Why finding a brand on social media is important

Brands that have no presence on social media or who set up a profile and then are completely inactive are viewed negatively by potential and current customers according to research carried out by KISS Public Relations. The Social Media Interaction Survey found that 51% of those questioned were not impressed if they couldn’t find a brand or company on social media and that this reflected negatively on the brand. With 850 million monthly active users on Facebook, 175 million tweets a day and 135 million members on LinkedIn in over 200 countries, our love of social media just keeps on growing. According to the survey, 62% admit they are using the medium more now than they were in 2011 and 70% say it is an integral part of their work and/or social life. The Social Media Interaction Survey which questioned over 100 people found that Facebook was the preferred social media platform, with 45% placing it as their number one favourite. Twitter and LinkedIn followed behind with 26% and 24% respectively. Researching a brand or company was a key reason for engagement, with 63% using social media for this purpose. 13% followed a brand because they were a customer. The same number engaged with a company or brand because they were considering becoming a customer. Interesting content was also a major reason that people chose to follow a brand. In total a staggering 89% of people surveyed stated that they follow at least one brand on social media. One key attribute with social media is the ability to see the word of mouth rather than just hearing it. Social media offers a platform for a brand whereby they can see what customers think about them, and potential customers may be influenced by what other customers’ state on social media. According to the survey, 44% of people have bought something as a direct result of a recommendation on social media. 55% have talked about a brand or product, albeit positively or negatively on social media. The majority of people surveyed accessed social media via a laptop or computer (54%), compared to 36% via a mobile and 10% via an ipad or tablet. Most people questioned caught up on their social media at work (38%) or whilst watching TV (26%). Justine Smith, PR Director at KISS Public Relations said, “It is clear that social media has become an integral part of most people’s lives in some form or another. Whether people are using it for research, staying in touch with brands or friends or engaging on social media because of the interesting content, businesses and brands can’t afford not to be involved.”

KISS Public Relations is part of the KISS Communications group, one of the leading creative marketing agencies in the East of England, working with a wide variety of blue-chip clients, including Anglian Water, Bokomo Food UK, PlastiKote, Booking.com, Johnson Matthey, Bosch and SISK, and successful SMEs including Petra’s Planet, One Nucleus, Intergence, Real Status, 8 Solutions, and Cambridge Past, Present & Future. The company carries out regular surveys on a range of business and marketing-related topics which it then shares with other businesses. For an informal chat on your organisation’s social media needs, please call Laura Brown, Social Media Manager at KISS Public Relations on 01223 911123. You can also follow Laura on Twitter.