Social Media Study: Why We Friend Brands Online

Through all the talk about engagement, interaction & brand awareness, let there be no mistake…social media users “friend” brands on sites like Twitter or Facebook because they expect exclusive deals and offers.  Sure, there is that need for personal interaction from a brand to build loyal customers, and there is the quick response from customer service that maintains consumer satisfaction.  But, what are social media users really craving?  Money saving offers.

I am a bargain hunter.  I find it exhilarating to be one of the few to catch a sale only offered for a short time, combine it with a coupon or promo code, and top it off with a rebate for the steal of the century!  I may be the extreme, but according to a recent study from Razorfish examining consumers’ digital habits and attitudes, 44% of those surveyed stated the primary reason they follow a brand on Twitter is in the hopes of exclusive offers or deals.

The 2009 FEED Report is Razorfish’s annual study charting how technology is changing the way consumers engage with brands. Razorfish surveyed 1,000 U.S. consumers (50.5% female, 49.5% male) in four major age groups that would be considered “connected consumers”:  100% having broadband, visited a community site,  consumed or created some type of digital media and who have spent $150 online in the last six months.

Take a look at some of these brand examples, Dell has earned kudos from social media mavens for generating $3 million in sales from its Dell Outlet through Twitter. Starbucks has soared to the top of Facebook brand pages, with nearly 4 million friends, by offering fans coupons for free pastries and ice cream. And Whole Foods tops Twitter with 1.5 million followers by broadcasting weekly specials and shopping tips.

Is Brand Engagement Still Relevant?

For a brand, what it all really boils down to is whether there is any direct correlation between consumers’ online interaction with a brand and their likelihood to purchase a given product or service. According to the Razorfish study, the answer is a definite “yes.” The study shows that 65% of consumers report that a digital brand experience has changed their opinion (either positively or negatively) about a brand or the products and services a brand offers.

64% of surveyed consumers say that their first purchase from a brand was made because of a digital experience online.  97%—a near-unanimous majority—report that a digital brand experience has influenced whether or not they then went on to purchase a product or service from a brand. That is huge.

Garrick Schmitt, Group Vice President, states it well:  “Digital brand experiences create customers. As we’ve found in our study, the overwhelming majority of consumers who actively engage with a brand digitally—whether by creating content for a contest or by “friending” a brand on Facebook—show a propensity to both purchase products and recommend those products or that brand to others.”

We want it all.  Consumers want to know that the brand cares enough about their customers to engage with us and keep their websites interactive and professional.  But we also crave that that home town feel of walking through the door of our general store and being welcomed by our friend the store owner that pulls us aside for the “special friend” discount.

Advertising is not dead in the digital age, but it is adapting.  Brands that can adapt with the trend and give customers that home town digital handshake with a deal in hand will be reap the rewards.
To Your Success,

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Tagged as:  Advertising · social media marketing