Brand Discovery Finds New Vectors

The way consumers discover brands has fundamentally changed in the past five years, a fact cited by 85 percent of consumers in a new Clutch Research survey.

With nearly 60 percent of consumers discovering brands online and 78 percent still finding new brands while physically shopping, discovery is no longer a single channel; it's everywhere at once, the research firm reported.

Among the sources for product discovery, 34 percent of consumers encounter new brands on social media every day, while 43 percent turn to Google or other search engines when actively researching.

And when seeking to increase their discoverability, artificial intelligence is quickly becoming a channel that marketers cannot ignore, according to Clutch. The firm found that though most consumers (56 percent) have yet to discover brands through AI, adoption is accelerating. Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X are all experimenting at similar rates, and 47 percent of all consumers expect AI tools to define how they find brands in the years ahead.

The research also found that once consumers find new brands they move quickly. Nearly three in four (72 percent) purchase something from them within a month of discovery.

Based on that, Clutch noted that reach without credibility doesn't close. Forty-two percent of consumers said positive reviews were the top factor in converting discovery into purchases, and nearly 40 percent said they trust friends and family most when evaluating brands. Only 5 percent said influencers were their most trusted source.

"Getting discovered is half the battle," said Anna Peck, an analyst at Clutch. "Consumers are moving fast, from first exposure to purchase in a matter of days, and the brands that convert are the ones that have already built credibility through reviews, word of mouth, and consistent presence across channels."