Social Media
Social Network Usage
The social networking audience in the US has reached critical mass. eMarketer's 2010 estimates show that 57.5% of all US Internet users, or 127 million people, use a social network at least once a month. By 2014, nearly two-thirds of Internet users will be on board.
New Harris Poll results show that 65% of US adults are using social media and a similar number say they have received a positive benefit from its use. Poll results also indicate that younger Americans claim positive benefits as a result of their social media use much more often than do older adults. 59% of Echo Boomers (ages 18-33) received a good suggestion for something to try from their social media activity, while 34% of Baby Boomers (ages 46-64) made the same claim.
Overall social networking use by online American adults has grown from 35% in 2008 to 61% in 2010 according to new data from the Pew Research Center. The increase is more dramatic among older adults.
| Social Network Use | 2008 | 2010 |
| Millennials (ages 18-33) | 67% | 83% |
| Gen X | 36% | 62% |
| Younger Boomers | 20% | 50% |
| Older Boomers | 9% | 43% |
| Silent Generation | 11% | 34% |
| GI Generation | 4% | 16% |
Social Network Advertising & Promotional Spending
Predictions from eMarketer for social media ad dollars in 2011 equal 10.8% of total online ad spending in the US. Social network site advertising in 2011 will reach $3.08 billion, an increase of 55% over 2010. Worldwide social network ad spending will be $5.97 billion in 2011, an increase of 71.6% over 2010.
Source: eMarketer, Jan 2011
According to a Borrell Assoc. report, promotional spending will grow 40% in 2011, to $7 billion. In 2012, the total should reach $8 billion, then double to $16 billion in 2013, and to $21 billion in 2014, almost double the amount for ad spending.
Click here for Social Media Marketing PPT
Social Network Usage by Affluent Consumers
Wealthy Internet users follow brands because of an affinity for a brand and a desire to be informed about that brand, according to the Affluence Collaborative survey by NowResearch. The main reason cited for the general population to connect with brands on social networks was to receive deals and discounts. The least-cited reason for both groups was to be entertained.
All groups surveyed were using Facebook as the number one network, but affluent consumers are using LinkedIn and Twitter at almost double the rate of the general population. (eMarketer 5/10/11)
Top 10 Most Social Shows of the 2010-2011 Season
According to TVGuide.com and based on episode check-ins, Facebook likes and comments, the following shows ranked highest on social networks: (Cynopsis 5/16/11)
- NCIS
- American Idol
- Criminal Minds
- Glee
- House
- Fringe
- Bones
- Castle
- Smallville
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Borrell Assoc. 2010 data for Facebook indicates:
- More than 100 million unique visitors in the US for December 2010
- 400 million registered users in the US in Dec. 2010
- The average visitor came to the site 27 times during Dec. 2010
Forecasts from eMarketer -- 132.5 million U.S. web users will use Facebook in 2011.
Facebook display ad revenues are predicted to reach $2.19 billion in the US and $4.05 billion worldwide in 2011. That will put it ahead of Yahoo!
According to eMarketer principal analyst Debra Aho Williamson, “if Facebook can continue to increase its global user base and boost the amount of revenue it generates per user, it could even surpass these forecasts.”
More than 55% of small-business owners view Facebook as somewhat or very beneficial to their business, according to a study by Ad-ology. Lead generation was the top benefit reported by small-business owners, selected by 57.2%.
- 54% reported “what is being said about their businesses” as a major benefit of social media
- 52% reported “improving customer experience”
(Source: eMarketer 1/20/11)
Examples of Advertisers Using Facebook
Most Fortune 100 companies are using Facebook for marketing and as a relationship-building tool. In a report on 2011 Inbound Marketing from HubSpot, research found that 44% of companies in North America see Facebook as critical or important, up from 24% in 2009. (eMarketer 5/19/11)
One example of car makers using social media advertising is Honda’s campaign on Facebook to launch its 2012 Civic. Facebook fans can submit and vote on original songs inspired by the car on the Honda Civic page and the winner gets a new car. (Cynopsis 5/17/11)
Budweiser is launching a branded show for its social channels, called Bud United Presents: The Big Time. The show runs on Facebook and RenRen and will follow a group of young adults around the globe as they compete for “big time” dreams. (Cynopsis 5/17/11)
Burt’s Bee is invested in growing their fan base on Facebook to help extend brand loyalty and generate powerful online viral engagement. Fans of the brand are making recommendations to friends about what works, talking about what’s new and looking to experts for suggestions. Their theory is that online social media is a place where people trust one another to get reliable product information. Currently, tracking the ROI from social media activity consists of measuring the increase in traffic to the e-commerce site due to the activity on Facebook. (eMarketer 6/3/11)
Expectations are for Twitter to triple its revenue in 2011, to $150 million according to eMarketer. (Source: MediaPost 1/24/11)
Twitter says that 25 billion tweets were sent in total in 2010. Following is the list of top overall trends on Twitter for 2010. (Source: techcrunch.com)
- Gulf Oil Spill
- FIFA World Cup
- Inception
- Haiti Earthquake
- Vuvuzela
- Apple iPad
- Google Android
- Justin Bieber
- Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows
- Pulpo Paul
Top 10 retailers used Twitter on Black Friday to promote specific in-store and online offers, and to engage with consumers who embraced the holiday shopping spirit. (Source: clickz.com)
- Best Buy – has the most followers among the top retailers (107,945), and was the most prolific with about 70 posts on Nov. 26th.
- Walmart – 49 posts, often with key phrases like “Black Friday Offer,” and several specific deals in posts.
- Home Depot – Included specific deals in the 41 posts on Nov. 26th; linked posts to specific pages on the company’s retail site.
- Staples – Over 25 Black Friday posts, most focused on corresponding with consumers rather than pushing offers on specific products.
- Target – spent thousands to sponsor Twitter’s Promoted Trend a week before Black Friday, which promoted its Black Friday Sweeps gift card offer.
- Sears – majority of 15 tweets pushed deals on particular items.
- Macy’s – the “shop, shop, shop away” tweet was the only one posted on Black Friday.
- JCPenney – although it promoted its Black Friday sales event, no posts were made to the account on Nov. 26th.
- Kohl’s – nearly all of the 31 posts were communications with consumers but one linked out to the Kohls.com homepage.
Click here for Twitter’s Marketing Potential PPT
Social Media Advertising Opportunity Examples on Local Websites
A recent study of television, radio, and online media by RTNDA and Hofstra University reveals that use of social media in TV newsrooms in on the rise. 77% of TV newsrooms now use Twitter, with 36% of newsrooms claiming they use it “constantly.” Another 35% say they use it daily.
Click here to see unique ways local broadcast television stations use social media to connect with consumers, on air, online & on the go.