Facebook Fatigue

Earlier this week, we posted information on the size and makeup of Facebook users. While Facebook is still the king of social media, there is mounting evidence that users may not have the time to devout that they used.  If you are using social media as a marketing tool, this trend could affect the way you message potential customers.

• Just over two-thirds of US adults are Facebook users

• Over six in 10 current Facebook users have voluntarily taken a several week break from using the site

• 20% of adults who do not currently use the site said they once did but left

• 28% of people said that Facebook has become less important to them in the past year

• Over one third of users said their time on the site has decreased in the past year

• More than 40% of users in the 18-49 year old group have said they are not spending as much time on the site as last year

What Does This Mean To You?

The social audience is still very large and extremely valuable.  Like everything else consumers do, they are budgeting their time to the things they find the most important. This doesn’t mean that people are just going to stop social networking.  It means that you need to work harder to engage the people who are using.  They have become jaded.
You need to create better offers.
You campaigns need to work together strategically
You need to have a plan on how you are going to monetize your fans & followers
You need to continually upgrade the content you produce
If you are not engaging the consumers as often as you can, your message will not get through to potential shoppers.  For more information on connecting with consumers though social media, please contact:
Al Fiala
amfiala@gmail.com

Source: Pew Research Center

A Tisket A Tasket…

In yesterday’s post we looked at how much consumers were planning on spending for Easter and what they were going to buy.  Today, we’ll show
data on specific Easter spending information and what categories will see
the most revenue.

• When it comes to total spending, men will spend on average 9% more on Easter than women will

• The category that is set to see the most Easter spending is clothing – nearly one-third of all Easter spending, or $53.00 per household celebrating,  will go towards new clothes, food ranks just behind clothing  with $52.00 spent per household

• On average, nearly $23.00 per household will be spent on candy

• While the Mid-West has the highest percentage of people celebrating Easter, the highest amount of spending per household will take place in the North East

• Those celebrating Easter in the Mid-West and the west plan on spending less than those in the North East or South

• People in the South plan on spending the most on clothes, while those in North East will spend the most on candy

• Roughly 90% of those between the ages of 18-34 plan on celebrating Easter in some way, the amount they plan tp spend is far less than those in the 35-44 age bracket or the 45-54 segment

What Does This Mean To You?

Depending on where you live, Easter could either signify the beginning of Spring or the first thaw. This maybe why people in the South are planning to spend more on clothes than those in other regions. more clothes.  Easter could be a good reason to create a new spring wardrobe and not just buy a new bonnet.  Easter may also be the a great time for business to start messaging things that have to do with outdoor behavior. Whether it’s putting in new landscaping, sports equipment or maybe planting the seeds for summer vacation, taking the opportunity to promote could give you a competitive advantage later in the year. For more information on how to effectively and efficiently get your message in front of prospective customers, please call:
Al Fiala
amfiala@gmail.com

Source: National Retail Federation; BigInsight

Jelly Beans and Chocolate Bunnies

For many people, Easter is a deeply religious celebration.  For others, it means jelly beans, chocolate bunnies and egg hunts ( I still don’t get the whole bunny/egg thing).  Whatever you personal views are on Easter might be, you should remember that it’s an event that consumers plan around and spend for.

• Just over 80% of US consumers say they celebrate Easter in some form or fashion

• It’s estimated that total spending on Easter will hit $17.2 billion.

• On average, those celebrating will spend $145 per household – which is flat to last year

• Over 90% of consumers will buy some kind of Easter candy

• 87% will buy food for a celebratory meal

• Just over 60% plan on buying Easter gifts

• Roughly half will be buying special clothing and greeting cards

What Does This Mean To You?

Consumer spending on Easter is estimated to be flat to last year, which means you’ll have to do everything you can to convince shoppers to do their Easter shopping with you and not your competitors. Easter shopping isn’t just candy and cards.  With people planning meals in the homes, things like furniture, and paint could also be on their list of things they need.  If you happen to be in a warmer climate plants and landscaping could also be things consumers need.  Restaurants have an opportunity to market their takeout and catering options.  If you have a buffet, it would a great time promote it as an option instead of cooking.  There are many things you can do to pull in customers that plan to spend on Easter.  It’s always a good idea to remind consumers of everything you have to offer and everything they may need.  For more information on how you can drive more traffic to your physical or virtual locations, please contact:
Al Fiala
amfiala@gmail.com

Source: National Retail Federation; BigInsight

Facebook – Still The Biggest

Many years ago, when Facebook debut it quickly dominated the social landscape – killing off its competitors.  As time has gone by, many sites have been tagged as “the next Facebook” but no one has knocked it of its perch.

•Roughly two-thirds of Internet users say they are on Facebook

• Just over 60% of men who are online and 72% of online women use the site

• Over 85%  of online adults age 18-30 use Facebook.  As do 73% of 30 to 50 year olds, nearly 60% of 50 to 65 year olds and more than a third of online adults age 65+

• While nearly 70% of online adults with incomes of less than $30,000 are on Facebook so are nearly 75% of those with incomes of $75,000+

What Does This Mean To You?

Facebook may seem like the mass media of the social marketing spectrum, but its real value is in the social sharing and brand evangelism activities.  Many companies will talk about how many “likes” they have – but are they being leveraged.  The “like” is just the first step in creating loyal customers.  “Likes” should be viewed as just part of a scorecard – not the whole the entire thing.
The next step is to create communication plan for those who “like” you.
Develop offers that encourage them to shop at your business and offers they feel are valuable enough to send to their friends.
The more targeted the offer, the more valuable it will seem to consumers.
Later this week, we will have a post on Facebook fatigue. With many users either cutting back on usage, you will need to make your offers even more valuable for them to stand out. For more information on how to make your social offerings more valuable to consumers, please contact:
Al Fiala
amfiala@gmail.com

Source: Pew Center for Research

Instagram – Have Camera, Will Post

Instagram combines two of mobile’s most powerful tools into one rapidly growing social network – the mobile web and improved camera technology. Add to that consumers desire to share and you’ve got an expanding powerhouse.  Last month, Instagram announced it now has over 100 million worldwide active monthly users.

• 13% of online users in the US are on Instagram – because of the nature of the site, most of them are mobile users

• 53% of users are female, equating to 16% of the female online population

• Almost one in four African-Americans who are online are Instragram users as are 18% of Online Hispanics

• Nearly 30% of online adults under 30 use Instagram.  14% of internet users in the 30-49 age group are users as well

•More than a third of users have incomes in the $75,000+ group but more than one in four have incomes of under $30,000

What Does This Mean To You?

Instagram is on the forefront of social and mobile integration (SoMo).  Consumers are becoming mobile first in many of their activities including social media.  Instagram can give you some unique opportunities to give your business and the products you sell awareness, as well as a conduit to build loyalty.  There are several events rapidly approaching where your customers and prospective customers will be taking lots of pictures and many will be shared through Instagram.  Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Graduation and summer vacation are just a few.  Think of ways you can leverage these events through contesting and sharing to raise your awareness.  For more information on how you can take advantage of mobile technology and social media, please contact:  please contact:
Al Fiala
amfiala@gmail.com

Source: Pew Center for Research

Pinterest Users – More Than a Virtual Arts and Crafts Fair

When Pinterest first came on the scene nearly 2 years ago, it grew very quickly.  Designed as a virtual scrapbook, the site hit over 100 million unique visitors in record time. While it’s rapid growth rate has leveled out, the site has become a place where many companies are finding valuable social sharing opportunities.

• Nearly one in four female online users are on Pinterest – the female to male ratio is nearly 5 to 1

• Roughly eight in 10 users are Caucasian – that equals 18% of the online Caucasian population.  11% are African-American and just under 9% are Hispanic

•Nearly 20% of online adults in the 18-29 age group and 20% in the 30-49 segment are Pinterest  users.  Just 16% of online adults 50 and older use the site

• One in five college educated online adults are Pinterest users

•Over half of Pinterest users have household incomes of $50,000+ and one third are in the $75,000+ bracket

What Does This Mean To You?

If your business is targeting females, Pinterest is something that you should look into.  And because females are becoming one of the most influence groups when it comes to purchasing decisions – your strategy should have female targeting.  The social sharing aspect to Pinterest is also very attractive to the female consumer.  The ability to “pin” items gives them an easy, clear way to recommend items to friends and endorse products that interest them.  In turn, it makes it simple for you to create a loyal customer who is happy to tell their friends about products and services they like.  For more information about using Pinterest and other social media to create additional customer loyalty, please contact:
please contact:
Al Fiala
amfiala@gmail.com

Source: Pew Center for Research

Twitter Users – Living In 140 Characters Or Less

Yesterday, we showed a brief summary on who uses the different major social networks. Today we’re going to concentrate on Twitter users. Currently, about 16% of the total population is on Twitter.

• 56% of Twitter users are female – roughly 15% of online women use Twitter. 17% of online men use the network

• More than one in four Twitter users are between 18-29 years old

• The majority of Twitter users are Caucasian, but the Twitter usage skews very high among online African Americans and Hispanics. 10% of Twitter users are African American, but 26% of online African Americans use the social nework. Online Hispanics are twice as likely as the toal Hispanic community to be
Twitter users.

• More than one in four Twitter users are between 18-29 years old

• One in six Twitter users have household incomes of $75,000+. Nearly a third have incomes of $50,000+

• Twitter users are 66% more likely to live in urban areas vs rural areas.
What Does This Mean To You?

Twitter is a great way to create one to one communication opportunities with your customers. The real benefit comes from the social sharing that goes on with Twitter. But you need to make you’re your communication is worth sharing. Your followers are not very likely to click on an offer that is not targeted towards them or offers little value – they are even less likely to retweet something that is not relevant. One thing you may want to do is have your sales associates or employees use twitter to generate traffic. This is especially effective for businesses like bars, restaurants, car dealerships and other operations where the sales person or employees are personally incentivized by sales. For more information on how t increase your level of engagement with Twitter, please
Al Fiala
amfiala@gmail.com
Source: Pew Center for Research

Who Uses What Social Network

In yesterday’s post, we looked at the demographics of social networkers.  One of the things to remember is that some social networks are more niched than others.  The more targeted a social network may be in its focus, the more niched its user group will be.

• Over two thirds of  online adults are on Facebook, while the mass social network, it’s users skew female

• 16% of internet users are on Twitter, it’s adults users are more likely to be 18-29, African-American and live in urban areas.

• Pinterest is one of the fastest growing social presences.  Pinterest users are much more likely to be female.  They also tend to be under 50 years old with some college education.  They are also more likely to be use mobile devices (Pinterest started out as a mobile only network)

•Instagram users, like Pinterest, tend to be mobile device owners – mainly because it is a photo app.  Instagram users are also likely to be 18-29 years old, women and live in urban areas.  Instagram also indexes high for Hispanic and African American users

• Adults on Tumblr  By 2017, over 90% of Internet users will still be emailing, as will nearly 73% of the total US population.

What Does This Mean To You?

By examining who uses what social network, your business can look and see how it makes sense for you get involved. Knowing who is using each of these networks also helps you form a communication plan for messaging and what products you may want to feature.  If your messaging is off-point, it will cost you consumer engagement and could hurt your social reputation. With resources as tight as they are more most businesses, any loss in productivity or engagement can prove costly.  Over the next few days, we’ll look at these specific social presences and show you how to leverage their audiences to get great results.  For more information on taking on improving your social messaging,
please contact:

Al Fiala
amfiala@gmail.com

Source: Pew Research Center

Demographics of Social Networkers

While it might feel like everyone is socially networking when you get a friend request from your mailman, your Dentist is following you on twitter and your mom just added you to her Google+ circle, but the truth is there are still some people who are not engaged with social presences. New research has been released that looks at who social networkers are.

• Just over two-thirds of internet users are on social networks

• Just over 7 in 10 female online users are connected to networks. Women who are online are 15% more likely than online men to log into social media – 61% of male internet users are on social networks

• Hispanic internet users are more likely that Caucasian or African-American to use social media.  72% of online Hispanics vs. 68% of online African-Americans and 65% of online Caucasians

• It’s no surprise that over 80% of online adults age 18-30 use social networks. But so do over half of the online adults age 50-64 and nearly a third of those 65+

• Those with incomes of $30,000 or less are 10% more likely to be social networkers than those with household incomes of $75,000+

What Does This Mean To You?

With so many consumers using social networks, it’s important that your business have a social media strategy. It’s also important that the strategy isn’t gathering dust on a bookshelf somewhere.  The rapid pace at which social networks come on the scene and how the makeup of users continue to evolve means you strategy needs to be scalable and not written in stone. The last thing that any business wants is to have all their social eggs in the old myspace basket.  For the next couple of days, we’ll be chronicling the latest research on users of specific social presences so you can make wise tactical decisions.  For more information on deploying your strategy, please contact:
Al Fiala
amfiala@gmail.com

Source: eMarketer; Pew Research Center

Engaging March Madness

In yesterday’s post we cited information on how many people will get involved in March Madness in the workplace.  The mechanism that pulls most people in is simple to identify – the infamous bracket pool.  While technically bracket pools are illegal, most offices have them and the workplace “braketologist” hardly ever wins.  It’s usually the person who goes with favorites or picked a big upset because of a logo or they know someone who went to school at a Cinderella. 

• More money is wagered on the first four days of the tournament than the Superbowl

• It’s estimated that $2.5 billion in illegal bets are placed on tournament

• 33% of American’s are expected to watch the tournament 40% said they will watch if their favorite team is involved

• One in four people who watch the game, plan on betting on it

• Roughly 60% of people who are involved in brackets or gambling lose money

What Does This Mean To You?

While HR and IT employees may not like March Madness, participation continues to grow.
Yes, March Madness can be a drain on time and productivity – the estimated cost may be as high as $134 billion dollars.  It can also be something of a morale boost.  I’m not advocating any company endorsing or sponsoring a bracket pool, they are still illegal.  But embracing it as an activity that is going to take place anyway might be a good idea.  Brown bag lunch meetings where employees can fill out brackets, putting on the games in a break room and posting brackets might be something that brings a staff together.  Putting the games on in a break room may keep some workers from eating up bandwith on your network. March Madness is a unique event that can help you show that your workplace can also be a fun place.  For more information on how to help your staff perform better, please contact:
Al Fiala
amfiala@gmail.com

Source: Challenger, Grey & Christmas; CouponCabin; American Gaming Association