Branding and coordinated image for selling online in the American market

For American consumers, a brand's digital identity in the USA is more important than its physical identity

Presenting a clear identity to the market is a critical factor for achieving good results. This is even truer in the United States, where competition is fierce and consumers are extremely demanding when it comes to shopping. A company looking to start selling in America must therefore carefully design the elements of its coordinated image. After all, the product itself is becoming less significant in the purchase decision, because the distinctive factor is the corporate identity and, most importantly, the brand identity.

Selling in the United States to Millennials and Generation Z

In this context, there are many studies that can provide critical information to all those Italian companies approaching the American market for successful sales in the United States. A survey by Squarespace reveals two key data points to attract young American consumers to a new brand. Specifically, it's the company's online presence that makes the difference when a consumer in the USA asks, "Should I buy it or not?":

• Among Millennials, 62% believe that how one presents online is more important than in-person presentation;
• Among Gen Z, 60% prioritize the online coordinated image of brands in America.

That's more than one out of two young Americans. Additionally, since 92% of Generation Z can multitask while browsing the web, they are also more likely to remember the distinctive colors of a website than someone's eye color. This data is telling: the results of an Italian business in the United States (especially those targeting younger American consumers) revolve mainly around the brand's digital coordinated image.

For older consumers, things don't work like this: only 21% of Generation X and 8% of Baby Boomers consider the digital identity of brands in America more important than the physical identity. Below, we provide other useful data for Italian companies approaching the American market.

• 88% of consumers research products or services online before making a purchase. If a company fails to establish a compelling digital presence, potential customers might choose competitors with a stronger online footprint.

For those who have or want to launch a business in America, it is becoming more advantageous to implement online sales strategies than to open physical locations

Consumption methods and habits of American consumers on the web

• Americans visit about 8 new websites a day (3,000 annually).
• 29% of American consumers make an online purchase at least once a month
• The most popular merchandise categories in the US e-commerce segment are fashion, media, and electronics [Source: Statista].
• Most e-commerce shoppers are aged 25 to 34 (41.8 million). They are followed by the 35-44 age group (36.5 million), those over 65 (35.1), the 45-54 age group (32.3 million), 55-64 (31.8 million), 18-24 (26.5 million), and 14-17 (10.7 million) [Source: eMarketer].
• Generation Z eats (59%), listens to music (59%), talks on the phone (45%), or even dances (28%) while browsing.
• 59% of US consumers surf the web while watching TV (3 out of 5). 65% of Generation Z do so while in bed.
• More than 2 out of 5 Americans spend more time online than engaging in sports or leisure activities during the week.
• 66% of Americans believe online research is particularly important for planning trips and travels.
• Being online is not enough. It's also crucial to offer consumers a smooth purchase journey, product reviews, and good navigation.

The online presence of a brand is essential in times when American consumers spend almost more time on the internet than engaging in other activities. Nothing should be left to chance: if you create a website, the goal should be to give a first impression convincing enough to lead the person to complete the purchase, especially considering that 7 out of 10 Americans will buy from businesses with a well-designed interface.

More than half of U.S. consumers check a company's website before contacting the company

Squarespace's research also highlights that more than half of Americans think a well-conceived website or e-commerce site is more important for a company than a physical location. The quality of the brand's online image will therefore determine the potential to achieve a significant number of sales both on the web and in any physical locations the company decides to open.

In conclusion, building your new brand's coordinated image for the United States is the best operation to perform in terms of return on investment. In particular, ExportUSA will ensure that your products gain relevance for the target audience you want to serve in America, saving you time and harmful mistakes for your business.