95 Million Americans Use Social Media to Shop

Here’s some terrific news for marketers looking for ways to use social media networks  to improve the customer experience:

New research reveals that more and more people are shopping via social media sites, and it’s a trend showing no signs of stopping.  The key, of course, is discerning which sites or tools will enable you to most effectively connect with your target audience.

The study, recently released by Leo Burnett’s marketing division Arc Worldwide, not only contained findings to send any self-respecting online marketing pro’s heart racing, but also boiled down the demographics into six “shopper archetypes,” providing a snapshot of the preferences and requirements each demonstrate when they do their “social shopping.”

First, let’s take a look at the study findings:

• Nearly 95 million Americans currently shop via one or more forms of social media.
• More than 70 percent of the 4,000 people surveyed in this study stated they use social media to shop more now than they ever did.
• Of these, 42 percent said they use Facebook for shopping more than they did a year ago, 46 percent indicated they participate more on review forums, and more than half have increased the frequency with which they check out daily deals on sites such as Groupon.

In order to make this information even more useful to marketers, the researchers felt it was important to consider which social media platforms attracted certain personality types.

As Nick Jones, Leo Burnett/Arc Worldwide’s head of retail marketing explained, “Fifty years ago marketers figured out that broadcast media drove awareness and print media added depth of communication.  Now we have all of these new social communication channels but no one has identified the optimal role of each. That’s what this study and this set of tools solves.”

So what are the six archetypes, and what characterizes their social shopping behavior?  Here’s the list:

Healthcare Companies Missing Valuable Opportunities to Engage via Social Media Sites

In the past, I’ve been somewhat puzzled by the reluctance of certain industries and occupations to embrace social media as a way to connect with and engage their customers.

But, I’ll admit, I’m even more baffled when companies remain resistant, even after consumers demonstrate they are eager to learn more about them online.

Case in point: People are flocking to social media sites and health forums for healthcare information, and yet providers of healthcare services are maintaining relatively low social media profiles.

According to a recently released PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report, consumers were 24 times more likely to seek or share health information on community sites than on the corporate sites of healthcare organizations, largely because they found that community sites were more accessible.

Kelly Barnes, US Health Industries leader at PwC, says social media has created a new customer service access point where consumers expect an immediate response.

“Health organizations have an opportunity to use social media as a way to better listen, participate in discussions and engage with consumers in ways that extend their interaction beyond a clinical encounter,” Barnes explained. “Savvy adopters are viewing social media as a business strategy, not just a marketing tool.”

Here’s what researchers found after surveying 1,000 US consumers for this study: 

Half of Consumers Feel Overwhelmed by Brand Messages on Social Media

Even though many brands have only just begun to launch their social media strategies, it’s already time for a stern wake-up call:

New research from Content and Motion indicates that consumers are feeling besieged by brand messages on social media.

After surveying about 3,000 people worldwide, Content and Motion found that:

• Half of those polled (a full 50 percent) feel overwhelmed by brand messages on social media.
• Three out of four (75 percent) said one or two brand messages a day is too much.
• 70 percent said they don’t attach any meaningful value to a brand’s persona.

Even so, though, the survey also discovered that consumers seem resolved to having brands as part of their social media life. Nearly half (45 percent) of those polled choose to interact with brands on social media channels.  Among these, 60 percent said they share brand messages, and more than one-fourth (27 percent) said they like to share information about brand products.

As Content and Motion points out, social media marketing success lies in:

Which Social Media Brands Are the Strongest?

Many consumers use Facebook for online social networking. Others would rather engage via Twitter. Lots of the business professionals I know like LinkedIn the best. Taking all these different preferences into account, how would you rank the value of today’s social network brands?

Before you answer, consider for a moment what the brand value rating agency BV4 has to say on the subject. Just yesterday, BV4 released what’s being billed as the first-ever ranking of social network brands.

According to the analysis, the top four social media brands are:

Women Increasingly Influential as Amplifiers of Brand Messages

Women have always been a target-rich audience for marketers. But, given the dynamics of today’s marketplace, I think it’s fair to say that female consumers are having even more of an impact than ever before.

Today’s women are empowered with digital devices, and they’re connecting via social media. That means women are now not only key buyers; they’re also tremendously influential as broadcasters and amplifiers of brand messages, as well.

For example, more than half (54 percent) of the 1,200+ women recently surveyed by Fleishman-Hillard International Communications and Hearst Magazines  said they agreed with this statement: “I feel it is my responsibility to help friends and family make smart purchase decision.” Back in 2008, less than one-third of the women polled felt that way.

In addition, one- third of the women in the study reported that they had recommended a product or service during the past six months, and one in five stated that they had advised someone not to purchase something.

Here are a few more key findings that caught my eye: