-Based Ads
According to customers in Jupiter's survey, they respond to advertising that compliments their online activities. Forty (40) percent said they respond more readily to online ads that are informative rather than entertaining. This would include new product developments, benefits-oriented ads and those focusing on service issues.
Notice that one of categories listed is "product benefits". This is where majority of online advertisers fall to pieces. It is simply imperative that online advertising copy be filled with benefits. Online consumers are looking to answer question, "What's in it for me" over and over again. They are seeking information and advertising you give them should fill that need.
How to Build An Information-Oriented Ad
So now that we've learned that customers are ready and waiting for us to provide them with information- based advertising… how do we do it? Does that automatically mean you have to go with long copy? No, not at all.
According to Jupiter, "Advertisers that are marketing high-consideration products, which require a more informed purchase process, should focus more exclusively on consumers' online information needs. Advertisers that are marketing low-consideration products - for which consumers require little information in order to complete a purchase - have more leeway to take a less informative and more entertaining approach to their advertising."
