Content ROI ‘iffy’ but loyalty shines

Wifi data 2Brands may be struggling to gain any notable ROI from their content marketing but the discipline seems to be doing something right after a study revealed that just over half of all UK consumers will stay loyal to a technology brand that publishes high quality content.
According to content marketing platform NewsCred, 66% of consumers feel high quality content is important to a tech brand’s reputation and trustworthiness, leading to 53% staying loyal to the brand.
However, over a third (34%) say they would be likely to switch to a competitor if their preferred brand began producing low quality content.
When asked what low-quality or infrequently published content would do to their perception of a brand, 27% say they would believe that brand is out of touch or not up to date with customer habits, while 18% say they would feel the brand doesn’t care about engaging with their customers.
Furthermore, 16% said that they would expect the brand to sell low quality products, indicating a perceived correlation between content quality and product quality among the UK public.
Among the most popular requested formats for content from consumer tech brands are ‘help and information about products’, according to 47% of respondents, and ‘video tutorials’ for 29%. When it comes to topics, 40% of UK consumers are looking to tech brands to educate them about data privacy, followed closely by 37% who chose useful technology tips as their top choice. Another 33% are looking to brands to guide the way on future technologies via quality content.
The fact that less than one in 10 UK consumers believe online user reviews and that 53% say trusting reviews is a concern, provides tech brands a great opportunity, the report claims.
NewsCred chief executive Shafqat Islam said: “Historically, good reviews from reputable publications coupled with traditional advertising were enough to move inventory. Today, with information available at the simple swipe of a screen, the journey has become a lot more complex, often beginning several months before product launch. The dedicated technology fans among us will already be scouring the Internet for early information: pictures and details on features and specifications from all manner of sources.
“The volume of conflicting information can often be a hindrance rather than help, but this means it’s crucial for tech brands to execute their own content strategies to ensure that honest, accurate and reputable information is published for consumers to rely on. This opens up an opportunity for technology brands to be the navigator. Through content, tech brands can be the trusted advisor through this minefield, and help consumers feel intelligently informed rather than swept away.”

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