The Importance of Understanding Consumer Behaviour in the Digital Era
Purchasing products triggered by social media posts has become a complex dynamic of consumer behaviour in the digital era. Understanding the reasons why consumers choose and transact is a crucial skill for aspiring business managers.
The Management Study Programme at Nusa Mandumn Mandiri University (UNM) emphasises the importance of understanding market behaviour for its students. As a Digital Business Campus, UNM equips students with fundamental management sciences integrated with digital business developments.
The Head of the UNM Management Programme, Instianti Elyana, stated that the success of a business heavily depends on a company’s ability to understand the needs and changes of its consumers.
“Business cannot simply proceed on the assumption that our product is good. We need to understand who the consumers are, what their needs are, how they make decisions, and what ultimately leads them to choose a product,” she said in a release received on Tuesday (15/09/2026).
She explained that today’s consumers are increasingly critical and have vast access to information through search engines, marketplaces, and user reviews. This condition means that even a single negative comment can affect a brand’s image.
“In the past, companies might have found it easier to control information about their products. Now, consumers are also sources of information. They can provide reviews, create content, and share their experiences with the public,” she noted.
Regarding the phenomenon of social media popularity, Instianti Elyana urged students to distinguish between abundant social media exposure and actual business transaction success.
“Going viral can create awareness, but it does not necessarily lead to sales. Therefore, students need to understand the difference between attention, engagement, consideration, and conversion,” she said.
She encouraged students to use social media as a reliable research space to observe consumer responses systematically. This research approach is also crucial for students aspiring to become entrepreneurs to avoid errors in product design.
“Try to stop looking at products solely from the company’s perspective. Learn to view products from the consumer’s perspective. That will change how we understand marketing,” she added.
Furthermore, she reaffirmed that the curriculum in the UNM Management Programme is designed to address these challenges through a combination of subjects such as Digital Entrepreneurship, Business Modelling, and Marketing Management. Students are encouraged to develop analytical skills to view business comprehensively.
“This capacity-building step is prepared by UNM to produce graduates who are ready for careers or to build independent businesses. Understanding the consumer means understanding the heart of a business, where strategies are designed to create real value,” she concluded.