What consumers are thinking about and are open to when landing on different social media platforms, search engines, and other mainstream channels.
Ever tried to get a date on LinkedIn? Of course. You know (or learned the hard way) that's not the channel for finding love or lust. The same applies to trying to get consumer attention with the wrong message for the wrong channel.
The right Context - Content combination is key to a successful campaign. Understand consumer mindset and unlock the perfect recipe.
Whether they are conscious of it or not, people open apps, visit websites or go on platforms with a particular intent. A mindset. Intentions are outcomes of situations and feelings. For instance, you may intend to find a date because you feel lonely or because you want grandchildren in the future.
Intent maybe active and somewhat urgent, or passive and leading to no immediate action.
Below I tackle the most common reasons why consumers land on various channels—what is their mindset. Scroll and read or jump to Social Media | Video Games | Streaming | Search Engines | Websites and Apps.
Passive Intent Channels
Social Media
"Entertain me" or "Look at me."
When entering a social media space, most consumers are looking to be entertained or validated. They are also likely to be fast-scrolling, scrolling without even really looking or scrolling while doing something else, like waiting in line, watching TV, or attending a meeting. Full attention? Mmmm, I would not count on it. Users on social media are rarely looking to solve an immediate need.
Consumers get on...
Instagram to
Show off
Get distracted or hide
Be entertained
Spy on others
Window shop
TikTok to
Laugh
Have fun
Be creative
Explore and discover
LinkedIn to
Find work / talent / business leads
Show how successful they are
Show how smart they are
Networking
Twitch to
Play
Watch others play and learn how-to + be entertained
Hang out with like-minded people
Facebook to
Express opinions / rant
Share links
Show off
Find advice / information / events / shops
Join interest groups
Get distracted / entertained
Spy on others
X, former Twitter, to
Snack on information
“Look at this” as opposed to “look at me”
Express opinions / rant
Share memes
Snapchat to
Be entertained
Be playful and creative
Communicate with friends and acquaintances
Clubhouse to
Wait, are people still using Clubhouse? Good question! According to Influencer Marketing Hub, yes.
Enlighten me / inform me
Entertain me / keep me company
Do market research
Reddit to
Learn
Get information
Find answers that help take a purchase decision
Video Games
If intent on this channel feels obvious, it's because it is. Users go to video games to play, compete or connect with others. This allows for surprise and delight marketing tactics or very smart product placements but unless you think like a gamer and act like a gamer, anything your brand tries is likely to back fire.
Streaming
In my opinion, the future of advertising and marketing, but that's a blog post for another day. Consumers tune in to tune out and immerse themselves in somebody else's stories. Their minds are set on "Wow me" or "Entertain me!" And they are willing to give up hours of their lives for the right content.
Consumers stream...
Podcasts
Caveat: podcasts could be considered a medium rather than a channel. Either way, their popularity and importance warrant a look at their role in consumer mindsets. Listeners want to be entertained, taught, enlightened, sometimes even inspired.
Often listen while doing something else that still allows to pay attention
Listeners are loyal fans that come back and recommend
Spotify
People that sit and just listen to music are an endangered species. There are those who listen to music intently while on road trips (guilty). But for the most part, music plays a background role. Consumers tune in to,
Feel accompanied
Set the mood
Netflix/Crave/Amazon Prime/Disney+ etc
The consumer mindset is lot simpler than the product offer here,
Entertain me
Active Intent Marketing Channels
Search engines
"Teach me" or "Show me how/what/when/where."
Consumer's most active, attentive and open minded moments on the internet happen on search engines. Even on those channels where users seek less actionable things like inspiration, consumers come to a search engine with an intention they literally input into the platform. They expect results and answers. Like I've mention on my blog post Digital Advertising Without Social Media Advertising, done right, search engine marketing can be incredibly successful.
Google, DuckDuckGo, Alexa, Siri, etc
Answer me
Tell me
Get me
Show me
YouTube
Naturally attracts consumers willing to stay longer
Teach me / Show me / Guide me
Entertain me (cat videos or music are still huge on the platform)
Unsplash and other stock imagery engines
Get me
Visualize my thoughts / read my mind an show me
Inspire me
Show me
Give me tools to organize my ideas
Market Places
Shopping. Immediate or future. From product discovery, research and price browsing, to availability and reviews, to post-purchase experience, the mindset is all about shopping. Second hand marketplaces also integrate consumers' (perhaps subconscious) desire for a sense accomplishment, either through finding something unique or cheap or through making a sale. Examples of marketplaces include, Amazon, Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Thread Up, ASOS... and oh so many more!
Sell me faster / cheaper
Make me money
Solve my need with the perfect product or service
Show me
Websites and Apps
A website is a destination. Users land with full intent, looking for something specific like location details, product options, or useful information. This means a mindset of "show me" or "get me" exactly what I'm looking for. Users will give the website full attention and a short-lived chance to show the expected content.
Apps are also a destination of sorts but by virtue of being on a phone, a tablet or a smart device, they tend to be more utilitarian. Of course mindset will vary greatly depending on the type of app (consider opening an ovulation notification vs starting your weekly run), but consumer attention and intention are at an all time high, with their patience likely at an all time low.
Chat and messaging apps like WhatsApp, Discord, or Messenger (to name a few) are a whole other kind of destination. Consumers come to these platforms to interact with friends and family. Messaging is not a space for discovery as much as it can be a place for delight and experience. Brands that are successful on messaging apps use the channel with a focus on customer service excellence.
That's a lot of information! Mindset: overwhelmed. Now what?
There can be a role for your brand in many or each of these channels. Part of my job is to help you navigate that question. Hint.
If you are wondering about a channel I didn't mention, you can submit a Burning Question below and I'll be thrilled to answer.
You can also download my cheatsheet for free to share it or buy the editable Power Point or Keynote to easily slide into your own presentation.
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