20 Surprising Consumer Behavior Statistics that should Influence Your Content Marketing

Every successful marketing endeavor starts by analyzing the desires, needs, and behaviors of your consumer. It doesn’t matter how you facilitate your content marketing strategy, the truth remains: you must understand the consumer.

If you don’t, the entire campaign is at risk.

After all, successful content marketing is completely focused on the customer. You’re serving them by delivering high-quality, engaging, optimized content on a regular basis.

But if you don’t understand the behavior of your audience, you can’t create that level of content.

With that in mind, I’ve put together this list of 20 consumer behavior statistics. When strategically applied to your strategy, these fascinating facts can propel your entire campaign to success.

1. It’s Easier to Sell to Existing Customers

The probability of selling to an existing customer is 60 – 70%. The probability of selling to a new prospect is 5-20%. (source)

Content marketing drives conversions. This isn’t a big secret.

And if you’re using this method, it’s worth reaching out to existing customers. While many strategies focus on gaining the attention of new readers, focusing on loyal fans can yield a greater return on investment.

2. Dissatisfaction Spreads Like Wildfire

A dissatisfied customer will tell between 9-15 people about their experience. Around 13% of dissatisfied customers tell more than 20 people. (source)

Dissatisfaction disrupts. And when you cause a disruption in someone’s life, they want to share that experience with those around them.

Now, yes, you can use amazing content to positively disrupt someone’s day.

But that doesn’t happen too often.

A dissatisfied customer may never reach out to you. But rest assured, they will tell several people in their social group about the negative encounter.

Creating a transparent, consistent image through content marketing can combat negative experiences and leave customers talking about the positive disruptions you cause.

3. Customer Retention > Decreasing Costs

A 2% increase in customer retention has the same effect as decreasing costs by 10%. (source)

I don’t know about you, but I’m a huge proponent of efficiency and cost reduction. As it turns out, increasing both can happen through a simple increase in customer retention.

It may not be an easy task, but keeping existing customers happy through engagement, high-quality content and engaging social media endeavors is critically important for your business.

4. Young People Interact on Facebook

56% of consumers under the age of 35 interact with their favorite brands on Facebook. (source)

Regardless of the scare that people are leaving Facebook, it remains the world’s largest social network. So, don’t hang up your hat just yet.

Despite the emergence of new social networks, young people still interact with their favorite brands on the platform. Are you pushing out compelling, native content on Facebook?

5. People Spend Half Their Shopping Time Doing Research

42% of shoppers spend over half their shopping time doing online research. (source)

People spend half their time doing research. Let that sink in for a minute.

That means that while others are off competing on prices and packaging, you can win the market by offering the greatest amount of information.

If that doesn’t spark some content marketing inspiration, I don’t know what will.

6. Online Research Leads to In-Store Purchases

89% of shoppers do online research before purchasing an item in-store. (source)

People are looking for information. As a content marketer, it’s your job to deliver.

Provide articles, landing pages, resources and emails that help consumers during the research process of the buying cycle.

7. It’s Worth It to Go Mobile-Friendly with Content

An overwhelming majority of respondents (96%) had searched for product information from their mobile device. (source)

We’ve all heard about the mobile-friendly push from Google earlier this year.

But it’s not only important for search engines. People want to have a mobile-friendly viewing experience too, especially if they plan to make a purchase.

Are you making it easy to consume content and purchase from a mobile phone?

8. Good Video Matters Twice as Much

66% of consumers will watch a video twice if it is informative. (source)

Video marketing has become a staple tactic for successful online brands. Offering value is the key to making classic video marketing statistics like these become a reality for your brand.

9. Your Website Needs Video Content

Consumers will watch videos 60% of the time they find them on retail sites. (source)

Not only will consumers watch the video, but it can increase sales too.

Overcome your fear of video and start using this powerful channel. Don’t fall further behind by procrastinating on this investment. It’s time to get started and increase sales.

Consumers demand it, you supply it!

10. Tablet Owners Make Great Consumers

17% of US population has a tablet, but what they’re doing on it is what’s really important. 43% are pulling the trigger and making a purchase, twice the percentage of those with mobile phones. (source)

I’ve seen a lot of the digital marketing world place their sole focus on mobile. And while that’s great - don’t make the mistake of overlooking tablet users during the design process.

As this statistic demonstrates, tablet users are active consumers as well.

11. Content Sharing Can Lead to Purchases

11% of people are more likely to make a purchase if their network of friends have used or recommended the item. (source)

People share things that matter to them.

If you can get people to share content about your product or service, it will lead to an increase in both credibility and – perhaps more importantly – profitability.

12. You Can Make Up for Unresolved Negative Experiences

It takes 12 positive experiences to make up for one unresolved negative experience.
– “Understanding Customers” by Ruby Newell-Legner (source)

Negative interactions with your brand can cause some major damage. And without an ongoing content marketing campaign, it’ll be extremely difficult to create 12 new positive experiences to make up for it.

13. Build Valuable Customer Loyalty Through Content

Customer loyalty is, in most cases, worth 10 times the price of a single purchase. (source)

Loyalty doesn’t happen overnight.

It occurs by establishing a relationship with your customers over time. What better way to do that in this generation than through content marketing?

14. Keep Customers from Competitors with Great Service

A customer is 4 times more likely to cause defect to a competitor if the problem is service related than price or product related. (source)

You may believe that you’ve got great customer service. But your belief doesn’t make it a reality.

Luckily, ongoing content marketing can open the doors of communication and help consumers feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, ideas, and experiences with you.

15. Online Shoppers Have Immense Brand Loyalty

62% of online shoppers are brand loyal. (source)

Online shoppers have brand loyalty, but it doesn’t happen all at once.

You’ve got to establish loyalty over time using strategic digital marketing efforts. Content marketing is just one long-term strategy that can help you achieve this.

16. Most People Want to Connect on Facebook

79% of consumers prefer to connect with brands on Facebook. (source)

Facebook has its struggles for small businesses without an advertising budget. But with things like the See First feature, you’re in a great position to give your audience what they want: YOU.

17. What You Post on Social Media Matters

78% of Consumers Say That the Posts Made by Companies on Social Media Influence their Purchases. (source)

Create a strong social media presence in your content marketing strategy. You may not see immediate results, but it is influencing your audience’s purchase behavior.

18. People Need to Find Your Content Via Search Engines

89% of Consumers Conduct Their Product Research Using Search Engines. (source)

SEO isn’t dead. People are using search engines to find the information they’re looking for each and every day. Use content marketing to rank in Google and get your message in front of the right people at the right time.

19. Build Trust by Generating Online Reviews

72% of Consumers Trust Online Reviews As Much As Personal Recommendations. (source)

Online sharing is the new word of mouth.

Make it easy to review your products or services. And then display that feedback prominently throughout your website.

20.  Happy People Talk to Their Friends

According to the White House Office of Consumer Affairs, happy customers who get their issue resolved tell about 4-6 people about their experience. (source)

Sometimes people run into problems. Informative, easily accessible content can resolve issues faster than any customer representative.

Use content marketing to resolve the situation before it explodes.

What surprised you most about these consumer behavior statistics? How will the truths you learned here today influence the future of your content marketing endeavors? Leave me a comment below with your thoughts: