Are you looking for a good way to influence potential customers and prospects? New results from Technorati’s 2013 Digital Influence Report explain, “Consumers are turning to blogs when looking to make a purchase.” They say that blogs rank high for trust, popularity, and influence.
Influence on Consumers’ Purchasing Decisions
Technorati’s report shows that blogs are the 3rd most influential digital resource for customers making overall purchases, falling behind retail sites (#1) and brand sites (#2). Blogs rank higher than Twitter for shaping consumers’ opinions and higher than Facebook for encouraging purchasing decisions. Blogs are so influential due to their honesty and sincerity in their reviews of products and services. By mentioning both positive and negative aspects of the brand, customers find blogs trustworthy.
Smaller Communities Are More Influential
More than half of the consumers surveyed say that smaller communities have a larger influence than larger ones. In reality, the true value of online communities extracts from sharing information, discussing ideas, and learning from each other rather than the size of the community. However, some brands are too concerned with acquiring massive communities, that they might ruin the experience of their users. For example, a marketer might have a famous blogger advocate for them in hopes for the message to go viral. Even if it does go viral, the message is less personal and there is less trust between the marketer and his or her consumers. You want to focus on offering value, building strong relationships, and offering your best content. The key is to become a trusted source of information in your industry because with trust, you can then influence.
The most important aspect to take away from the Technorati report is that blogging cultivates community, which creates influence. By posting high-quality educational content, you are a trustworthy source of information to your consumers and can influence them to buy more.
To see the full report, click here.
