Consumer engagement is the resulting impact of a brand interacting with consumers through of a variety of marketing initiatives. The goal of consumer engagement is to create meaningful consumer impact and generate either a behavioral result (such as driving a sale or inquiry) or an attitudinal result (such as making an emotional impression or changing attitudes).

Consumer engagement typically includes the following practices

• Digital and online programs, including a brand’s own websites and mobile platforms, as well as ‘third-party’ digital media, such as blogs and social media, video and other user generated content sites, where a brand’s content is relevant
• Sports, music and event marketing
• Public relations
• Traditional advertising
• Retail promotion

Experiential marketing along with digital and social media have an important place within consumer engagement efforts as they allow two-way consumer dialog. This can give a brand faster and more effective access to connect with consumers and allow brand and consumer to become collaborators on new products and marketing efforts.

Methods of measuring consumer engagement vary as widely as brands and business’ goals vary. Quantifiable metrics like number of targeted impressions and consumer replies as well as consumer attitudinal and behavior changes can be part of the measurement. Qualitative measures such as the ‘richness’ and personality of a brand’s interactions, can also be gauged.