Most people don’t go out of their way to find ads. The marketing and creative department work together to create ads that appeal to a specific audience’s curiosity. A good ad will increase sales and brand awareness. For consumers, advertisem*nts are not what consumers need; yet, an ad is a great way for consumers to find out about the products or services they do need. Understanding the way advertising affects consumer behavior will help you to create more substantial, more memorable ads.
Brand Awareness
If you started a business, the only people who would know about it are friends and family. There might be someone to walk or drive by that needs what you offer. Bridge the gap between a salesperson and a consumer. An advertisem*nt lets a consumer know that you exist, and brings your brand to a wider audience. Without any advertising–print, television, online, etc.–you would have only word-of-mouth to keep you afloat.
In a growing online world, small businesses don’t get by without advertisem*nts in some form. Whether small businesses promote themselves using organic local SEO tactics for better website visibility or using LED trucks for billboard advertising around town, advertising is vital for a company to not only stay afloat but to scale over time.
The market allows any competitor to set up shop near you. And with large corporations building franchises across the nation, it’s more important now than ever to set yourself apart and be unique. With a quick Google search, consumers can quickly compare one business to another.
Branded Advertising
Brand advertising is a way of establishing connections to build long-term relationships with your consumers over time. When using brand advertising, the goal is to establish brand identity, credibility, and loyalty.
For example, Budweiser’s Clydesdales. Their first appearance was in 1933 and the idea was to return a weary nation’s optimism. They were also a gift celebrating the repeal of prohibition. But today, they are more than the symbol for Budweiser beer, they embody beauty combined with hard work and strength. When people see the Clydesdales, they automatically think of Budweiser Beer.
Brand Awareness Behavioral Effect
An advertisem*nt’s first job is to let people know that your product or service is available to them. People who view advertisem*nts find out about your products similarly to how they find out about current events in the news. At this stage, consumers go from not knowing that your business exists to gaining awareness of your brand in the case of a future sale.
Consumers Get the Information They Need
Most advertisem*nts will give consumers a general idea of a product’s features. For an advertisem*nt to be effective, it must show enough to raise curiosity.
A simple phone number will give them a means of contact in case they have further questions or want more detailed product information, but an advertisem*nt should at least give consumers a pretty good idea of what your product, service, or company is all about.
Behavioral Effects of Features
Consumers examine the features of your product. A logical listing of features gives consumers an idea of functionality and works on an intellectual level with the ad viewer. If you are advertising a vacuum, a logical feature would be that it cleans dirt from the carpet.
For a consumer, whose vacuum broke, this analysis of features might lead them to a store to compare vacuum cleaners. Having an ad showcasing your product will make your brand seem that much more memorable in the eyes of a consumer.
Weighing the Benefits
Most industries are rife with competition. What sets you apart from your competitor is how you do the same thing differently, and how you advertise that difference. Benefit evaluation is an emotional response. Consumers will watch your ad and identify how your product can make them happier or improve their life. This is an irrational consumer response and is part of an advertisem*nt that can lead consumers to make impulse buys.
Again, if you’re advertising a vacuum, but this time your vacuum not only does what all vacuums do but also has the added benefit of steam-cleaning, a consumer with a stained carpet will weigh that benefit when comparing it to a regular vacuum.
Reminders and Ad Repetition
Memory is not perfect. If you make an advertisem*nt and only show it once to an audience, impulse buyers might make a hasty decision, but most will not. In most cases, it takes a few times before an ad really sinks in.
Tracking allows online advertisers to reach the right audience. Announce you are engaged on social media and change your status on Facebook. You will start to see advertisem*nts for wedding photographers, planners, and other wedding-related ads. Eventually, an ad that repeats enough will pop into your head when you need something the ad offers.
Advertisem*nt is a necessity in this competition-driven market. Understanding how advertisem*nts affect consumer behavior will help you to build a better ad that addresses each factor. Whether you’re looking to create television ads, radio ads, digital ads, and more.
You can never rest on your laurels when it comes to your advertising. A good ad increases sales and brand awareness. Consumers don’t want advertisem*nts, yet, an ad is a great way for consumers to find out about the products or services they do need. Understanding the way advertising affects consumer behavior will help you to create stronger, more memorable ads.
