If your vision of online shoppers consists of socially savvy women comparing prices, reading online reviews and chatting with friends, you may need to rethink that image.
Those shoppers could very well have beards, biceps and baritone voices. Men, it turns out, are also turning their shopping experiences into social ones.
That’s the gist of the latest ManScan Study from Men’s Health magazine and GfK Roper, which shows that 72% of men check prices online before making a purchase, 56% read online reviews before making a purchase and 44% tell friends when they’ve learned something positive online about brands and products.
As the graph from eMarketer below shows, the numbers are even higher for particular product categories, including cars, technology and — wait for it — health and wellness, which posted some of the highest figures of all.
The data uncovered in the ManScan suggests that as men evolve their attitudes to suit the times, so do their interests, priorities and behaviors, said Cary Silvers, director of consumer insights for the magazine. Advertisers and marketers should answer with programs that target this modern man.
So, too, should cosmetic surgeons. While women still account for the vast majority of procedures, men accounted for 9% of the total last year, an increase of 121% since 1997, according to just-released statistics from ASAPS.
While we don’t collect personal data from our site members, such as gender, topics that males care about–like male breast reduction–are seeing moderate gains in interest, says Tom Seery, CEO of RealSelf.com. While it’s not an explosion of demand from men, there’s surely an upward trend that’s worth watching.
If you want to reach them, it’s more important than ever to be active in social media so you know what they’re saying, what they’re looking for and how you can help them achieve it.
Doctor Takeaways
1. Understand how men shop
Generalizations are always dangerous but the idea that “men are from Mars, women are from Venus” clearly holds true for marketing. It’s been said that a man’s buying decision is a tactical execution while a woman’s is a philosophical experience. When it comes to cosmetic procedures, a cost/benefit analysis may prove more successful than aspirational or emotional appeals.
2. Understand what men are looking for
According to ASAPS, the top 5 cosmetic surgeries for men last year were lipoplasty/liposuction, rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, gynecomastia and facelift. The most popular nonsurgical procedures were Botox, laser hair removal, Radiesse, IPL laser treatment and microdermabrasion. To underscore the popularity of such procedures, incorporate masculine — or at some less feminine — imagery in your online marketing efforts.
