Consumers Are Most Likely to Engage With Branded Content That Contain Pictures, Status Updates and Videos

A new Performics study titled “Life on Demand: Participant Behavior and Social Engagement” reveals how consumers are taking to online and social forms of communication to replace traditional forms of interaction. This has implications for marketers and brands, too.

The study includes answers from 1,961 U.S. Americans who visit a social network at least once a day.

According to the study, 94 percent of respondents have a Facebook account, 57 percent have a YouTube account, 42 percent have a Twitter account, 38 percent have a Google+ account, 23 percent have a LinkedIn account and 17 percent have a Pinterest account.

Twenty-four percent of respondents have one social networking account, 24 percent have two, 24 percent have three and 28 percent have four or more.

Taking a closer look at the demographics for these social networks, Performics found that women are more likely to have a Facebook account, dads are more likely to have YouTube and Twitter accounts, Google+ is more popular among parents, and Pinterest is more popular among women.

Facebook’s users are the most loyal, as 95 percent visit the site at least once a day. Meanwhile, 65 percent of YouTube users visit the social network at least once a day, 61 percent of Twitter users visit at least once a day, 54 percent of Pinterest users visit at least once a day, 52 percent of Google+ users visit at least once a day and 34 percent of LinkedIn users visit at least once a day.

Performics also found that when respondents post something on a social networking site, 41 percent expect people to respond within an hour, 22 percent expect responses in 1-6 hours, 12 percent expect responses in more than six hours and 25 percent don’t expect a response.

According to the study, 52 percent of respondents would rather talk to distant friends via social networking sites than traditional channels, 50 percent spend less time emailing because they communicate via social networks, 48 percent spend less time on the phone because they communicate on social networks, 40 percent are more comfortable engaging people online than in person, and 30 percent would rather talk to close friends via social networking sites than traditional channels.

Performics found that 48 percent of respondents “like” for follow entertainment-related companies/products on social networks, while 43 percent do so for restaurants, 43 percent for food, 37 percent for celebrities, 35 percent for apparel, 32 percent for sports-related companies/products and 30 percent for electronics. Overall, the average social network users “likes” 4.98 categories.

A third of respondent said they would be very likely to respond to an offer from a brand on a social networking site if it was a repost from a friend, while 27 percent said the same for an offer on the brand’s page on the social network, 25 percent for an offer in their News Feed and 20 percent for an offer in an ad on the social network.

In response to the question “How likely are you to engage with each of the following types of posts when they come from a brand “like” or follow?” 44 percent said pictures, 40 percent said status updates, 37 percent said videos, 36 percent said jokes/cartoons/memes and 35 percent said links to articles.

“Marketers must understand what motivates people and embrace marketing techniques that inspire participation with their brand,” said Daina Middleton, global CEO of Performics.

Source:

http://blog.performics.com/search/2012/07/life-on-demand-study-reveals-new-social-norms-40-percent-of-americans-feel-more-comfortable-engaging.html