How Technology Changes have Changed Consumer Culture

From the way we order our coffee to the way that we view our movies, technology has completely altered the expectations of consumers of mass media.  And the shift means that companies need to adapt to meet the ever changing cultural expectations to make sure that they can survive the shifts.  Take, for example, Google+, the social media platform that died when “users spent an average of just three minutes a month,” as compared to “six to seven hours'' users would spend on Facebook (“Google plus: the problem isn’t design, it’s a lack of demand,” 2012).  Google+ was a prime example of a social platform consistently failing to meet consumer’s needs and expectations, and it wasn’t long before the platform died all together.  Clearly, it is not just about using the technology, but we must remain audience-centric when deciding how to use new digital tools. 

Rather than looking at the shifts as a hindrance, there’s benefits to be gained with the technology.  As this chart from Steven Van Belleghem, an author and expert in customer relationships, shows, technology has become more invisible and integrated into our daily lives, and as a result customers expect more transparency from companies (Van Belleghem, 2016).

That transparency comes by way of more than merely expecting honesty from companies. Corporations now must learn how to be storytellers. They must learn to provide a strong social media presence, as “A questionable social media presence may tip the scales in favor of an equally qualified – but most polished– candidate” (Driver, 2019).  Users expect to feel like they know the company.  Social media presence gives them insight into how the company treats consumers and consumer complaints. 

So we need to be audience-centric. Two quick tips are to “follow a successful” example and “tell a story” (Chan, 2018).  Transparency, in this case, means to show how the consumer can connect to the brand.  Being audience-centric also means knowing how to get the stories to the consumers. That’s where convergence comes in.  A company needs to “present their voice in their writing, but that voice needs to be audience- centric,” which happens through convergence journalism (Kolodzy, 2013, p. 78). Providing services now tag-teams with social media. Customer service has moved to platforms like Twitter or Facebook.  And now companies need to reach their consumers through these social media platforms. “For instance, when you start a Facebook’s Ads or Instagram Ads campaign, you have the option to specify your target audience’s location, gener, age-range, and interest” (Bhatla, 2020). As Deborah Nas, an author and technology enthusiast explains, there are three, basic considerations to make when attempting to meet the changing expectations of an audience. 

Are the posts enjoyable, easy, and useful (Nas, 2019)? To read more about her takeaways on these simple steps, feel free to check out her article here. The largest takeaway is that the focus should not be on the new and latest trend. Rather, we must ask - how do these new technologies meet the needs of my specific consumers? And that consideration will separate companies, not only from competitors, but also from the average person who can now meet the market’s needs with ease. As it is, “Websites like Youtube and Vimeo have made it so anyone with a camera can post a video” (Parrack, 2021).  A company’s strategy with the evolution of technology will determine if they stand out against the competition.

References

Bhatla, P. (2020, December 17). “How social media is changing technology.” Entrepreneur 

India. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/361871

Chan, G. (2018 November 8). “10 golden rules of personal branding.” Forbes. 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/goldiechan/2018/11/08/10-golden-rules-personal-branding/?sh=633322bb58a7

Driver, S. (2019). “Don’t let these social media mistakes ruin your career.” Business news daily. 

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/6758-social-media-mistakes.html

“Google plus: the problem isn’t design, it’s a lack of demand.” (2012, March 15). Old gigaom. 

https://old.gigaom.com/2012/03/15/google-plus-the-problem-isnt-design-its-a-lack-of-demand/

Kolodzy, J. (2013). Practicing convergence journalism. Routledge

Nas, D. (2019, December 29). “How technology is changing customer expectation.” The startup. 

https://medium.com/swlh/how-technology-is-changing-customer-expectations-fef52fd709c5

Parrack, D. (2021, June 3). “7 positive effects of social media on society.” Make use of. 

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/positive-impact-social-networking-sites-society-opinion/

Van Belleghem, S. (2016, May 17). “4 different ways in which technology affects customer 

expectations.” Steven van belleghem. https://www.stevenvanbelleghem.com/blog/4-different-ways-in-which-technology-affects-customer-expectations/