By creating convenient, one-stop user experiences, Uber, Blue Apron, and Instacart have each earned cult-like followings. They have raised the bar for consumer expectations going forward.

Cult brands orient their products, business model and customer experience (CX) around the way people intuitively behave. These user-obsessed businesses enable seamless customer engagement throughout the entire buyer journey. Everything a consumer needs is housed in one place: With Uber, you can order a car, adjust the route and rate a driver — all in one app. Additional offerings like Uber Rewards and Uber Eats makes it almost inevitable that consumers return for more.

Brands with these types of all-inclusive portals are successful not only because they’re convenient, but also because they mirror natural human behavior. By integrating processes and features that mimic human interactions and needs, users are incentivized to come back and use services again and again. Successful brands like Peloton have cracked this code by creating a one-stop experience that travels across devices, instinctively addressing various consumer needs based on the context.

And in each customer interaction, companies with cult-like followings build their brand consciousness.

Brand consciousness is critical to customer loyalty

Brand consciousness is the extent to which consumers recognize and value your brand. Each touchpoint represents an extension of your reach. In general, your first touch is your brand — your name, appearance, etc. Then, by delivering a great experience under your brand, you widen your brand consciousness. The more times you deliver these experiences, the more loyalty you build with customers.

Digital engagement is critical to brand loyalty. By delivering an exceptional branded customer experience on digital, you can maintain a strong connection with existing customers and build your brand footprint, reaching a broader range of people and creating a larger market opportunity.

Activate brand consciousness through one-stop customer experiences

Improving customer experiences comes with high pay-offs — the majority of companies that improve their CX also report higher revenues. In fact, according to Forbes, improving UX can increase conversion rates between 200 and 400%. As you work to improve customer experience, brand awareness becomes brand consciousness, which in turn leads to loyal followers.

There are several considerations for businesses looking to advance their digital engagement initiatives:

  • Get your digital channel up-to-date. As digital consumption reaches an all-time high, businesses must be able engage with consumers over digital channels to stay competitive. And for customers seeking high-touch services, like those provided by legal or financial companies, the digital experience needs to translate the highly individualized, interactive services expected in these industries.
  • Enable compatibility across channels. Customers today have on-demand digital expectations, are on the move, and want seamless experiences across digital channels. Brands like Peloton create identical branded workouts whether on a smartphone, desktop or physical bike and enable seamless compatibility in a lifelike virtual platform. Businesses should strive to create a completely connected, easy and convenient experience for users, whether it’s in their back pockets or on a laptop at home.
  • Tell your brand story. Brands that deliver fully owned and branded experiences build a sense of trust and reliance with customers. Customizable platforms make it easy to establish critical business tools under a specific brand — instead of giving third-party providers the credit. By owning business identity across touchpoints, businesses create stronger connections with your customers, activating brand consciousness.
  • Analyze the customer journey. As businesses expand their company’s digital branch, it’s important to consider each touchpoint during a typical buyer journey. How can they transform these touchpoints into digital experiences? Instead of looking at digital transformation from the lens of technological advancement, think about the specific problem you’re solving for your customers — and how digital experiences can help streamline your solution.

Brands with cult-like followings create successful digital experiences by both adjusting to consumers’ expectations and seamlessly integrating into their lives. As you work to create similar experiences for your brand, remember: Consumers will passionately follow the brands that adapt to their natural behavior.

Leena Iyar is Head of Marketing at Moxtra