The personalisation paradox: what do consumers really want from brands in 2024?
3 minute read
In an era where digital communication channels are multiplying, brands face a crucial challenge: how to deliver personalised experiences without crossing privacy boundaries. Our new consumer research reveals surprising insights about consumer preferences and trust in brand communications.
Key Takeaways
- Email dominates consumer trust, preferred 28.63% more than social media across all age groups
- Over 3 in 5 consumers welcome personalised communications, yet 54% feel brands know too much about them
- Trust is a major concern, with 53% of consumers struggling to distinguish legitimate marketing texts from scams
- Facebook (72%), WhatsApp (71%) and Instagram (50%) lead as preferred social platforms for brand interaction
- A third of consumers want to hear from their favourite brands more frequently
- Post-purchase engagement is crucial, with 33% of consumers likely to provide product feedback
Email remains king of brand communications
Despite the rise of new communication channels, email continues to dominate as the most trusted method for brand interaction. Our latest research shows email is preferred 28.63% more than social media across all age groups, challenging the assumption that younger consumers prefer social platforms for brand communications.
Key findings reveal that 57% of consumers trust email communications from brands, significantly outperforming other channels such as WhatsApp (23%) and SMS (22%).
The trust challenge in digital communications
Trust emerges as a critical factor in brand communications, with over half (53%) of respondents agreeing that distinguishing legitimate marketing texts from scams is challenging. This trust deficit presents both a challenge and an opportunity for brands looking to build stronger customer relationships.
Social media preferences: where consumers want to connect
When it comes to social media interactions, consumers have clear preferences:
- Facebook leads with 72% preference
- WhatsApp follows closely at 71%
- Instagram ranks third at 50%
The personalisation balance
Our research uncovers a fascinating paradox in consumer attitudes toward personalisation:
- Over 3 in 5 consumers appreciate personalised brand communications
- However, 54% feel brands know more about them than they're comfortable with
- Only 9% of respondents said brand communications never feel invasive
Post-purchase engagement: what consumers actually want
The research reveals the top reasons customers engage with brands after purchase:
- Providing positive product feedback (33%)
- Joining loyalty programmes (32%)
- Sharing customer service feedback (29%)
- Asking product questions (26%)
- Browsing additional products (25%)
Building deeper customer connections
According to Kerry Leighton-Bailey, CMO of Feefo, brands need to focus on three key areas:
- Individual recognition: "Consumers have more choice than ever before and they're getting used to it. They want autonomy and social ownership."
- Social sovereignty: "Consumers want to own their customer journey and be in the driver's seat of how brands connect with them."
- Balance: "The boundaries between social media and professional communications are blurring. With expectations to connect on every platform and build relationships with customers that transcend transactions - people have high expectations for brands."
Strategic recommendations
To build stronger customer relationships, brands should focus on:
- Delivering authentic value exchange
- Building trust through consistent communication
- Maintaining transparency in data usage
- Developing deep customer understanding
Want to dive deeper?
This article only scratches the surface of our comprehensive research on consumer preferences in brand communications. Download our full report, "Personalisation and Privacy: How Brands Can Strike the Right Balance" to access:
- Detailed insights into consumer communication preferences
- In-depth analysis of personalisation boundaries
- Strategic recommendations for building customer trust
- Complete research methodology and findings
Methodology: Research conducted by Censuswide in August 2024, sampling 2,005 nationally representative UK respondents, aged 16+.
Find out more
Feefo helps you not only collect authentic customer feedback but also understand your insights and make find actionable improvements. Contact Feefo today to find out more.
