100 Inspirational Ideas
Thank you Helge
One hundred inspirational ideas
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Social Media Strategists at the Crossroads
Social Media Strategists, the inhouse alternative to Social Media Consultants and thus in the long-term often the cheaper solution (no mentioning of quality here), do not have an easy position these days. Confronted with high hopes from the very first day, they start their position in a company. Social media experts often have to define their position themselves and often have a hard time to explain their skills to a senior aged management. The embedded report by the Altimeter Group picked up the role of Social Media Strategists and analyzed who they are, what is being expected of them and which career patterns their future bears. As it turns out, many come to a decisive point which decides about whether their future lies in everyday helpdesk style routine or whether they can manage to take their company ahead of the competition. Definately worth a read! Please use fullscreen mode.
How sharing learned online affects our offline behavior
Here is a really interesting article that deals with a phenomenon you can observe in real life. Spending time online is often said to have negative effects on us: isolation, lack of real communication, lack of physical activity, bad for the eyes, and so on.
This article deals with the fact that online behavior can also affect our offline behavior and in a POSITIVE way! The central statement of the article is that sharing which has become a central element of our digital world effects our sharing propensity in real life. The motivation behind it may differ greatly from person to person but many who learned to share online also do so in everyday life. And in greater numbers than before. Check the article and think abuot if online sharing has also had an impact on you.
Here is the link to the NY Times article:
http://www.nytimes.com/external/readwriteweb/2010/10/07/07readwriteweb-has-online-sharing-spurred-a-new-offline-sh-66412.html?pagewanted=print
TNS research project reveals: major changes in online behavior
WPP press release:
Global Digital Life research project reveals major changes in online behaviour
10 October, 2010
Website showcases data from largest ever online research project covering 46 countries and 90% of world’s online population
Launched on ‘digital day’, first survey reveals major differences in online attitudes and behaviour:
– Online is now the media of choice
– Mature markets being left behind online as emerging markets become more active
– Increase in mobile use as consumers seek greater access to social networking on the go
LONDON — The largest ever global research project into people’s online activities and behaviour – Digital Life – was launched today, ‚digital day‘ by TNS, the world’s biggest custom research company. Covering nearly 90 per cent of the world‟s online population through 50,000 interviews with consumers in 46 countries, the study reveals major changes in the world‟s online behaviour.
Core data from the study is being made publicly available via an interactive website – www.discoverdigitallife.com
“This study covers more than twice as many markets as any other research.” said TNS Chief Development Officer Matthew Froggatt. “It is the first truly global research into online activities, including all the key emerging markets of the BRICs and many of the „Next 11‟. We have also researched beyond basic behaviour to provide more detailed data into attitudes and emotional drivers of that behaviour.”
“We are confident that Digital Life will become the new benchmark for information on online consumer behaviour,” continued Froggatt. “Making a lot of this publicly available was an important first step for us and obviously we have a wealth of further information behind those basic statistics covering brands and companies which we will offer to clients.”
Among the key findings of the study are:
– Globally, people who have on-line access have digital sources as their number one media channel. 61% of online users use the internet daily against 54% for TV, 36% for Radio and 32% for Newspapers.
– Online consumers in rapid growth markets have overtaken mature markets in terms of engaging with digital activities. When looking at behaviour online, rapid growth markets such as Egypt (56%) and China (54%) have much higher levels of digital engagement than mature markets such as Japan (20%), Denmark (25%) or Finland (26%). This is despite mature markets usually having a more advanced internet infrastructure.
– Activities such as blogging and social networking are gaining momentum at huge speed in rapid growth markets. The research shows four out of five online users in China (88%) and over half of those in Brazil (51%) have written their own blog or forum entry, compared to only 32% in the US. The Internet has also become the default option for photo sharing among online users in rapid growth markets, particularly in Asia. The number of online consumers who have ever uploaded photos to social networks or photo sharing sites is 92% in Thailand, 88% in Malaysia and 87% in Vietnam, whilst developed markets are more conservative. Less than a third of online consumers in Japan (28%) and under half of those in Germany (48%) have uploaded photos to such sites.
– Growth in social networking has been fuelled by the transition from PC to mobile. Mobile users spend on average 3.1 hours per week on social networking sites compared to just 2.2 hours on email. The drive to mobile is driven by the increased need for instant gratification and the ability of social networks to offer multiple messaging formats, including the instant message or update function. When looking at how the digital landscape will change in the future, research shows that consumers expect their use of social networking on mobiles to increase more than use through PC. In the US, for example, a quarter (26%) of online consumers expect their use of social networking on a PC to increase in the next 12 months compared to over a third (36%) who will be looking to their mobile to increase usage. In Australia the figures are 26% and 44% respectively, and in Sweden they are 24% and 53%.
Goodbye email, hello social networking
One further finding of the study showed that online consumers are, on average, spending more time on social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn than on email, despite the former only becoming mainstream in many markets over the last few years. In rapid growth markets such as Latin America, the Middle East and China, the average time spent, per week, on social networking is 5.2 hours compared to only 4 hours on email. Online consumers in mature markets remain more reliant on email, spending 5.1 hours checking their inboxes compared to just 3.8 hours on social networking. The heaviest users of social networking are in Malaysia (9 hours per week), Russia (8.1 hours per week) and Turkey (7.7 hours per week).
When it comes to who has more friends, online consumers in Malaysia top the list with an average of 233 friends in their social network, closely followed by Brazilians with 231. The least social are the Japanese with just 29 friends and Tanzanians have, on average, 38 in their circle of friends. Surprisingly, Chinese consumers only have an average of 68 friends in their networks despite being heavy users of social networking sites, indicating a culture that embraces fewer but closer friendships.
Froggatt continued: “The Internet is a huge part of life in the 21st century but how it affects our lives varies depending upon where in the world you live. We‟ve seen that in mature markets where people have been online for years and where access is ubiquitous, the Internet has already become a commoditised item that consumers take for granted. However, in rapid growth markets that have seen recent, sustained investment in infrastructure, users are embracing these new channels in much more active ways. The digital world is transforming how they live, develop and interact and online consumers in these markets are leaving those in the developed world behind in terms of being active online and engaging in new forms of communications.”
Source: http://www.wpp.com/wpp/press/press/default.htm?guid=%7bad32a1ae-a75b-4af8-94b0-25fc021195ef%7d
Trends in online search behavior
by Laurie Sullivan, Media Post Publications
About 45% of consumers don’t have a specific business in mind when conducting a local search online. In fact, more local business searchers begin with general keyword terms in search queries. They have products and services in mind, but they are not sure where to make the purchase, according to a study released Monday from 15miles, the local, mobile and social marketing arm of TMP Directional Marketing.
On the other hand, 56% of social and 60% of mobile users are more likely to search with specific businesses in mind because they are already outside the home looking for a nearby business to fill a need. The study points to a lack of sophisticated search functions in social networks for the differences.
This year’s 15miles Fourth Annual comScore Local Search Usage Study identifies the power of local, mobile and social search among consumers. The study confirms that 70% of survey respondents view search engines, online Yellow Pages or social networks as their primary sources of local business information.
Search engine queries continued to increase at a strong rate with 9% year-over-year growth. Non-search engine queries such as Facebook and craigslist rose 22%, off a smaller base, to capture more than one-third of total query volume. This also impacts local. Of the 9% of local business searchers who use social networks, 93% said they use Facebook to find information on local business.
Most research today focuses on where searches happen, but this study looks at where sales occur. Google, Bing, Facebook and Twitter are just a sample of the major players to enhance local search features in the past year. It also examines how to make sense of consumers‘ changing behaviors across various media types, and what impact search trends have on the bottom line.
By measuring consumer behavior and the impact on decisions, the study reveals insights that are necessary to influence marketers‘ search strategies. Key factors include:
Trend 1: Online search is the preferred method for information about local businesses, with 70% of consumers citing online sites as their primary source.
Trend 2: Search engines are most popular, but they are not growing as fast as other media.
Trend 3: Local searchers are more apt to buy.
Trend 4: Businesses must develop a comprehensive search presence with essential information.
Trend 5: To develop a complete search presence, local businesses must consider every avenue.
Trend 6: Print is declining, but it still holds value for today’s consumers as a secondary source.
Trend 7: With emerging media on the rise, a diverse media mix must now include social and mobile marketing.
Consumers who use social networks and mobile smartphones are more likely to use and write reviews. More than 40% have submitted between two and five reviews in the past 30 days. In fact, 78% of social networkers — up 3% from the prior year — and 71% of mobile users — up 9% from the prior year — consider consumer ratings and reviews important in making their purchase selections.
Of those participating in the survey, 81% believe it’s important for local businesses to respond to questions and complaints on social sites; 78% want special offers, promotions and information about events; and 66% believe that company photos are important.
Source: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=136989
Most Viral Brands of 2010 so far (by Viral Ad Network)
Here is a really nice overview over the most viral brands in 2010.
Listed are
-the most viewed viral videos
-the most shared viral videos
-the most viral brands
-what an average viral video looks like
-and lastly: what it really takes to reach the #1 spot of most viral brand!
I am pretty sure you will know most of them – brands as well as virals 😉
Props go to the Viral Ad Network
Paul Marsden: Emerging Trends in Social Commerce
Lovely presentation given at the 2010 Social Media Summit in Wiesbaden, Germany by my former colleague from Syzygy Group.
Paul privides a number of stunning examples of how the complicated and heavily dicussed concept of Social Commerce has been successfully applied.
Enjoy the examples and make up your mind about the potential of ther merger of social media and ecommerce.
Social Commerce is so damn interesting for businesses as it promises big increases in sales. Some of the examples Paul refers to really were extremely successful.
On the other side you might argue that Social is really a social thing and thus disapproves of commercial exploitation. In my eyes, this field is still so fresh (although ecommerce really is more than 10 years old) that there is still a lot to explore. The key will be to find solutions that are not only accepted by the target group but which also provide a certain amount of pleasure – even fun. This is the key to online sales. Take the joy of a shopping spree with friends online and you will have success.
Enough talk – here you go:
