60% ads influenced purchase journeys are inspired by search: Report

The GroupM and Amazon Advertising's playbook on search advertising forays into the role of search in the purchase journey, and recommendations for building awareness and driving performance.

GroupM along with Amazon Advertising India, launched a Search Advertising playbook ‘Decoding the shift in consumer behavior to win on search’, a comprehensive report on search consumer journeys and how consumers are leveraging online platforms for not only buying products but also for holistic product research.

Over the past year, consumer behavior and purchase patterns have seen a drastic change. Urban consumers have started conducting their product research thoroughly before making any purchase online or offline. The playbook indicates that urban consumers are researching on at least 2 platforms before making up their mind while Amazon.in is has emerged as a preferred platform for product research. Around 62% of urban internet users research for products online, before making any online or offline purchase; 52% of urban internet users who research online, visit amazon.in to research products before making an online or offline purchase.

Online product research influences offline sales since 50% of offline shopping across categories involves prior online product research. Be it personal hygiene, skincare, electronics, wireless accessories, or large appliances, consumers gather information about all goods across categories. The Covid times undoubtedly brought focus on health and wellness since personal protection (PPE kits, masks), home sanitizing products (disinfectants, floor cleaners) and health supplements (protein, vitamins) has seen quite an upsurge in the last year. This is followed by searches on WFH setups, laptops and fitness equipment, gaming accessories, smart TVs and home theaters, UV sterilizers, DIY toolkits, dishwashers, etc.  These suggest various kinds of changes in our lifestyle while we spend a lot of time at our homes.

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A few takeaways from this playbook are:

• Growth of digital for product research before making purchase decisions
• Amazon.in is emerging as one of the trusted brands for product research
• 89% consumers discover new products and brands on amazon.in
• 60% ads influenced purchase journeys are inspired by search ads

Tushar Vyas, President – Growth and Transformation, GroupM South Asia said, “The last year has seen a rapid shift in purchase decision making and channel preference for purchases with more consumers now researching and purchasing online. This trend is only accelerating with not only metro consumers but consumers from smaller cities and towns. Furthermore, the role of e-commerce platforms in the purchase funnel is undergoing a change with more consumers relying on them from a product research point of view. With most of these behaviors set to only accelerate in the coming years, we at GroupM will continue to prioritize and focus on creating knowledge and bringing forth solutions to our clients to effectively navigate this ecosystem.”

Vijay Iyer, Director-Ad Sales, Amazon Advertising India commented, “With the drastic increase in media consumption, online and eCommerce platforms have become the go-to destination for urban consumers to make a product and brand choice before making a purchase online or offline. The search environment provides brands the opportunity to reach ‘intent’ consumers and create awareness in the early phase of the purchase journey. Native search advertising formats aid in establishing a seamless connection with researching audiences. This playbook aims at helping brands understand the behavioral trends with respect to consumer demand and discusses recommended strategies to drive awareness and performance on amazon.in”

The pandemic has seen consumers switch their actions right from the way they shop, socialize, and work, causing brands and businesses to repurpose their strategies. In such times, brands need to cautiously redesign their media strategies to establish optimal visibility on important consumer touchpoints. This playbook shares a holistic approach to marketers and on-platform advertising execution teams on how to plan, evaluate performance, and follow best practices from a search execution point of view, with the support of case studies.