True Lies And Brand Identity In The Age Of Search And Social Change!

Feb. 22, 2012 - PRLog -- Fascinating new research into the evolving expectations of users interacting with brands online suggest that a new phase of transparency will challenge current mindsets on how far eCommerce should go in cultivating meaningful engagement with their audiences.

It seems that consumer experience of multichannel diversity and social media sharing is leading to the demand for equally fluid, spontaneous and above all, multi-dimensional  encounters with brands beyond even search and social networking conversation. Consumers all too readily understand the transactional underpinning to online content marketing strategies.

According to research feedback, users are just as interested to know about a brand’s thoughts on topical issues and current events,  and participating in conversations, which give a wider context to the company products and services. At the same time, insight into a more sincere and truer personality behind the brand identity is hoped to be gleaned.

While business owners might simply interpret the findings as little more than behaving in a good old-fashioned open and friendly manner, the study actually appears to suggest more than professional sociability. A fundamental change in the attitude between vendor and consumer is now very apparent, and which absolutely requires genuine transparency from brands, especially with customer service issues.

The implication is that brands need to be more honest in their claims, communications and inter customer public relations! Newer generations of internet and mobile technology users are already fluent with interacting online through multiple platforms, channels and identities. They also know that brands can make mistakes and not always behave consistently with their declared ‘values’, product or service claims.

They also know that they can be confronted with a rehearsed display of professional CRM, rather than a genuine, ethical response. The daunting challenge for brands to recognise is that former engagement strategies can no longer be sustained and a more truthful and open response is expected when their behaviour is called into question.  

Online, the consumer can channel the power of the search and social collective. The downside for brands who fail to heed the warning signs is often reflected in the frequent ‘social fail’ stories that go viral as customers take to Twitter and Facebook, group forums and blogs to air their grievances.

The old certainties of online marketing culture now meet more forcibly with the new user behaviours!  Once again, the savvy  brands who succeed will be those who intuitively  know how to respond more openly to the rising user demand for fostering a more meaningful, personalised connection rather than be simply restricted to engagement over promoting a product or service.

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