As a DTC brand, you need to know your customers inside-out. Fostering a close relationship with them is only one element of success, however. You need to be one step ahead of their moves online.

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This is how you effectively position your brand, stand out from the competition, and align your marketing efforts with the most valuable placements and strategies.

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DTC research takes a large portion of your strategizing time. This is because the better you know your audience, the better you can market yourself effectively.

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For DTC companies, your brand is your audience. You need plenty of positive feedback and in-depth research to understand how they think, what they’re after, and how you can best serve them.

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In this article, we’ll explore the importance of DTC brand research and what you need to know before you enter a new market.

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Getting to Know Your Consumers

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Research by the Baymard Institute shows that 62% of DTC consumers seek out brand information on a business’s website. This means they are interested in learning about what your company is about, such as your mission, values, and philosophy.

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Developing a strong relationship with your customers, then, requires investing in your brand. This is why illustrating your brand’s story, from humble beginnings to now, is so crucial in creating trust.

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Why DTC Research Is So Important

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Rather than attempt to read your audience’s mind, you can gain direct insight into what they’re looking for by performing in-depth research. Using a DTC directory like ours helps you gain an easy-to-navigate, comprehensive look at your top competitors’ website and ad library.  

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You’ll see exactly what images they use, how they’ve laid out their web design, and the experience they’re providing your shared target audience online.

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In addition to deepening your understanding of what you need to establish a strong reputation in your industry, DTC research:

●     Facilitates growth through market-conscious decisions.

●     Builds a greater understanding o fonsumer expectations.

●     Increases the success and accuracy of your Facebook ads.

●     Helps you build a strong brand through effective social media content, web design, and ad copy.

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Facebook ads are the life force of DTC marketing, but not every brand understands how to harness the power of the platform. This is why the research stage is crucial for any company preparing to enter a new market.

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Through in-depth research, you can craft Facebook ads that are relevant, engaging, and motivating to your target consumer base.You’ll also avoid common mistakes that could cost you your ad budget for little reward.

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You likely already know the basic facts about your new market. You’ve come up with a product, shaped your business model, and have a general idea of who your ideal clients are. Next, you need to take a magnified approach to start pinpointing the most important elements of your DTC market.

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Understanding the market means doing more than recognizing consumer details. It’s about leveraging your competitors’ online presence to your own advantage.

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By carefully studying their ad libraries, audience engagement, and marketing material, you can emulate their authority and eventually establish your own.

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What to Research Before You Launch Your Next Campaign

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Before you tap into the market, here are the most important elements to consider as part of your DTC market research.

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Psychographics

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Psychographics in marketing are details like your ideal buyers’ thoughts, emotions, and attitudes toward the industry (and sometimes beyond it). By taking a closer look at their emotional profiles, you can craft content that speaks to them on a deeper level than more generalized marketing material.

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Some examples of psychographics in marketing include:

●     Personality traits, such as outgoing, introverted, and conscientious.

●     Lifestyle habits, like being a vegetarian, fitness lover, or outdoors enthusiast.

●     Habits and hobbies, such as  journaling, photography, and makeup styling.

●     Social class and affiliations, such as political parties or friend groups.

●     Beliefs and behaviors inspired by demographic info, e.g. a church-goer who enjoys Christian music based on the irreligion (demographic).

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Understanding psychographics will help you craft better content and connect more effectively with your audience. As you prepare to break into a new market, it’s crucial that you have more than just a basic idea of who your ideal customer is.

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You need to know what drives them, why they are motivated to purchase products, and what traits they look for in the brands they choose to engage with.

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Ad Types

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Which types of ads are most effective in the market you’re entering? For example, some industries may see higher engagement with video ads, but their static Facebook ads still drive the majority of their conversions.

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Doing ad research within the DTC market niche you’re in will help avoid overspending and lost time on content that doesn’t resonate with your audience.

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Landing Pages and Social Media Tie-ins

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In addition to knowing the best ads to run on Facebook, you can also determine how to effectively craft high-converting landing pages and relevant social media content. Coming up with a multi-layer strategy is important if you want to create a cohesive experience for your audience.

Most importantly, you need a strong website design that ensures your ads are just the start of a remarkable experience for your customers. Whether they find you on Facebook or a landing page you promoted on Google, the website should be designed in a way that makes their transition into your digital store feel seamless.

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How to Get Started

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DTC market research doesn’t have to be overwhelming. You can use tools like fbdaily.io to research brands in your industry and see firsthand what top-performing brands are posting. Keeping a comprehensive record of successful ads and web copy will allow you to build your own content and succeed faster without losing time or money.

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