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<div class="post-2920 post type-post hentry category-social-media tag-consumers tag-customers tag-media tag-network tag-product tag-research tag-social" id="post-2920">
<h2>Do Consumers Perform Product Research on Social Networks?</h2>
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<p><a href="#"></a>Sorry to disappoint you, but advertising on social networks is not sufficient to rocket your brand from ordinary to extraordinary. Yes, creating a Facebook page dedicated to a business can certainly increase exposure of that organization’s products and services, and may even lead to new conversions, but the real power of social networking stretches far beyond that—it lies in the ability to foster word of mouth recommendations and social buzz that makes your brand a household name. This article tells you why.</p>
<h3>The Power of Word of Mouth via Facebook</h3>
<p>A 2010 study conducted by Forrester Research revealed some interesting information about how social networking impacts consumer behavior:</p>
<ul>
<li>68% of Facebook users are more likely to purchase a product if they have seen that product recommended by a friend on <a href="../blog/category/facebook">Facebook</a>.</li>
<li>Despite this, users of Facebook don’t actively use the social networking site to research new products.</li>
<li>Two thirds of the survey participants said they thought Facebook was a poor tool for researching.</li>
</ul>
<p>A further survey by Retail Advertising & Marketing Association (RAMA), as described in an eMarketer research report entitled Brand Interactions on Social Networks, revealed that US <a href="https://www.twylah.co.uk/laustinseo">social media</a> users (and adults in general), are more likely to give product related advice than search for it. Yet, despite this, only 21.6% of participants said that they had shared information about a product on a social network or other online community. So, simply put, word of mouth on Facebook is extremely powerful and if consumers come across recommendations provided by members of their social network they are likely to act on them. However, they will not actively seek such recommendations and the population of people who do provide such recommendations represents one fifth of social networking users. So, if user’s are not using Facebook for research purposes what are they using?</p>
<h3>Resources Internet Users Use to Research Products</h3>
<p>The PowerReviews and the e-tailing group, “2010 Social Shopping Study,” as published in the eMarketer Brand Interactions on Social Networks report revealed the following useful information about customer’s Internet research habits:</p>
<ul>
<li>3% of participants said they used social networking to research a product.</li>
<li>57% of Internet users commenced their research process by using a search engine to look up a product.</li>
<li>20% of users start their research with a brand’s website and, as such, already have a brand in mind when they select their product.</li>
<li>18% research at a retail outlet to directly compare products.</li>
<li>2% ask their followers on Twitter for advice.</li>
<li>71% of survey participants stated that they were influenced strongly by customer reviews. Of which, 31% were influenced by their friends’ Facebook posts.</li>
<li>25% said they found Facebook company pages influential.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Why are customers less likely to use social networks for research purposes?</h3>
<p>There are two main explanations:</p>
<ol>
<li>Information is better organized on the Internet and more easily searchable via search engines than it is on social networks.</li>
</ol>
<p>The information contained on social networks wasn’t intended for search; it was designed as a steady, convenient stream of current information about the activities of friends and acquaintances. Product information is only a distant secondary goal of social networking sites and, as such, those sites haven’t yet developed a simple, accessible method of organization of that information.</p>
<ol>
<li>The information on social networks pertaining to products and services is incomplete.</li>
</ol>
<p>Social networks weren’t designed for in-depth engagement and analysis. They were created to provide brief updates on-the-go. As such, any user who asks their friend’s opinion of a product or service via these vehicles will likely receive brief, incomplete responses that do not provide sufficient information upon which they can make a decision.</p>
<h3>What does all this mean for you?</h3>
<p>It isn’t sufficient for brands to be present on Facebook. The extent to which you are discovered on social networks has more to do with the coincidental comments of others than your own presence there with a page. You therefore need to find a method of creating buzz around your products and services, something that encourages social networking users to spread the word about your company and what you do. It is also important that you remember that people are still using other means to search for you, traditional search engines in particular. So while you should continue to invest in social network based marketing, you should also ensure that you thoroughly explore other avenues as well. Remember: people can’t recommend you until they discover you. Make your brand visible and provide a reason for people to market that brand to their social networks on your behalf.</p>
<p style="font-style: italic;">
<p>Spencer Belkofer has had a busy year. After starting Lumin to provide high quality <a href="https://luminconsulting.com/services/web-design/">web design Birmingham AL</a> started to call his name so he expanded by creating an additional location in the Birmingham. Lumin is also an Alabama <a href="/">SEO </a>company, helping buisnesses improve their online visibiiity at affordable prices.</p>
<p>Tags: <a href="/" rel="tag">consumers</a>, <a href="/" rel="tag">customers</a>, <a href="../blog/tag/media" rel="tag">media</a>, <a href="../blog/tag/network" rel="tag">network</a>, <a href="/" rel="tag">product</a>, <a href="../blog/tag/research" rel="tag">research</a>, <a href="../blog/tag/social" rel="tag">social</a></p>
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