Advocate Consumer Research

Customer referral marketing research: A consumer perspective

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Referral marketing allows brands to foster customer loyalty, expand reach, and show customers appreciation. In fact, The Customer referral marketing research: A consumer perspective report reveals that 86 percent of consumers find recommendations and reviews important in their purchase decisions, while only 2 percent consider traditional ads important in their purchase decisions.

But starting and maintaining a word-of-mouth program isn’t as simple as just creating a few widgets and pop-ups. You need a detailed plan to meet your referral milestones and satisfy your customers’ needs.

This report shows how you can turn the referral channel into a powerhouse for business growth and scalability. Dive deep into what customers really want in referral programs: higher reward values, user-friendly programs, and education on referral programs. Also, using a flexible referral platform is key to reaching these goals.

Top insights from this impact.com report:

  • The vast majority of consumers rely on referrals more than ads.
  • Over 4 in 5 consumers learn about new brands during conversations.
  • Higher reward values and simple-to-use programs would encourage more consumer participation in referral programs.