Search engine marketing firm iProspect released a study from JupiterResearch that reveals 67% of the online search population is driven to search by offline channels. It also revealed that 39% of online searchers who are influenced by offline channels ultimately make a purchase.
Partnering with some of the most successful brands in the world, search engine marketing firm iProspect commissioned the study to gain a better understanding of online search users and how exposure to offline channels influences their search and purchase behavior.
The survey was comprised of 25 questions about their behaviors, attitudes, and preferences as they relate to games, digital imaging, portable devices, and service bundles.
Among key findings, the survey shows that offline channels clearly influence a significant percentage of online search users to subsequently perform queries on search engines based on the company name, product/service name, or slogan that appears in the messaging of that offline channel. Specifically, the study revealed that two-thirds of the online search population is driven to search by offline channels.
The implication of this finding should be clear. Smart marketers have a huge opportunity to leverage offline channels to drive their audience to search for them or their products. Doing so could greatly enhance the effectiveness of their efforts.
The study also took a look at purchase behavior. Specifically, offline-influenced online searchers were asked whether they ultimately had made a purchase from the company whose website had been the object of their search. The data revealed that more than one-third do so. This translates into a 39% conversion rate, and suggests a synergistic relationship exists between search and offline channels.
