Brands have been advised to use “rich, visual content” to engage with a growing number of UK consumers who are eager to discover and purchase products via social media.
The annual Shopper Experience Index from Bazaarvoice has found that consumer shopping preferences and behaviour have shifted since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with many now preferring digital platforms.
The marked rise of ecommerce and social selling during the last 12 months means that brands must react and start crafting content that can engage and convert quickly.
A third of UK consumers say that they have used social media to buy a product directly, which is a pattern of behaviour that is stronger than in other European countries.
Almost a quarter also say that they use social media as a tool for discovering new products and researching a brand.
These consumers prefer a mix of original content and authentic user-generated content (UGC), with images and reviews viewed as critical to the buyer’s journey.
More than a third say that they will not go ahead with a purchase if they cannot see reviews and photos from other people on a product page.
The study found that consumers will put a great deal of effort into finding these, so brands must complement their written copy with feedback and other forms of UGC to retain interest and convert.
“Brands and retailers can use rich, visual content online to create experiences where shoppers feel they truly trust and understand the product they are buying,” Bazaarvoice SVP EMEA Ed Hill said in a statement.
He added that authentic UGC gives shoppers confidence that they can buy something, and that digital content as a whole can in part deliver an experience that is unique and different from physical shopping.
While in-store shopping will return later this year, 55% say that they would choose digital experiences if they had to choose between the two.
