Where They Share Mobile Video

From yesterday’s post, we learned how prevalent mobile video sharing is and how the affect of that activity can help your business.  Today, we’ll look at where mobile video viewers share mobile video.  Knowing the avenues where consumers share video can help you create better opportunities and targeting tactics.

• The top place mobile video viewers share information is through social media, Facebook in particular.  Overall 56% of people who shared mobile video, shared it through social media

• Over four in 10 mobile video sharers used a significantly more low-tech approach – They showed the video to someone else on their device

• Nearly 40% shared a mobile video via text message

• One-third emailed a mobile video to someone else

• Three in 10 sharers used YouTube

What Does This Mean To You?

This points out how engaged mobile users are with social media.  Social media is becoming a mobile first function.  In the past year, the amount of adults of adults who have accessed social sites on a mobile phone has increased by over 60% nationally.  Among millenials, over 40% currently access social networks on their mobile phone.
Mobile social networkers are looking at your social content and what people have posted about your business.
When was the last time you looked at the comments people have left about your organization on your own social sites?
How often do you search other sites for comments about your company?
Does your social reputation encourage consumers to shop your business?
Bad business reviews, negative information and misleading posts can cost you customers. As a business, you need to pay attention to your social reputation because potential shoppers are.
For more information about effective social media strategies, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: IAB; eMarketer; The 2012 Scarborough Report, Release 1

Social Media Influences Impluse Purchases

Social media continues to evolve as a marketing and sales tool.  Originally, it was seen as a way to create awareness and organizational branding.  Then it moved into an instrument that helps companies connect with consumers.  The next step was brand evangelism – where brand fans become an extension of the company’s marketing department.  Social media is beginning to become a revenue stream with social retailing.  Now, new research is showing that social media is affecting  sales by influencing impulse sales.

• In the past two years, the number
of consumers who follow brands on social media has more than doubled

• 36% of consumers who follow a
retailer on social media said that
updates from that retailer had led
them to try a new product

• One in six consumers made a purchase from a particular brand because their friends or family follow that brand on social media.  This includes nearly one in four shoppers under 35

• More than one in five shoppers have been motivated to make an unplanned purchase because of social media

• 15% said that social media postings caused them to spend more than they planned at a retailer

What Does This Mean To You?

Social media offers your company a wide variety of tools and options.  From
the ability to target shoppers, create loyal customers and increase your awareness.  Social media is now developing as a way to direct sales of a particular item and increase per trip sales. We are now starting the busiest
time of the year for retailers and social media can help you have the best
holiday sales season possible.
Here are just a few ways you can utilize social media during the holidays:

• Create an “insiders” twitter feed and fan pages on social entities with
special pricing

• Offer free or discounted shipping tied to a loyalty program to those who “like” or follow you on social media – Last year, Free shipping was mentioned as the top reason consumers chose on retailer over another for holiday shopping

• Reward consumers who give positive social media feedback about your business.  These offers can range from discounts to gifts with purchase or early/late convenience shopping programs

The fact is that consumers are using social media and the more you promote your social offerings, the more you optimize your social marketing and the more integrate them into your total marketing campaign – the better off your business will be.  In tomorrow’s post, we’ll look into other digital tools that are influencing where people are shopping.  For more information on how to grow your business and have a great holiday season through social media, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: The Ryan Partnership; Ipsos

Snapshot Of A Facebook User

Facebook is the world’s biggest social network and to many consumers social media and Facebook are two sides of the same coin.  Many businesses only form of social media presence is a Facebook page.  Knowing what the average Facebook user looks like and knowing their social activities can help you maximize the impact of your Facebook offerings.

• Facebook has over 845 million active users

• The average Facebook user has 130 “friends” and the average visit lasts 23 minutes

• Over 45% of Facebook users are age 45 or older

• Nearly 60% of users are female

• 57% have attended college and roughly one quarter have a college degree

• Almost half of Facebook users have household incomes between $50,000 and $100,000

What Does This Mean To You

Simply having a Facebook page does not equal social media marketing.
Do you have a social media or Facebook strategy?
What are you doing to engage readers?
How are you leveraging your “friends”?
How often you post?
What kind of content do you post?
Having a Facebook page is just the starting point for creating a winning social media strategy.
How important is this audience?
In Metro Orlando, over 55% of adults have accessed Facebook in the past month.
Nearly 40% of these users have household incomes over $75,000+
For more information on to bring your business more success through social media, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: OnlineMBA.com; Kalena Jordan, SearchEngineCollege.com; sitepronews.com; The 2012 Scarborough Report, Release 1

Why Consumers “Like” Brands

The impact of social media on brands is undeniable.  As a part of a well thought out marketing campaign, social media can certainly help create results.  Social media can also be very detrimental to your business if you are not paying attention to what people are saying about you.  As social media continues to evolve and users become savvier, it’s good to look at information on why consumers “like” brands.  A study has been released that not only details why consumers click the “like” button, it also looks at what marketers think the “like” means.  The difference between why consumers “like” and what marketers think it means is surprising.

• Worldwide, the top reason consumers “like” a brand was because they are currently a loyal customer of the brand.  Nearly half of consumers said that was the reason they clicked “like”

• 46% wanted to receive incentives or rewards for engaging with the brand, another 46% wanted to keep track of news on the brand

• 43% were looking for special savings or brand related events

• 30% said they found the page’s content agreeable and “liked” for that reason

• Roughly one in four wanted to have their voice heard or to help other customers

• Approximately one in five clicked “like” because they either wanted to recommend the brand to friends or wanted to engage other customers

• Marketers, mistakenly thought that the page’s content was the top reason why people “liked” a page.  That view was held by nearly 60% of marketers surveyed

• Marketing professionals also put more stock in the customers need to be heard as a reason for the “like” – 41% of marketers thought people liked for that reason

• Marketers also vastly underestimated the customer loyalty factor.  Just 24% of marketers thought that was a reason for the “like”

• They also did not put as much weight in consumers desire for savings as a reason for “liking” a brand

What Does This Mean To You

Maybe the reason some brands are more successful than others on social media is could come down to a misconception of what consumers are looking for.  While the majority of “likes” worldwide may come from loyal customers, utilizing some of the other information can help you create loyal customers – and then get those loyal customers to be recruiters for your brand.  Since every business is unique, ask your current fans or followers why they engage your company on social media.  If the reason they “like” you is because they are looking for coupons and other savings vehicles, then make sure it is the focus of your social media efforts.  But as we saw in a study last week – incentivize them to let others know how great your company is.  Maybe give better offers for those fans or followers who refer other customers.  These brand evangelists can be a big part of your social success.  For more information on how social media can help your business move the needle, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: eMarketer; CMO Council

Why Do People “Like”?

Social media is constantly evolving.  If you plan on marketing yourself through social media, you need to stay up on the latest trends. Yesterday’s post talked about the reasons why consumers signed up to receive emails from a business or nonprofit.  The same study detailed information on why consumers “like” a business on nonprofit on Facebook.

• Over 40% “like” to get discounts and special offers

• Nearly 30% are looking to take advantage of a specific promotional opportunity

• 27% are current customers or supporters

• One in four want to support the business or nonprofit

• 23% are looking for exclusive content

• Over 20% want to show everyone that they support certain businesses or nonprofits

What Does This Mean To You?

Social networking doesn’t just offer your business the ability to connect with and engage potential customers, it gives you the ability to take a satisfied customer and turn them into a huge promotional voice.  The fact that over one in five “likers” took action just to tell the world how much of a happy customer they are, is amazing.  These aren’t just consumers, they are brand evangelists.  They are an extension of your social media marketing campaign.  Cultivate and reward “likers” and watch how their numbers will grow.  One thing to remember is that “likers” can be fickle as well.  Make sure you are serving them valuable offers and content they want.  Last year, there was research that 60% of “likers” disengaged with brands because of they did not find the communication from the brands valuable.  Getting the “likes” is just the first step – do it organically.  Make sure your social media plan goes beyond just collecting “likers”, have a strategy for kepping them as well.  For more information on winning social media strategies, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: Emarketer; Chadwick Martin Bailey

Do “Likes” Equal Loyalty?

Creating long-term, loyal customers is a key ingredient in running a successful business.  The cost in retaining current customers is much less than the cost of acquiring new ones.  With so many companies using social media and putting an emphasis on cultivating “likes”, the question has come up, does a “like” equal loyalty? There is a new study detailing what Facebook and social media can do for a business and consumer effects of social media.

•  Nearly 90% of consumers use social networking sites
•  Two-thirds look for special promotions & offers on Facebook
•  Almost 60% have “liked” a brand’s page in the past 6 months
•  13% said that they are much more likely to purchase something from a brand they “like”
•  The most “liked” pages were from food, TV shows, music, movies & clothing brands
•   7 in 10 adults age 40+ “liked” food brands
•  Nearly three-quarters of teens “liked” TV shows music & movies
•  Over half of users are accessing Facebook from mobile devices

What Does This Mean To You?

If 90% of all consumers are networking socially, it’s safe to say that a majority of your customers are using social media.  While there may not be a direct line from “likes” to loyalty, there looks to be a link between “likes” and purchase intent.  One important thing to remember is that “likes” need to be organic to be beneficial.  Purchasing “likes” may be fast & easy, but there may not be any affinity between the “liker” and the actual brand.  The best way to acquire and retain “likes” through social media is content.  Tomorrows post will focus on what types of content people “likers” expect.  For more information on optimizing your social media efforts, please contact your Orlando Sentinel
Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: eVoc Insights; Emarketer

Why Consumers Don’t “Like” Brands

Just because consumers “Like” a brand, doesn’t give you carte blanche to market anything and everything to them.  For a snapshot into do’s and don’ts of
marketing to your followers, it’s good to look at the reasons why people don’t
“Like” brands.

• Over 50% of social networkers don’t want to be
  bombarded with ads or messages
• 45% don’t want to give companies access to their
  person information
• Roughly 3 in 10 don’t want things pushed into their friends newsfeeds or want companies to contact them through social media
• Approximately 20% don’t want to impose their views on others or see any benefit in “Liking” a brand on FaceBook

What Does This Mean To You?
Once you have a consumer “Liking” you on FaceBook or following you through other social media, you should not abuse that privilege. Over 35% of social media users disengage with brands after a short time because they don’t see a value or the feel inundated with messages.  By optimizing your social media presence you
can increase loyalty and drive consumers to your locations. For more information on how to engage customers through social media, please contact
your Orlando Sentinel Media Group Representative, or:
Al Fiala
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: EMarketer; Exact Target