Consumers are increasingly using Internet sources for making food and beverage purchasing decisions. In a recent Nielsen study, The Nielsen Global Survey of New Product Purchase Sentiment, more than 29,000 consumers with Internet access were surveyed about their use of online sources in a number of product categories, and 60% indicated that for the food and beverage category, buying decisions are influenced by online information sources.
A primary online source cited for the food and beverage category was brand websites. The Hartman Group has reported that 45% of respondents in a recent survey of theirs claimed they visited food and beverage websites weekly, and 17% visit such sites daily. The most sought after information from food and beverage brand websites is recipes according to 30% of the respondents. Almost one-quarter (23%) visit food websites seeking nutritional information, followed by 17% seeking food preparation information, and 13% seeking manufacturer or retailer coupons and specials.
These findings make a strong case for food and beverage brand websites that are rich in dynamic content. There are opportunities to grow product awareness and purchases through menu and recipe suggestions, as well as visual references for a variety of occasions to serve products. The ROI on investing in a well designed, consumer friendly website, that is easy to navigate, and provides meaningful, dynamic content could be substantial based on these consumer findings.
