CHAPTER 2: A Formula for Digital Customer Engagement
FreeDigitalPhotos.net Credit to: Danilo Rizzuti
2.1 Billion registered global internet users
1.2 Billion active social media accounts
69% of US smartphone users access the Internet daily
The most recent Internet user census tells us that, globally, there are close to 2.1B registered internet users out there. North America, Oceania (Australasia), and Europe lead the way in penetration rates, having the highest internet adoption per capita. All, however, are outstripped on pure internet user numbers by Asia which, actually, has the second lowest penetration rate of internet users versus population.
When you also consider that predicted future internet consumption will be fueled by the connectivity and convenience offered by the latest smartphones and mobile devices, and that for many internet users this will be both their first and primary device for internet access - then you can begin to sense the shift required in customer engagement that the Digital Customer brings. This is a key point to consider for Retailers and Brands alike.
In our last Digital Customer blog, we focused on defining the ‘Digital Customer’ and highlighted some revealing statistics in Part 1 of our Video series featuring Allen Bonde, CMO of The Pulse Network, and Michael Krigsman, CEO of Asuret. What stood out for me was the statistic that there are over 1.2B live user accounts registered on the most popular social media websites today (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn). That is a huge statistic when placed alongside the 2.1B internet users quoted above – particularly if the growth of internet users (as some predict) reaches the 5 Billion mark within the next 5 years.
That statistic alone is what has many retailers and Brands salivating at the prospect of actively engaging with these communities of potential buyers and brand advocates. But how do you create a model for engagement that draws in the Digital Customer and engages with them in a meaningful way?
Against this backdrop we discuss, in our 2nd video segment in the series, a formula for engagement, or what I sometimes like to call the 4 ‘C’s:
- Channel – where true multi-channel is defined by the continuity of experience from bricks to clicks to mobile & social
- Community – where social interactions co-create value for the customer and the brand
- Content – which frames the experience and provides brand value
- Context – which takes customer segmentation into true personalization
Until next time, we leave you with this engaging discussion.
