Previewing more data from our new Online Purchase Journey Infographic (clients can download it here), our midweek chart confirms the continued importance of search engines in the brand discovery and research phases.
At the start of the purchase journey, search engines still have a hugely important role to play. Globally, close to half of consumers say they discover new brands using these tools, making them the most common go-to point and giving them a lead over TV ads and word-of-mouth recommendations.
It’s a similar story when consumers are carrying out research on a product or brand – they’re still notably more likely to be doing so on a search engine than anywhere else. That said, social networks are becoming an increasingly important touchpoint for product research, especially among 16-24s. Indeed, the older the person, the more wedded they are to search engines; conversely, the younger they are, the more likely they are to turn to social platforms and/or mobile apps.
