Brands tune in to social media

Consumers are becoming more responsive to online advertisements from brands. That’s the findings of a new study that shows that 15 per cent of social media users are more likely to purchase consumer products advertised through online networks such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

The study, The Faces of Social Media, was conducted by Knowledge Networks and MediaPost Communications, and involved interviewing 2,242 U.S. consumers aged 13 to 80. It found that 15 per cent of consumers interviewed would be more inclined to buy a brand or product if they had seen it advertised through social media sites.

In addition, 25 per cent of respondents said they would be more likely to find out more about a brand after seeing it advertised through online networks. And 59 per cent agreed that “the ads are a fair price to pay for social media sites/features.”

According to the authors of the study, the results reflect the increased use and acceptance of social media, particularly among older users. Usage of social media by consumers aged 46 to 65 grew from 54 per cent in 2009 to 76 per cent in 2010. However, younger consumers are still the most prevalent on social media sites, with usage among those aged 32 to 45 growing from 70 per cent to 85 per cent; and usage among consumers aged 13 to 31 growing 84 to 91 per cent.

The study also showed that mobile application users are generally more responsive to social media advertising, with 32 per cent saying they would be more likely to buy a brand that feature marketing messages in the app.