In the digital age, business growth tactics are constantly evolving. But when algorithms, platforms and effective initiatives change rapidly, how can you know what to focus on in order to formulate a successful strategy?
It turns out, the answer is in the numbers.
One of the best benefits of a shift towards digital everything is that consumer behavior is easily trackable.
For example, brands can’t specifically analyze exactly how many consumers purchased a product because of a specific billboard advertisement. However, they can track exactly how many people clicked on a retargeting ad, where they came from, how long they stayed on the site, and the content they engaged with.
What’s better, the business world is always analyzing online behavior and determining how those actions can affect business growth down the road.
I rounded up some of the most telling statistics in marketing, website design and branding – plus the takeaways we can learn from them – to help you grow your business online quickly and efficiently.
Plus, DesignRush ranks the best global and local agencies in digital marketing, web design and beyond. Explore their comprehensive Agency Listing section to find the top professional partners to bring your business growth initiatives to fruition.
- By 2021, mobile e-commerce will account for 54 percent of all online sales.
Consumers are spending exceedingly more time on their mobile devices. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that mobile e-commerce is increasing in tandem. To stay abreast of this trend, businesses should invest in mobile-optimized website designs. These should have intuitive navigation, simple checkout, and be responsive to all screen sizes.
To take it a step further, investing in a strong omnichannel marketing strategy will ensure your online sales process is consistent across every medium, which will improve your brand identity and create a trustworthy user experience.
- 38 percent of users will stop interacting with a website if the layout is unattractive.
In addition, 39 percent will stop engaging if the images don’t load and 39 percent will stop engaging if the site itself takes too long to load. That’s a lot of potential customers that no business can afford to lose.
By optimizing your website for technical SEO aspects such as image size and loading time, you’ll be able to both create a more enjoyable online experience for users and improve your search engine rankings. Then, invest in a web design that places emphasis on the customer journey first and foremost. This will ensure that consumers can find the items or information they seek, and will increase the likelihood that they will remain on your site AND make a purchase.
- Long landing pages generate up to 220 percent more leads than above-the-fold calls to action.
Long gone are the days of cramming all of your important business information in that top portion of a web page. Instead, modern online consumers prefer dedicated landing pagesoutlining imperative information.
Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that every little run-of-the-mill business update needs its own dedicated page. However, specific campaigns, initiatives, sales and other tactics should have their own landing page. This can then be promoted on social media and in email newsletters without compromising your beautiful homepage.
- Color improves brand recognition by up to 80 percent.
The main motivation behind cultivating a brand identity is to stand out to consumers, ensure they remember your brand and facilitate positive associations with you. And one of the simplest ways to achieve that is through a signature color.
Humans are driven by visuals – and designing a logo that informs a cohesive color palette across all marketing materials, digital platforms and store shelves creates an environment that is conducive to their memory. In addition, color has the power to evoke powerful emotions – so pick your hues wisely based on the feelings you want consumers to experience and actions you want them to take.
- Consistent brand presentation across all platforms increases revenue by up to 23 percent.
But branding is more than just a logo design. Every piece of collateral – from social media channels to website designs to product packaging – should maintain a similar color scheme, tone, overall aesthetic, and communicate a similar message that fits your brand identity and core values.
- 64 percent of consumers say that shared values help them create a trusted relationship with a brand.
An oft-forgotten aspect of an effective brand identity is the idea of core values. Consumers – particularly those in younger generations – want to know what your business stands for, or the “why” motivation for existing.
Now, this doesn’t mean you need to tread into dangerous opinionated waters. However, feel free to show some personality and humanity within your messaging. People will gravitate to that and, ultimately, develop brand loyalty to those companies that they feel a connection with.
- Content marketing efforts receive three times the leads per dollar spent than paid search receives.
What’s better, content marketing can cost anywhere from 31 percent to 41 percent less than paid search.
Content marketing encompasses blogs, white papers, video production, webinars and more. In addition, any collateral you create in a content marketing campaign can populate social media marketing and email campaigns, ensuring you get double the usage from your cost-effective digital marketing strategy.
- 64% of consumers make a purchase after viewing a branded social video.
Video content marketing is growing in both usage and return on investment because, to put it simply, people would rather watch a video than read about something. And when the demand for video meets the demand of social media, branded social videos find their footing.
Social media videos can run the gamut, from raw Instagram stories to influencer reviews to demonstrations to short brand videos.
- Facebook Ad revenue in the US will surpass total print ad spending by 2019.
Unsurprisingly, digital ads are surpassing physical advertisements in droves. One major reason is because digital has the ability to reach millions of more people that are specifically targeted to a demographic and end goal.
Facebook is particularly useful for reaching the masses with ease. It is the most widely used social media platform, with 1.47 billion (yes, billion) daily active users.
- Email has a median return on investment of 122 percent.
In fact, that’s over four times higher than other marketing formats including social media, direct mail, and paid search. So, despite living in a world dominated by Instagram double-taps and influencer marketing, strategic email marketing remains a constant source of cost-effective growth.
Some quick tips for successful email newsletter campaigns include:
- Avoid long paragraphs and too much text – keep it short and concise if you can.
- Don’t bombard your customers with too many campaigns – particularly in one day. When in doubt, less is more.
- Keep a consistent schedule – consumers want to know when they can expect communication from a brand.
Conclusion
All in all, creating an effective modern experience for consumers boils down to a few key points:
- Create an easy-to-use website that works on all platforms and devices
- Design a memorable brand identity that communicates well with consumers
- Maintain an honest and transparent relationship with customers
- Invest in content marketing and social media advertisements
- Test video marketing campaigns to engage users
- Don’t forget about the power of email marketing
Of course, all target audiences may behave a little differently – but through incredible tools like Google Analytics, you’ll be able to track and understand your demographic’s actions and desires comprehensively. And as long as you keep consumer behavior at the forefront of every business growth strategy, you’ll be sure to see success.
Entrepreneur and founder of DesignRush.com – a digital destination to inspire creativity and the discovery of design and technology trends. Former executive and founder of a global digital agency called Blue Fountain Media, a full-service digital agency focused on growing br…
