Digital and social media are used more for online brand discovery and purchase in emerging rather than developed markets such as the UK, according to GlobalWebIndex’s latest research.
The report, called The Brand Discovery Index: Measuring the Connected Consumer Purchase Journey, was conducted across 150,000 internet users spanning 17 different online and offline channels across 31 countries.
It revealed that traditional media including TV and print, and search are bigger drivers in developed markets with search accounting for 42 per cent of online brand discovery and purchases in the UK, with the US close behind at 41 per cent and Germany at 49 per cent.
Meanwhile digital and social media are more popular channels for online purchase and brand discovery in emerging markets such as Thailand and Indonesia. The report claims social media is “six times” more important for brands in markets such as Indonesia and Thailand than it is in Japan or the UK.
In Japan “brand loyal” customers outnumber those who are classed as “brand adventurous” by two to one, according to the report.
It also lists search as “twice as critical” for brands in developed internet markets such as Japan and the UK in terms of its place in the online consumer path to purchase.
Mobile campaigns are four times more effective in countries including Thailand and Vietnam than those in developed markets including the UK and the Netherlands, according to the report.
Meanwhile consumers in Hong Kong are more likely to rely on price comparison sites and consumer review sites when searching for product information online.
Sweden was identified as the country in which people are least likely to use the internet to engage with brands online or search for products.
The Brand Discovery Index (BDI) is aimed at helping companies identify which online or offline channels, including TV, print and social media are most effective in reaching their target audiences.