These days, so many content channels are available that no one could possibly engage with them all on a regular basis. Factor in a tidal wave of growth in digital consumerism during and after the pandemic, and you get a sizeable boost in messaging opportunities for marketers—and it’s wearing consumers out, according to new research from customer-led marketing platform Optimove.
Two-thirds of consumers (66 percent) surveyed for the firm’s 2023 Consumer Marketing Fatigue survey want fewer marketing messages, and 27 percent feel they are bombarded by marketing messages. And they’re taking action—almost eight in ten consumers (79 percent) say they unsubscribed from at least one retail brand in the past three months, caused by an overload of marketing messages, the research finds. And 61 percent say they’ve unsubscribed from three or more retail brands due to too much messaging.
The survey also revealed the following top-line findings:
Consumers feel bombarded by marketing messages
The message to marketers is, “less is more.” Key results show that email and text are crucial in marketing programs. These two channels are the ones that consumers rely on the most, yet these channels are the most abused by marketers. For marketers, it is a question of balance.
Cold, irrelevant marketing emails and texts get the cold shoulder from consumers
Results show that only 9 percent of respondents open more than 75 percent of marketing emails. Relevancy is paramount in a brand’s ability to connect with the consumer. The right message in the right channel at the right time is the difference between hassling and helping a consumer.
Consumers are on a predetermined shopping destiny most of the time
Ninety-six percent of consumers predetermine where to shop online. Therefore, marketers need to know the specific journey a customer is on—and marketers need to be part of it. But consumers are not 100 percent predestined. Each is willing to try new brands/products on occasion.
Relevancy is most relevant
Almost three-fourths of respondents (72 percent) said that the relevancy of an offer is important, with 36 percent saying it is “extremely” or “very important.” Irrelevant messages actually make the brand irrelevant to the consumer. Consumers also expect personalized messages, so they know the brand knows them.
“The survey also points out that marketing fatigue is costly. Marketers still erroneously believe that more messages will deliver more results,” said Pini Yakuel, CEO of Optimove, in a news release. “In fact, less is more. Fewer right messages at the right time will probably deliver equal or better results. If brands get this right, they can spend less on marketing and connect with consumers rather than burn them out. It is an opportunity to optimize marketing budgets and create customer loyalty for life.”
Download the full report here.
The Optimove 2023 Consumer Marketing Fatigue Survey underscores that marketers are more invasive than helpful when interacting with consumers. Our survey of 450 US consumers fielded in January 2023 shows that consumers feel inundated with marketing messages.
