In his blog ‘Why Digital Signage is the New Brand Currency’, Mike briefly touched on how social proof acts as a way to influence others and when integrated into Digital Signage it can convince a person whether or not to buy certain products.
I wanted to take this concept a little further and explore exactly how integrating moderated social media into Digital Signage can have an impact on the psychology of a buying decision when installed into a retail store.
Firstly… Why is the use of Social Media in Digital Signage important?
It is proven that companies can use social media to increase brand awareness and influence buying decisions of their following. Quite simply, social media is a peer influencer when it comes to making buying decisions, as 71% of consumers are likely to purchase an item based on social media referrals. Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook have allowed brands to effectively endear themselves to a wider audience. Social media is a place where consumers can share information and make informed decisions when it comes to making buying decisions.
Other reasons why consumers are so in love with social media include:
• Allows people to keep up with trends
• Lea more about the products and services of a company
• Provide feedback and join a brand’s fan community
• Take advantage of offers and promotions
• Ultimately make an informed buying decision
Recently, Forbes conducted research to see how consumers engage with different brands through social media networks. They found that a whopping 81 percent of respondents admitted that recommendations and posts from family and friends directly impacted on their buying decisions, while 78% of people said that social media posts of companies influence their buying decisions.
Secondly…How does integrating social media into Digital Signage impact a customer’s buying decision?
In order to understand why social media is such a big influencer when it comes to making buying decisions, it is important to understand the psychology behind it. Decisions are often more complex than they appear. Marketing psychologists generally agree that the reason social media has gained so much traction when it comes to consumer buying decisions is because of the following reasons:
• Buyers make buying decisions based on emotions
• Buyers are naturally suspicious and have a need to establish credibility and trust
• A picture is worth a thousand words
• There is safety in numbers. Human beings in general have a crowd mentality. This phenomenon is behind trends and fashions because people opt to move together in groups. This is why social media has become a hit when it comes to marketing. People will largely be convinced to make a buying decision if their peers have already done so.
By incorporating social media into digital signage brands can introduce social proof through the positive endorsement of products directly into the in-store environment. This valuable fan generated engagement and interaction will help increase dwell time and facilitate the power of persuasion within the shopping experience. This impact can be maximised in retail stores by implementing digital signage powered by the NowSignage cloud based platform to deliver targeted messages to customers in real-time.
Schedule a demo with one of our signage experts today!