Survey Indicates Insurance Industry Must Look To Web and Interactive Marketing To Satisfy Customers

Atlanta, GA -- (SBWire) -- 04/28/2010 -- AIS Media, Inc., an award-winning interactive marketing and consulting agency announces the release of its 2010 Insurance Customer Interactive Media Usage Survey. The survey queried the public on where they obtain information about insurance services and how receptive they are to interactive promotions for insurance. The results of the survey showed that American consumers are increasingly looking to the web and interactive promotions when making purchase decisions with their insurance needs.

Fifty-nine percent of the respondents stated that after receiving an insurance offer in the mail they are more likely to visit the insurance company’s website rather than call the company. This demonstrates clearly that an overwhelming number of Americans now are using the web to engage with insurance companies instead of telephone — a trend that is expected to increase. Meantime, traditional advertising is losing its appeal for consumers researching insurance options with 32% turning to search engines to begin their research versus only 3% that use the yellow pages. In addition, a third of all respondents would consider purchasing their insurance online which indicates to the insurance industry, like numerous other industries, the web is now the first stop for a growing number of Americans and over time will become the one-stop shop for insurance needs.

“This survey reveals timely and useful data that will have a profound effect on how the insurance industry markets to consumers and views their web presence,” said Thomas Harpointner, CEO of AIS Media. “An overwhelming number of insurance customers prefer to visit a website after receiving direct mail insurance offers and a significant number of insurance customers are influenced by interactive media. Integrating an effective interactive marketing strategy to existing direct mail campaigns can provide insurance companies the potential for immediate increases in marketing ROI and measurability."

The survey showed that insurance company websites will be pivotal not only for acquiring new customers, but retaining customers in the long term. For a growing number of consumers, the website is the first point of contact with an insurance company, one that leads them dissatisfied could also cause the company to lose sales. Thirty-one percent of the respondents were dissatisfied with insurance company existing website usability; 49.5% were somewhat satisfied; and only 19.5% were very satisfied or extremely satisfied with existing websites.

For the insurance industry, the challenge in 2010 is to effectively engage and influence insurance customers online by augmenting existing traditional promotions. The findings of this survey indicate that by improving website usability satisfaction level of the consumer and increasing online presence will be key in a successful marketing strategy this year.

A complete copy of “2010 Insurance Customer Interactive Media Usage Survey Results,” is available upon request.

About AIS Media:
AIS Media, Inc., an interactive marketing and consulting agency, is a leading provider of Internet strategy consulting, award-winning website development, email and, search engine and social media marketing, and lead generation services. The company has developed a suite of Web applications under the proprietary “Excerpo” brand, which focuses on email marketing and e-commerce. AIS Media’s solutions are available directly and through its global network of certified consultants. For more information, or to locate a local consultant, visit: http://www.aismedia.com.