Social Media Studies for 2013 That Are Worth Reading

by tradesmeninsights | Aug 6, 2013 | Marketing Tips, Marketing Tools, Marketing Trends

Today we have a guest post, courtesy of Kimberley Laws and Media Shower.

You’ve got hundreds of Facebook friends, an ever-expanding Google+ circle, and an eye-catching collection of Pinterest boards. Yes, you are a masterful user of social media, but how much do you really know about the tools that you devote so much time to using? The answer is likely “not nearly enough.” Here are a few social media studies that will tantalize, educate and make you say a-ha and help make you a fully informed social media user.

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Become a social media expert by reading up on the latest studies.

1) Who uses Pinterest?

Pinterest is the perfect way to create your own on-line recipe box, collect great ideas for your kitchen remodel, or hoard shots of the 1968 Mustang Fastback that you’ve always dreamt of having. But what else do you know about this relative newcomer to the Social Media world?

Econsultancy has recently published a series of helpful statistics that offer an in-depth glimpse into Pinterest, its users, and its value as a marketing tool.

According to Econsultancy, Pinterest is growing at a monumental rate “enjoying a traffic increase of 786% in the UK” and is now the third most popular Social Media tool. To help put its growth potential into perspective, Pinterest also boasts a record of keeping its new users much more efficiently than Twitter did during the same phase of its development.

The most popular pins fall under the categories of Food and Drink, DIY and Crafts, and Home Decor. This is great news for online retailers in these sectors as Pinterest accounted for 17.4% of all social media revenue at e-commerce sites in April of last year.

You can find more interesting Pinterest facts at http://econsultancy.com/ca/blog/62189-stats-who-uses-pinterest-and-why-is-it-important-for-marketers

2) Are your buying habits influenced by the reviews you read online?

As a social media user, you have likely come across some scathing comments directed as businesses who failed to keep their customers happy. Perhaps, you have even composed a few, yourself. If so, have you ever wondered if your cleverly crafted reviews “good or bad” has the power to influence the decision of another prospective shopper?

According to a recent survey conducted by Dimensional Research, the answer is a resounding “yes!”

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Both negative and positive reviews overwhelming affect consumer decisions, proving that a company’s online business reputation is one of its most valuable assets. Interestingly, the most common source of aggravation “according to a whopping 72% of respondents” is the need to repeat one’s complaint to several different company representatives.

Another remarkable fact gleamed from this study is that individuals with an income of over 150K are more likely to share both positive and negative experiences with others. In fact, 100% of respondents in this income bracket stated that they would share a negative customer experience.

If you’d like to find out what other types of infractions annoyed respondents, what factors affect brand trust, and more juicy information on online reputation, visit http://marketingland.com/survey-customers-more-frustrated-by-how-long-it-takes-to-resolve-a-customer-service-issue-than-the-resolution-38756.

3) When is the optimum “tweeting” time?

According to a report issued by bitly.com, the size of your tweet’s potential audience is hugely impacted by the time of day in which it is posted.

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Maximize your “tweets” with perfect timing.

It would appear that employee productivity drops significantly between one o’clock and three o’clock in the afternoon from Monday to Thursday as this is the prime time for tweeting. The absolute worst time is after eight o’clock pm.

Facebook’s ideal posting time is three o’clock in the afternoon on hump day, otherwise known as Wednesday.

For more statistics that will help you reach a larger audience, visit http://www.rakacreative.com/blog/post/best-time-to-tweet-and-post-to-facebook-infographic.

4) What role do women play in the social media arena?

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Gender does play an important role in social media.

KRC Research and Weber Shandwick conducted a survey to uncover information on female social media users for marketing purposes and here are some of the discoveries that they made. 81% of North American female internet users have a Facebook account, making it their go-to social media tool. And the average online woman spends two hours a day on social media sites.

Shockingly or not, online women also admit to preferring spending time on social media sites to dating or spending quality time with their significant other. Yes, they prefer their laptops and cell phones over their men.

If you’d like to learn more interesting facts about the social media habits of North American women, visit http://www.marketingprofs.com/chirp/2013/10575/women-of-social-media-digital-influencer-study.

With social media tools playing an increasingly important role in the lives of us all, it is important to learn as much as we can about it. This smattering of social media studies offer a glimpse of what these important venues mean for your business, your social life and, in some cases, even your marriage. And, if nothing else, the facts contained within are sure to surprise, reaffirm, and entertain. Enjoy.

What study findings do you find the most astonishing? Why?

Kimberley Laws is a freelance writer and avid blogger. She is a huge fan of lists, useful and sometimes, useless factoids, and easy-to-read infographics. You can contact her at http://www.kimberleylaws.com/.