Social Media and Mobile Marketing Still Gaining Importance in Company Marketing Plans – Nielsen

The Nielsen Q3 2011 Social Media Report confirms that businesses wanting to go where the customers are, will beat a direct path to social media, understand who is using the medium and how, and consider how they are accessing it.

Attention Share: Follow the Fingertips

• Social networks and blogs account for 23 percent of total time Americans spend on the Internet—more than twice as much as the #2 category, Online Gaming. Time spent on the 75 “other” categories accounts for 35 percent of Americans’ total Internet time.
• Nearly 4 in 5 active Internet users visit social networks and blogs.
• Americans spend more time on Facebook than any other Website.
• Facebook had over 140 million US visitors in May, 2011—nearly three times the audience of the #2 site, Blogger—and reaching over 70 percent of active Internet users.

The Convergence of Social Media and Mobile Marketing

• 40 percent of social media users access content from their mobile phone.
• Social networking apps are the third most-used among US smartphone owners.
• Over twice as many Internet users over the age of 55 visit social networking sites on their mobile phone than last year–a 109 percent increase.
• The number of unique mobile Internet users in the US is up over 47 percent from last year.
• Mobile Internet audience to social networking sites is up 62 percent.
• The top three US Social Networking Sites via Mobile Internet by Unique Audience are: Facebook – 46,531,000; Twitter – 11,453,000; LinkedIn – 6,031,000
• 97 percent of consumers access social media through their computer ; 37 percent through their mobile phone. While gaming consoles, iPads, Internet-enabled TV, E-readers and handheld music players are also used, they altogether total 11 percent.
• Downloading and playing music is the most commonly used feature on mobile phones with 49 percent. Social networking is second with 47 percent. Others include: Web Browsing – 40 percent; GPS – 40 percent; Games – 37 percent; Check In – 24 percent.
• Of these features, GPS (56 percent) is the most valued by consumers. Social networking is second (30 percent). Others include:  Download/Play Music – 26 percent, Web Browsing – 26 percent; Check In – 16 percent.
• Of all mobile apps, Facebook is the most popular. Twitter is the fifth.

Much More Than Idle Chatter

• 70 percent of active online adult social networkers shop online.
• That’s 12 percent more likely than the average adult Internet user.
• More active adult social networkers follow a brand (53 percent) than a celebrity (32 percent).
• 60 percent of social media users create reviews of products and services.
• Consumer-created reviews/ratings are the preferred source for information about product/service value, price and product quality.
• Compared to the average adult Internet user, active adult social networkers are 75 percent more likely to be heavy spenders on music; 47 percent more likely to be heavy spenders on clothing, shoes and accessories; 26 percent more likely to give an opinion; 19 percent more likely to attend a professional sporting event and 18 percent more likely to work out at a gym or health club.

Different Cultures, Different Demographics

• Nine of the top ten social networks and blogs are dominated by female usership, including Facebook with 62 percent usage by females.
• Men are more active than women on LinkedIn.
• Internet users with a postgraduate degree are three times more likely to visit LinkedIn than the average Internet user.
• African Americans are more represented on Twitter than any other major social network.
• Top 10 US Web Brands by Total Minutes, in Billions, Home and Work, May, 2011: Facebook – 53.5; Yahoo – 17.2; Google – 12.5; AOL Media Network – 11.4; MSN/WindowsLive/Bing – 9.5; YouTube – 9.1; EBay- 4.5; EA – 4.3; Apple – 4.3; Microsoft – 3.4.

How to use this Information
Americans’ use of social media is increasing in amount of use and breadth of use. It is being accessed through virtually all available means and by every demographic. It is critical to pay proper heed to these facts when finalizing your company’s marketing plan and allotting marketing budget for 2012.