MxMIndia

Tag: social media

  • The local network: Experian analysis highlights which countries spend longest on Facebook

    India ranks 7th in Facebook timespend

    By A Correspondent

    An international study into the use of social networks by global information services company Experian reveals just how much time people living in different countries spend on Facebook. Singaporeans emerge from the study as those who spend the longest on the social network site, with an average of 38 minutes and 46 seconds per session, while people living in Brazil spend just under half that with an average of 18 minutes and 19 seconds per Facebook session.

    According to the analysis by Experian Hitwise, the average session time on Facebook in August 2011 across the eight countries varied significantly. The average time spent on Facebook in August 2011 per session was – Singapore, 38 mins 46 sec; New Zealand, 30 mins 31 sec; Australia, 26 mins 27 sec; UK, 25 mins 33 sec; US, 20 mins 46 sec; France, 21 mins 53 sec; India, 20 mins 21 sec; Brazil, 20 mins 21 sec.

    Understanding average time spent on Facebook, the world’s most widely used social network, illustrates the importance of brands needing to be on social networks, the study said. By knowing that an average social network user in Singapore, will for example, spend an average of 38 minutes on Facebook means that a brand can increase the likelihood of capturing an individual’s attention by running digital marketing campaigns through Facebook. Content and advertising which is compelling will ultimately lead to greater engagement in social networks and consequently greater sales, whether on the brand’s own website or indeed within Facebook.

    Mr Navin Chandani, Managing Director, Experian Marketing Services in India, commented, “The power of social networks like Facebook is that in some respects they don’t have any boundaries and make the world a much smaller place. Knowing the market share social networks have in each country and the level of usage is key to social networking success. However, our research shows that the way individuals use social media can and does change according to cultural and personal backgrounds – therefore ‘one size definitely doesn’t fit all’ when it comes to digital. For any international brands to be successful in their digital campaigns, they must understand the local, digital and personal nuances that exist.”

    Social networking is now one of the biggest online pastimes across the globe. In each country there are thousands of social networks, varying from 3,245 in Brazil to 9,000 in the UK. Despite being one of the most mature social markets, the UK has the lowest market share of visits going to social networks and forums (12.2 percent). Brazil has the highest percentage of Internet visits going to social sites (18.9 percent of Internet usage) with 43 percent of all social networking visits in Brazil going to Orkut, the most visited social network in Brazil.

    Mr Chandani said, “Understanding how long people spend on Facebook in different countries is vital for any brand on the social network. With Facebook still finding its feet in the emerging markets of India and Brazil, lower session times are to be expected – users won’t have as many friends or groups that they have signed up to. However that doesn’t mean brands should ignore Facebook in those countries – with market share for Facebook in India increasing by 88 percent year on year and 16 percent in Brazil year on year, its influence and dominance is only set to grow.”

    Further analysis of the data reveals how different industries attract website traffic as a direct result of social networks. Social network users in Brazil, India and Singapore rarely go on to visit retail websites after being on a social network highlighting that retailers in these markets have a significant opportunity to increase their presence on social networks, ultimately driving website traffic and sales. This contrasts with countries such as New Zealand, where nine per cent of retailers receive web traffic directly from social media.

    Entertainment topped the list of the sites visited after social networks in the nine countries polled by Experian, with well-known sites such as the BBC’s iPlayer and Sky Sports featuring prominently.

    Other key findings from the survey revealed:

    In Brazil the number one social network is Orkut.com with 43 percent market share. This has fallen year on year by 18 percent with Facebook experiencing an increase in market share August 2010 to August 2011 by 16 percent

    The country to experience the fastest growth in Facebook use over the past year is India, with the social network accounting for an increase in market share of 88 percent in August 2011 compared to August 2010.

    The US also experienced a market share increase from Facebook of 5 percent year on year.

    Approximately 1 in 4 Singaporeans (18 percent) jump from one social network directly to another, demonstrating their love of social networks.

  • The Anchor: Pradeep Chopra on 8 mistakes marketers make about social media

     #1 Marketers treat social media like a short-term advertising campaign.

    Social media is all about building a lifetime relationship with your audience. However, marketers are still to understand and acknowledge that. It requires more of unlearning vs new learning.

     

    #2 Marketers measure ROI of social media like other digital marketing avenues.

    Unlike SEO, PPC or even email marketing, social media is not just about driving traffic to a website and measure the contribution in a typical funnel approach as used in SEO or PPC advertising. Leveraging FB ads for lead generation will be an exception.

     

    #3 Marketers underestimate the value of content and quality of conversations.

    Unfortunately, even today a significant percentage of marketers are focusing on metrics such as number of fans on Facebook. While the number of fans is necessary, it’s not sufficient.

     

    #4 Marketers don’t put required effort into defining objectives.

    While social media requires constant experimentation, laying down the objectives lays down the framework to think, execute and measure appropriately.

     

    #5 Marketers believe social media is about technology.

    A large number of marketers still consider social media more of a technology and less of a marketing activity. Thus, they don’t put the right resources in at the right place.

     

    #6 Marketers think that listening to their customers is optional.

    In the fear of confronting negative conversations about their brand, marketers don’t realise that they don’t control what others are saying about them. Hence, listening to their customers on social media is not a choice.

     

    #7 Marketers believe that they’ll jump in when it gets settled.

    It’s been over seven years and the only thing which is constant about Facebook is change. By the time social media reaches a stage of stability, the opportunity will be proportionally low of newer players.

     

    #8 Marketers still feel that social media is timepass.

    Unfortunately, a large number of marketers still feel that platforms such as Facebook are only for socialising or passing the time. While Facebook started as a social network, today it has taken the shape of a hybrid (social + professional) network and there are global case studies of B2B companies, such as Intel, Dell and GE, which have been leveraging Facebook to fulfil various business objectives.

     

    Pradeep Chopra is co-founder and CEO of Digital Vidya, and co-founder of dvBytes