Is your brand available for purchase online? Are there online coupons available for your brand? If you answered “no” to either of those questions, then you need to rethink your online marketing strategy because online buying and coupon redemption continue to rise. If you’re not offering consumers the opportunity to purchase from you online nor the opportunity to save money and boost purchases through online coupons, then you’re missing opportunities that your competitors are most likely seizing.
According to research from eMarketer, 72.6% of U.S. internet users will make a purchase online in 2011. That’s up from 69.2% just two years ago. However, it’s predicted that more internet users will make online purchases in the future driving the percentage up to 76.3% by 2015. That means over 170 million U.S. internet users alone will be actively looking for and buying brands online within 4 years. Someone needs to sell to them. Will it be you?
Of course, coupon clipping has been a go-to promotional tactic for a very long time, and the majority of coupons that U.S. consumers redeem still come from print publications such as newspapers. However, digital coupon redemption is growing steadily. More and more consumers are actively looking for digital coupons to choose the brand and business they’ll buy from, and more and more consumers are being motivated to make a purchase when they see digital coupon savings offers.
Research from eMarketer reveals that in 2009 44% of U.S. internet users used online coupons. In 2011, that number is expected to reach 47%, and by 2013, it’s predicted that 49% of U.S. internet users will use digital coupons. In other words, within two years nearly 97 million U.S. internet users will actively look for and use digital coupons when making purchase decisions. It’s an opportunity brands shouldn’t dismiss.
All eyes are on social media and content these days, but the best marketing plans are fully integrated marketing plans. Don’t forget about the tried and true marketing tactics such as coupons. Instead, apply them to the digital world. That’s where your customers are, and you need to be there, too. Coupons and savings are big purchase motivators. Don’t leave them out of your online marketing strategy.
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Susan Gunelius is the author of 10 marketing, social media, branding, copywriting, and technology books, and she is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She also owns Women on Business, an award-wining blog for business women. She is a featured columnist for Entrepreneur.com and Forbes.com, and her marketing-related articles have appeared on websites such as MSNBC.com, BusinessWeek.com, TodayShow.com, and more.
She has over 20 years of experience in the marketing field having spent the first decade of her career directing marketing programs for some of the largest companies in the world, including divisions of AT&T and HSBC. Today, her clients include large and small companies around the world and household brands like Citigroup, Cox Communications, Intuit, and more. Susan is frequently interviewed about marketing and branding by television, radio, print, and online media organizations, and she speaks about these topics at events around the world. You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+.
