CogBlog

This is an interesting tidbit from Frank Barnako's Internet Daily column on CBSMarketWatch:

The Internet is one of the most important sources of information for people deciding whether to buy expensive items, says a Harris Interactive survey commissioned by the consumer service portal Reply.

According to a poll of 2,245 The Web is a more popular source than referrals by parents, friends, professionals, news articles and clergy.

"Other than their spouses, people seek advice from the Internet before any other source," says Payam Zamani, CEO of Reply. "People don't just turn to the Web for small purchases like CDs and books anymore. They trust the Web as an essential referral source for making major purchases such as homes, cars and loans."

Understanding that many of the visitors to your site are looking for advice or product comparison information helps explain why those cheesy long-copy pages do so well. And, It is more of a challenge than you might think to properly address your online marketing to advice seekers. I think most people have a very strong urge to do what seems to fit, rather than what may be most effective. Consequently you have ads that "look like ads", and copy that "sounds professional", and sites that try to be "entertaining", rather than addressing the mindset of your potential customer in a useful way.