Why Content Is Becoming More Reliable Than Search Engines for Consumers and How You Can Leverage This for Your Brand or Business

Written by Kherwin Nurse, Client Success Manager at Nativo Inc.

The Dilemma

We’ve all been there, you are interested in purchasing a product, you check your local stores but can’t seem to find any available within a reasonable timeframe. You check numerous online retailers. Their reviews, if any are mixed, don’t quite seem to answer the questions you have, or the product videos featured are all buttoned up and don’t show any actual day to day usage or a realistic perspective of how this product will fit into your life.

In the past, most consumers at this point would continue to research further until they reached the crossroads of making a decision, and ultimately decide whether they want to make a purchase or not. However, today, more and more consumers are choosing to bypass this process and save time by immediately searching for more information on products through social media. This can be advantageous or detrimental to brands depending on the content that is available and whether or not that content aligns positively with a brand’s identity. The great news is this leaves massive opportunities for brands to exist, lead the conversation, shape their brand perception, and ultimately be seen as a trusted source.

How Consumers Think Today

With 61.4% of the world’s total population using social media, it’s imperative more than ever for brands to not only maintain an online presence, but also lead the conversations on their products. An excellent way to do this is through creating authentic and relevant content.

87% of shoppers research purchases online with 77% of those seeking out websites with ratings and reviews. Creating content that’s both relevant and authentic allows brands to connect with their audiences in spaces already integrated into their lives and where they already spend most of their time.

According to HubSpot, 31% of Gen Z consumers use social media to find answers to their questions with millennials following at 28%. This is expected to increase in the coming years as younger generations continue to look to social media platforms as a source of validity and ultimately rely on the content available as a source of truth when making their purchasing decisions. Video is increasingly becoming the most preferred way to research and have an influence on decisions. 48% of consumers say videos improve their confidence in making a purchase.

Given this trend, standing out in today's video-driven world is more important than ever. From battling a saturated market to adapting to privacy-friendly targeting standards, advertisers are challenged to break through the noise while connecting with audiences in impactful ways. Utilizing a strategic combination of high-impact video content tailored to audiences’ consumption preferences can be beneficial. Tools like Nativo’s privacy-compliant technology, SPARC, powered by Nativo Predictive Audiences, can be coupled with video formats to help find and deliver the optimal content, format, and audience mix.

Why You Should Create Authentic and Relevant Content

As reliance on search engines continues to decrease especially with the rise of AI, creating content, having a strong online presence and providing relevant content will become even more valuable.

Creating authentic and relevant content allows your brand to remain top of mind and be viewed as a reliable source and invaluable resource when a consumer is deciding.

Creating authentic and relevant content requires you to understand your audience, create consistent messaging within your content, stay true to your brand, engage with your audience, improve your content based on your audience’s feedback, and keep creating content that your audience is looking for.

When you create content that is both relevant and engaging to your audience you are able to leverage this to increase brand loyalty and simultaneously position your brand as a thought leader in your space by providing value. Online shoppers trust videos produced by brands 5.3x more than influencer videos. Producing your own content allows you to own, maintain, and shape your brand’s perception. An added bonus is that you may even receive help from algorithms to continue to spread your awareness and solidify your brand as a trusted source.

How You Can Leverage Content for Your Brand

Leveraging content is a powerful way to spread your brand’s message while also reaching untapped audiences who may be in the market for a new solution. Perhaps you’ve found that your audience resonates more with your brand when reached in more native advertising environments vs. traditional channels where they are already inundated with similar content. To make your content more impactful, Nativo builds audiences from content engagers and high-intent users. By finding the right users for your brand through contextual targeting, we bridge the gap between awareness and action. Brands working with Nativo see 5x more time spent, 2x greater click-through rates, and 2x lower conversion costs.

In addition to leveraging your content, paying attention to the feedback and insights from your audience will help determine what content to craft more of, which ones resonate most, and which should be amplified across channels.

The Rewards of Great Content

Great content rewards brands with an increase in audience engagement, improved brand reputation, audience growth, a competitive advantage amongst competitors and ultimately greater revenue generation. As consumers begin to increasingly rely on social media over search engines, content will become increasingly influential in consumers purchasing decisions and brands will have a significant opportunity to shape their perception, lead the conversation, and establish trust.