The basic idea behind advertisements is to draw attention to a product or service to distinguish it from the competition or solve a specific pain point or need. The intended outcome of the advertisement is for the targeted audience to purchase.
While it may appear simple, advertising is often a hit-or-miss endeavor, particularly when brands don’t understand their market and its preferences. Furthermore, companies deluge today’s consumers with advertisements, which they frequently skip, ignore, or tune out.
That’s why brands must learn how advertising influences consumers’ purchase intentions.
Why Is Purchasing Intention Important?
Purchasing intention is a customer’s desire to buy the advertised product or service. It depends on several internal and external factors and measures a respondent’s attitude toward a good or service—are they likely to purchase it or not based on the ad?
Since buyers often have numerous choices, brands must effectively communicate with consumers to influence their purchasing intention. Directly addressing a consumer’s wants, needs, and pain points influences their predisposition and decision to spend money, translating to an actual sale. And for brands, this outcome drives up revenues and long-term growth.
But how does this relate to brands and digital advertising on YouTube? While there are many reasons to advertise on YouTube, doing so to affect a consumer’s purchase intent isn’t easy—it has to reach the right audience at the right time.
What Influences Purchase Intentions?
Before understanding how advertising influences consumers’ purchase intentions, brands must be aware of the factors that can impact their target audience’s buying behavior and decisions.
1. Brand Credibility
Today’s buyers have many options available on the market. One primary reason most consumers prefer a particular brand is its perceived credibility. When they deem it trustworthy because of its quality products or service, they’re more likely to purchase and become a repeat customer.
2. Usefulness
A successful product doesn’t need bells and whistles—it only has to be useful. Brands must focus on the essential elements of their products to get people to buy them. If they don’t, consumers will spend their money on something new and useful.
3. Product Placement
The content into which you place your ads significantly impacts a consumer’s buying decision. This is called “brand suitability,” and it means that advertisers should choose content that fits the brand’s core values. For instance, an alcohol ad may seem off-putting in an auto-review channel, signaling harmful behavior to its audience.
How Advertising Influences Consumers’ Purchase Intention
For an ad to make its target audience buy a product or use a service, it must accomplish several things.
Here are 5 ways an advertisement can influence a consumer’s purchase intention:
1. Elicit a Response
An effective ad must grab the consumer’s attention and evoke their intended response. For example, your market comprises people who own cats and want the best for their furry friends. If you sell cat toys, your ads should show how much fun cats can have with your products. When pet owners feel happy watching it, they’re more likely to make a purchase.
2. Motivate Them
When brands reinforce a particular need in their advertising strategy, targeted consumers eventually become motivated to buy the product or service to satisfy their curiosity. A good example would be an ad for a cloud-based service highlighting how it can significantly help digital nomads and freelancers. And if placed in the right video content, the ad can translate to sales conversions.
3. Stimulate the Senses
Most effective ads have one thing in common—their appeal to the senses. It’s not surprising to watch food commercials with their appetizing sights and sounds, enticing you to order from this restaurant or buy that ingredient. Consider running your food-related ad in aligned content, like on a food vlogger channel.
4. Reflect Their Beliefs
Beyond the psychological and physiological factors, a consumer’s beliefs may influence their buying behavior. Their attitudes, opinions, and habits often determine the brands they prefer. For example, a buyer who associates brands with status will likely purchase luxury goods. If that’s your intended audience, stay away from themes that don’t match your brand values.
5. Relate to Their Culture
Brands are losing out on potential customers if their advertisements are not inclusive. With diversity in advertising becoming more of a necessity than an afterthought, buyers go with brands that closely resonate with their culture and understand their pain points more. Also, advertisers should tailor their message according to their market’s language and cultural nuance.
Influence Purchase Intention Effectively
Now that you understand how advertising influences consumers’ purchase intention, it’s time to find the right partner to send the right message. Reach out to us so we can build customized YouTube advertising solutions to enhance your brand’s sustainability.