Consumer Insights: Your Secret Sauce for Growth in Evolving Markets

Consumer insights are your GPS for growth. They show what customers really want, so you can build better products and craft better messages that truly connect and has your competition dazed.

"Change" spelled out with wooden blocks.

Why are consumer insights crucial for business growth?

Consumer insights are the inside scoop on what your customers need, like, and expect. Think of consumer insights as a flashlight in a dark room: they illuminate the path forward so you don’t stumble.

Consumer insights light the way to smarter product, marketing, and CX moves that let you:

• Build better products

• Aim marketing where it counts 

• Smooth every touchpoint 

• Outpace rivals 

As a McKinsey report put it, businesses that continuously update their understanding of who their consumers are and what they want will be best positioned to succeed. In today’s world, you can’t rely on yesterday’s insights and old assumptions – things change fast.

How can emerging trends be used to improve products?

Emerging consumer trends are like little clues about where the market is heading. If you pay attention, these trends can inspire small but smart tweaks to your products that delight customers and boost sales. The idea is simple: use data and consumer insights to spot what’s trending, then adapt your product accordingly.

Let’s break it down with a few examples of trend-driven product tweaks:

Trend	Consumer Behavior	Product Improvement
Sustainability	In 2024, shoppers increasingly prioritize brands that are green and ethical when making purchases	Switch to recyclable packaging or add an eco-friendly feature to your product.
Health & Wellness	More people are buying products with perceived health benefits (ex. Low sugar, organic ingredients)	Adjust your recipe or offer a healthier product variant.
Hyper-personalization with AI	More consumers are buying products that offer personalization options (from sneakers to software)	Give users more choices to customize – color, content settings, you name it.

By anticipating shifts and acting on them, you keep your offerings relevant in a constantly evolving marketplace. Even small product improvements (a new feature here, a design tweak there) can make a big difference when those changes align with what customers are starting to look for.

How can emerging trends lead to profitable marketing tweaks?

Adapting to new marketing trends is key to staying relevant and competitive.  When consumer behavior or technology shifts, your marketing strategy should shift along with it. Brands that keep up and stay agile are the ones that connect with audiences (and avoid looking like yesterday’s news).

Here are a few trending insights and how you can turn them into profitable marketing moves:

Trend	Consumer Want	Marketing Shift
People trust real people	90% of buyers who read positive customer reviews say those reviews influence their buying decision	Share user-generated content (UGC) like reviews, testimonials, or customer stories in your marketing.
Video is Viral	In 2024, spending on short video ads (think TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts) skyrocketed to almost $100 billion	Create catchy short video ads for your brand.
Values-driven marketing	Over 50% of consumers buy from brands that reflect their own values	Highlight your company’s authentic commitment to a cause that matters to your audience.

Being forward-thinking with marketing doesn’t mean chasing every shiny new fad. It means paying attention to real shifts in how consumers behave and what they care about.

Feeling overwhelmed by all the trends? You’re not alone. It can be a lot to track. But start small – pick one trend that aligns with your brand and experiment. Even a tiny tweak can yield big results, and we’re here to help if you get stuck!