Social media is no longer just about conversations; it’s about commerce. Social factors have always played a part in consumer buying habits, but the ubiquity of smartphones and social networks have taken word-of-mouth to new heights. Most consumers around the world now carry posting and purchasing power around in their pockets with them every day. Forget going into stores to discover new products, now consumers can just scroll through their social feeds for inspiration. They no longer have to call their friends for a recommendation, they post to their social networks and crowdsource unfettered responses from family, friends and perfect strangers. This is particularly true for the most coveted brand demographic: millennials.

Whether you’re aiming to inspire and engage social audiences or propel purchases online and in-stores, these are 14 stats your brand shouldn’t ignore. Here’s 5 things you need to know about social media consumer habit :

You need to think about how consumers use your products

Today’s buying behavior is often called online decision making. It is characterized by, among other things, information overload. Modern consumers are bombarded with thousands of pieces of information every single day over the Internet, and their attention span has deteriorated rapidly. This means that a typical consumer’s evaluation cycle is significantly cut from a stage of multiple days or hours to a matter of minutes or even seconds, which is important for the marketers to know, as the traditional marketing communication strategies do not work anymore.

It is important to connect with your audience on a personal level and provide them with information that goes beyond your product, and touches on the values they are signaling are important.

For example: Companies that sell hiking gear, shouldn’t just feature new hiking boots, they need to be posting articles on best local trails, mental health benefits of hiking, how to hike with your dog, etc.

Don’t be afraid to be Creative

Family, friends, celebrities, business owners – everyone has something to say. Social media makes it easy for people to share opinions and businesses to share messages. In this digital age we are living in, creativity has become one of the most important driving factors in marketing communication. Brands and agencies are constantly looking for innovative ideas that can offer not only ingenious solutions to existing problems, but also anticipate and foresee future ones

Creativity, particularly in being able to discover new opportunities and act on them outside the traditional “rules” of marketing, is an immensely valuable skill for any social media manager. Many people believe that creativity is a personality trait you’re either born with or without.

Exclusive deals and product information are still important

Thankfully, social media allows for easy and effective brand building. Social media has a benefit over traditional media because it can get your brand in front of people much more quickly and easily. Furthermore, it gets your audience looking at your brand even when they aren’t thinking about your brand or product.

When consumers are directly influenced to purchase a product by social media, it should come as no surprise that the content they are persuaded by is closely tied to the purchasing process.

The top three types of social media content that make consumers more likely to purchase a product are promotions, informational content, and exclusive deals. While building a community is important, companies need to also build reminders and incentives into their social strategy that will trigger their consumers to purchase.

It’s very important for consumers to get response from a brand and engage with the brand

As social media platforms evolve to reward authentic social interactions, social media engagement has become a vital part of any marketing strategy. It is important to engage with your customers, even when they are leaving negative feedback. Without engagement, social media is just media.

People don’t use social networks for a one-way experience. They’re seeking connections — with people and with brands. What started out as a way for people to hang out with their friends online has turned into a place where brands can engage in meaningful conversations and turn those conversations into followers and customers. And social media engagement has a major impact on small businesses, affecting everything from brand awareness to customer loyalty.

When a consumer reaches out to you it is important to show your social media is a two-way street. By responding to consumers at crucial points of the buying stage, you further entrench their brand loyalty.

Build a community

Communities are social units that create a feeling of fellowship with others as a result of sharing common interests, goals, and attitudes. Social media marketers are responsible for fostering thriving communities. It’s not enough just to have a huge social following. You must also have an engaged community.

It is easy for a company social media account to become bogged down with content when you are trying to reply to feedback, build a community, and provide exclusive deals. This is why it is important for your company to use every tool at your disposal to understand your audience including persona building, analytics, tracking consumer lifecycle, etc. Building this extensive social media strategy can be challenging, however it is worth it.

A great social media strategy should build a lasting community, inform followers, and reward insiders. When developing your social strategy this year be sure you are creating content that will encourage long-term follows, but also including promotions and incentives at key stages of the consumer buying cycle.