CATALYST: Digital Marketing Study Reveals Combined Use of Search & Social Media Throughout the Customer Journey Yields Higher Spend and Brand Affinity

Why this Study is Important: Brands Struggle to Get the Search and Social Mix Right
The customer journey today is anything but a straight path -- consumers have endless choices in how they navigate it. Because of the complex path to purchase, brands struggle with how to choose the right channels to drive results.

"This study reveals that consumers are using search and social at every stage in the customer journey --from discovery, to consideration and purchase, to advocacy," said Beth LeTendre, CEO, Catalyst.  "The findings reveal how consumers are using search and social in the customer journey, when they are using it, and why. These insights will help brands get their search and social mix right, and translate into a competitive advantage."

Forrester Search & Social Study Reveals 4 Key Findings
The Forrester Consulting research effort was designed to test the hypothesis that both search and social are crucial components in the customer life cycle, and have complementary roles. The objective was to better understand how consumers are using each channel throughout the customer life cycle. The study produced numerous insights, including the four key findings summarized below:   

• Search is the primary tool of choice for consumers. Customers turn to search channels as one of their top sources of information at all stages of the customer journey. The study reveals that over 90 percent of customers use search to discover, explore, and engage.

• Consumers trust search more than any other digital channel. This finding supports why the vast majority (90+ percent) of consumers use search: they trust the results. The study shows that 72 percent of consumers indicate that their search results were trustworthy. It is important to note that search received the highest trust rating out of any digital channel.

• Social is a powerful force in the customer journey. The study shows that more than 85 percent of customers use social for discovery and consideration for purchase. In addition, social provides impactful, trusted information to customers while they are engaged in shopping behavior. This study shows that 81 percent of customers initially gained awareness of a recent purchase via the activity of their social connections. Yet, 43 percent report their purchase was influenced by a company's social post when shopping, and 30 percent indicate they were influenced by paid social ads.

• Customers who use search and social together spend more. The study reveals that consumers who combine search and social in their shopping behavior are valuable customers who reward the brands they like by opening their wallets, and actively promoting the brands. Over 50 percent of consumers who use both search and social indicate they spent more than $250 online in the past three months, and they are 9 percent more likely to act as brand advocates than overall consumers.

Methodology
This Forrester Consulting research effort was conducted via an online survey of 999 US consumers to evaluate the role of search and social media channels in the customer life cycle. The study began in March 2015 and was completed in January 2016. Survey participants included online consumers who had shopped (defined as researching, purchasing, or discussing a product) in the past three months, across several verticals, including consumer packaged goods (CPG), automotive, entertainment, consumer electronics, telecommunications, and financial services. The online survey questions asked participants about their use of various marketing touchpoints throughout their customer life cycle, with a specific focus on motivations and behaviors for using search and social media channels. Respondents were offered a small incentive as a thank you for time spent on the survey.

Proper Attribution
This Forrester Consulting study is the sole property of Catalyst. The full study can be accessed here:  http://www.catalystdigital.com/forrester-sem-social-media-marketing-success/.  Proper attribution requires that any references to the study be clearly identified as coming from the "Forrester Consulting study: Why Search + Social = Success for Brands. The Role of Search and Social in the Customer Life Cycle."   Questions regarding this study should be directed to Kerry Curran, Managing Director, Marketing Integration, at Catalyst, at [email protected]. 

About Catalyst
Catalyst is a leading search and social agency that works with some of the biggest and best known brands in the world. Founded in 1998, the firm specializes in developing global digital solutions that are innovative, effective, and consistently deliver business results for Fortune 1000 companies. Catalyst leverages its proprietary technologies and data sciences investments, in conjunction with advanced audience insights to deliver sophisticated digital strategies for enterprise marketers. Part of GroupM Connect -- the worldwide digital agency platform of GroupM – Catalyst's services include search engine optimization (SEO), paid search (SEM), paid social, programmatic display, and content development and optimization. To learn more about the agency, visit http://www.catalystdigital.com/, or follow them on Twitter: @catalystsem.

About GroupM
GroupM is the leading global media investment management company serving as the parent to WPP media agencies including Catalyst, Mindshare, MEC, MediaCom, Maxus, and Essence, as well as the programmatic digital media platform, Xaxis, each global operations in their own right with leading market positions. GroupM's primary purpose is to maximize performance of WPP's media agencies by operating as leader and collaborator in trading, content creation, sports, digital, finance, proprietary tool development and other business-critical capabilities. GroupM's focus is to deliver unrivaled marketplace advantage to its clients, stakeholders and people. Discover more about GroupM at www.groupm.com.

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