Did you now that:

• 93% of people who research travel deals use search engines like Google and Bing
• 49% of people use Facebook when searching for restaurants
• 66% of consumers who research beauty products click on an online ad
• 44% of automotive consumers research vehicles using forums

Last post we made efforts to better understand our target market by using Search Funnels reports in Google AdWords. Today we’ll continue in this “get to know your customer” line and learn how people research different products and how they go about buying them.

People research products or services before they buy them, that we know. However, they do this in different ways depending on the product they want to buy.

So, pay close attention and learn how people in your industry research your type of products. Knowing this can help you get in front of them when they’re looking for you, thus increasing the likelyhood that they’ll buy from you.

Channels Used For Researchig Products

If you plan to buy a car, do you check Facebook? Or do you read up on Kelley Blue Book values and scour the company website for every spec, from horsepower to miles per gallon? What about music? Do you check Top 40 radio charts or see what your Facebook friends are actually listening to on Spotify?

Social media has infiltrated the purchasing funnel, helping consumers make better informed decisions, from what to have for lunch to where to go on vacations.

Depending on the decision to make, sometimes you turn to your social graph, and sometimes you turn to search engines. So, as a brand marketer, you want to know what online channels you should be targeting in order to reach the perfect audience for your product.

But regardless of what kind of consumer you’re trying to reach or what you’re selling, your SEO better be top notch – Search is the most important influence on the web.

The infographic below, featuring data from M Booth and Beyond, analyzes the differences between high and low sharers and various purchasing decisions, helping brands to understand how they should be targeting consumers. Read, learn, and apply!

(click on it to see full version)

Science of Sharing & Researching Products

Source: http://mashable.com/2011/10/25/social-consumer-sharing-infographic/