Vision Critical’s recently published study called From Social to Sale provides some answers to exactly how a company’s social media strategy could be tailored to drive sales. Using interviews from almost 6,000 participants, the company evaluated social media purchasing against participation in Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.
Here's some powerful statistics I found of interest:
- 4 in 10 Social Media Users have purchased an item online or in-store after sharing or favoriting it on Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest.
- Social Media drives roughly equals amounts of online and in-store purchasing.
- 68% of Facebook Users areare “lurkers” who post only rarely, so the influence of
social on their purchasing will not be visible from social media analytics alone.
- Pinterest is the network most likely to drive spontaneous purchasingTwitter and Facebook purchasers are more likely to
make social media-related purchases of products they were already researching or considering.
- It’s crucial that you know which customer segments hang out in which neighborhood – that is, on which social network, or even in which groups or conversations within each network. To make effective use of social media as a marketing channel, you have to know where your customers are and which customer segments are on each network.
- 75% of Social Media Users 18-34 Log into Facebook several times a day
- Facebook is the network most likely to drive customers towards a purchase. Nearly 1 in 3 Facebook users has purchased something after sharing, liking or commenting on it on Facebook.
- 34% of Twitter purchasers and 25% of Facebook purchasers say their most recent social-inspired purchase was in technology or electronics.
- If you’re in a highly peer-influenced category, or if personal recommendations
are a major business driver, Facebook’s social focus may be a great fit.