5 Insights about How Consumers Use Mobile to Shop

February 8, 2018

Anna Hubbel

Wherever there’s a consumer, it’s safe to assume there’s a mobile device. And wherever there’s a mobile device, there are going to be limitless social media interactions that influence online purchases.

Facebook IQ conducted studies across various business types to discover insights about mobile’s influences on consumer purchase decisions and social interactions with businesses and brands. Here are the five insights that Facebook uncovered.

1. Instagram Promotes a Sense of Community

Instagram’s platform fosters online communities, making meaningful and spontaneous connections. As a mobile platform, Instagram is widely used by consumers and, therefore, is a strong venue for businesses to take part in those connections.

2. Consumers Use Messenger to Connect with Businesses

Calling a business on the phone is no longer the most convenient way to obtain information about a product or service. Consumers prefer to have more control and convenience, comfortably connecting with businesses or brands through the Facebook Messenger app.

3. Consumers Consult Other Users about Shopping Decisions

Consumers can ask their friends for advice about making a purchase without ever having to leave their mobile device or even their path to purchase. Since it’s easy to switch between conversations and paths to purchase, there’s a better likelihood that consumers will follow through with a purchase rather than abandoning it altogether.

4. Mobile Video Provides Shoppers with Personal and Professional Value

Businesses have the ability to produce high-quality and professional videos for their products or services in ways that also add a personal touch that appeals to consumers. There are various mobile video techniques businesses can use to make effective video ads.

5. In-Store Purchases Are Influenced by Mobile Interactions

As previously mentioned, consumers like having more control over their purchase interactions, and so having the power to converse with businesses on social platforms fosters their desired experience. In addition to feeling more personal, communication via social platforms like Instagram or Messenger allows businesses to still add that professional touch to their messages, such as in Click-to-Messenger ads. As a result, consumers are more likely encouraged to make in-store visits to a business, which are also aided by a business’s use of the Store Visits Objective for their Facebook campaigns.

To top it off, mobile devices add the convenience of location information for business’s brick-and-mortar stores, encouraging users to discover places near them and subsequently driving in-store traffic.

Marketers should use these insights to craft strategies that cater to mobile, ready to be there during consumers’ path to purchase.

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