As the demand for connection increases, consumers are looking at brands in a new light. Brands that are emerging as leaders are moving away from a sales focus and focusing on further differentiating themselves from competitors and building real relationships among consumers.
Our research shows that nearly four in five (79%) consumers agree that brands are well-positioned to bring people of different backgrounds and beliefs together, and why. There are several. 81% of consumers say brands offer products and services that appeal to a diverse range of customers and can be a positive connection. Additionally, 58% claim that their brand is a unifier because it receives significant media coverage and attention.
So why do consumers rank social as the top channel brands use to connect with customers? How do people view social and its impact on their lives? It’s worth looking at more broadly. A majority of consumers believe social can bring people together, with 63% citing social’s ability to help keep people connected and 62% saying social brings people together with different beliefs. says.
Based on personal experience, nearly half (46%) of consumers say social has helped them meet new people, and 44% say social has helped them understand different perspectives. As brands embrace their role as relationship builders, strengthening the social-to-power connection is the next logical step.
Consumers want brands to use social to connect with others for several reasons. More than half of consumers (55%) want brands to use social to connect like-minded people, and more than a third (36%) are looking for communities to belong to. And more than half of conservatives (51%) and liberals (54%) want to connect with people who are different from them.
But why should brands care?
Simply put, connections create loyalty and protect companies from boycotts when customers have bad experiences and from losing customers to competitors. 64% of consumers say feeling connected to a brand increases their loyalty.
Connections also directly impact a brand’s bottom line. More than three-quarters (76%) of consumers say they would buy from a brand they feel connected to rather than a competitor, and 57% are likely to spend more with a brand if they feel connected. is said to be high. On the other hand, if consumers don’t feel connected to a brand, 70% are less likely to shop there instead of a competitor, and almost two-thirds (61%) will spend less with that business. It will be.
#BrandsGetReal: YouTube
YouTube, the global video sharing platform, is used by more than 1 billion people every month. Recognizing the influence and potential audience size of influencers and creators around the world, YouTube launched the Creators for Change program to build empathy and forge new connections among users.
This program allowed people from all walks of life to connect with each other. Video simply provided the medium. Using the platform to share personal stories with people of different backgrounds and beliefs, creators around the world sparked conversations around topics such as xenophobia and online extremism.
To complement these stories, YouTube creators also received the tools they need to foster constructive dialogue about difficult issues and create messages that promote social change. This campaign gave YouTube an opportunity to address criticism regarding the moderation of sensitive content on its platform and focus on fostering positive conversations. Since its launch, the YouTube initiative has racked up 60 million views and 731,000 hours of watch time across all Creators for Change videos.