Study: 93 Percent of Americans Want Companies to Have Presence on Social Media Sites
According to the 2008 Cone Business in Social Media Study, 93% of Americans believe that a company should have a presence on social media sites and 85 percent believe that these companies should use these services to interact with consumers. Cone, a Boston-based consulting firm, also found that men are far more likely to interact with a company through social media than women are. 56% of consumers believe that a company is providing them with a better service by interacting with them on social media sites.
The numbers in this study are bit higher than those we have seen before (we assume that Cone uses a relatively broad definition of 'social media'), though the general trends do fall in line with the latest data from Universal McCann we wrote about last week.
As Michael Chin points out on the KickApps blog, social media first changed how we interacted with friends, family, and customers. Now, as consumers are getting more familiar with these tools, they also expect them to be a way to interact with companies - and based on this data from Cone, they want this to be a two-way conversation.
Here are some other interesting data points from the study:
- 60% of Americans regularly interact with companies on a social media site
- 43% of consumers say that companies should use social networks to solve the consumers' problems
- 41% believe that companies should use social media tools to solicit feedback on products and services
- Men are more likely to use social media tools to interact with a company than women (33% vs. 17%)
- 33% of younger consumers (18-34) and those with household incomes over $75,000 believe that companies should try to market to them through social networks
It would be nice to see Cone break these numbers down a bit more. What types of social media sites, for example, do users prefer? Are there any specific categories of companies and brands that they want to see on these sites? How exactly do they want to be marketed to? What do they think about implications for their privacy?
What is clear, however, is that social media is quickly becoming an important means for companies to reach consumers - and that consumer are also quickly changing their expectations about how, when, and where they want to be marketed to. As more users are embracing social media (and often to the detriment of traditional media), companies have no choice but to follow them.
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We are working on something like this at www.companyresume.com
The biggest thing we look to do is actually create not only a complete online profile of each company, but give both the employees and the company equal say in that profile.
For example, the users can write reviews, leave comments and vote these reviews up or down. The will be able to participate in basic surveys, and in about 4-6 months will be introducing a community feature for each and every company.
On the other hand the company can leave official comments on these reviews, participate in the upcoming community, develop their profile page, maintain a blog and in general manager their online reputation.
In terms of solving problems, this will be incorporated into the community. Users can as questions, report problems, suggest ideas or just rant away. The company can then reply. If its a frequent question, it can be "sticky'ed" for other people to see.
We just started so its hard to gauge what the response will be. I think if enough employees get involved enough, then the employers will be more compelled to do so too. So I guess in some sense it really is up to the employees.
PS: Excuse the mess, we are still in a very early beta.
Thanks for posting. To address your assumption regarding the definition of social media, it was open to the interpretation of the subject.
We, too, found that the answers to the questions in our study inspired many more questions, very much in line with the follow ups you've mentioned. I'd be very interested to see what else RWW's readers think would be interesting.
Mike Hollywood
Director of New Media, Cone
These seem like incredibly high numbers. I.e. 93% of Americans -- even 93% of Americans online would be very high. I would like to believe that they are true, but it makes me wonder how the questions were posed and what people understand under the term "social media."
If only WaMu had seen this study a few months ago...
This is complete nonsense.
Millions of those "93 percent" don´t even have basic Internet access. Or is "social media" now defined as TV + cell phone ?
The percentage of the population that uses a computer and can define "Social Media Sites," is no where close to 93$. The study may be useful but misrepresenting the statistical universe is irritating hyperbole.
This is a great article and supporting the fact that social media is important, growing and essential to many online successes.
Corporate blogs put a personal face on a company and are a way to interact with customers and users - social media sites can accomplish the same thing. Although initially apprehensive about negative feedback in a public forum, most companies realize they have to be open to it.
Let's be clear. We want companies on social networks. But we want them on OUR social networks.
The next company that tries to start its own social network gets a wedgie.
Utter bullocks!
Thank you, #5 and #6.
@#9, LMAO
This survey is a total joke and so is Cone. It couldn't be more clear that the conclusions of this study were solidified before any of the participants queried.
The only time *I* want to deal with companies is when I want to buy something and I sure as hell don't want them to have any of my contact info.
Not knowing details about the sample and research methodologies, I can't really tell if this data is good enough to be a basis for any decision making.
I certainly wouldn't base decisions on it until I saw the full, detailed report.
It's very possible that these data are, to quote #10, "utter bullocks."
But let's assume for a second that they're not. In this case, my response would still be: to quote #10, "utter bullocks."
There are so many nuances and differences in social media that blanket demographics, even if well-collected, are almost meaningless.
I'm doing a research study (academic, not market research) on corporations on Facebook. I'm studying one culture, that of college students. Guess what: They don't want corporations on Facebook (though they would tolerate them in certain cases - but you need to know what these cases are!).
I'd advise and organization to do thorough ethnographic research before jumping headfirst into social media. Know the culture you're diving into before diving.
Don't know how to do ethnographic research? Easy, focus groups. Or contact me, I'll recommend some sources so you can teach yourself.
Thanks for the comments, both supportive and critical. Of course, this was an online survey: "The 2008 Cone Business in Social Media Study presents the findings of an online survey conducted September 11-12, 2008 by Opinion Research Corporation among 1,092 adults comprising 525 men and 567 women 18 years of age and older."
Re: wedgies - agreed, social network efforts that are self-serving and/or centered around the company need to quickly go away. However, when a company takes a strategic approach to fill a proven need among an affinity group with a niche social net, it can be successful. Especially considering the tools that are available to marketers to get a social net up and running quickly and inexpensively - the return on such efforts can be impressive.
Mike, the questions were not whether this survey was online, but under what context. While browsing facebook or mysapce? Where did your traffic come from? US or international?
The return on such efforts can be dismal as well.
"Especially considering the tools that are available to marketers to get a social net up and running quickly and inexpensively"
>>Let me guess, and you can show them how today for the low low price of 19,999.95.
When you announce the results of some half-assed survey, you should expect to be properly brow beaten.
Anyone looking into "social media" for commercial purposes should run as far away from Cone as possible.
If you go beyond basic customer service / feedback, people seek out companies (and companies, people) for very different reasons.
When I need a service done, I want to find the best company at the best price fast. When I have a problem with a product or service, I want someone I can contact to resolve my problem quickly. But when a company wants to sell products to me, I'm not so sure I want them to be able to find me...
Social media is a two-way street. If you get access to the companies, how much access to they get to you?
Although the general tenets of the study hold true, the conclusion is not entirely accurate.
"The 2008 Cone Business in Social Media Study presents the findings of an online survey conducted September 11-12, 2008 by Opinion Research Corporation among 1,092 adults comprising 525 men and 567 women 18 years of age and older. The margin of error associated with a sample of this size is ± 3%."
1. An online survey is going to skew towards participants that are internet savvy.
2. The sample size of 1,092 is too small to draw any conclusions.
3. It's hard to know what the screener questions were, but a survey of this nature, balanced on age and gender alone, is not sufficient criteria to draw any sweeping conclusions about "Americans".
4. It's fair to say however, "93% of respondents..." but that just isn't as catchy.
I'm kind of confused. Does this mean that Americans want companies 'push' products via the social networks?
Maybe it should read as 'companies should be able to listen and respond appropriately to consumer feedback on all channels including social networks'.
Again, it all goes back to definitions....
Best.
alain
The number sounds high, I am curious to find out the demographics and numbers behind the specific survey. I do think that as a generalization, people would like their companies to have more of a social impact. More importantly I just think people want their companies to have better customer service.
Craig
www.budgetpulse.com
certainly wouldn't base decisions on it until I saw the full, detailed report.
It's very possible that these data are, to quote #10, "utter bullocks."
But let's assume for a second that they're not. In this case, my response would still be: to quote #10, "utter bullocks."
There are so many nuances and differences in social media that blanket demographics, even if well-collected, are almost meaningless.
I'm doing a research study (academic, not market research) on corporations on Facebook. I'm studying one culture, that of college students. Guess what: They don't want corporations on Facebook (though they would tolerate them in certain cases - but you need to know what these cases are!).
93% is much too high imo. I live in Cambridge, MA and went to MIT. Even some people at MIT don't understand the concept of social media. Many still equate social networking with sites such as MySpace and Facebook.
I'd expect a number in the teens or 20s. Social Media is still a new concept and not yet in the mainstream.