Social networking has been one of the biggest ‘buzz phrases’ of the last few years. Today almost every one of us is involved in social media in some form, whether we’re sharing photos with friends, updating our Facebook statuses, discussing what we had for breakfast on Twitter or blogging about our favourite topics.
For businesses, social media has created a new channel through which to communicate directly with their audiences, be they end users or employees. Whether it is Facebook groups for fans or LinkedIn groups for partners and employees, the social media revolution offers something for everyone.
This progress aside, the question still remains of how best to monetise the plethora of social media platforms. Their success has in many cases been built on the principle that the service is offered for free; companies from Spotify to Facebook have attracted millions of users for exactly that reason. Some of these have successfully incorporated brand advertising into their platforms – Facebook, for example, has successfully created a profitable business from social media activities. However, for many, the pursuit of profit is still secondary to the creation of the platform and the community itself. As consumers we have become used to accessing these services without the intrusion of adverts; so how can brands take advantage of the access social media gives them to people of all ages and demographics, without invading what can be a very personal space? We asked 1000 people for their opinions using our Toluna QuickSurveys service, a 24-hour survey system drawn from users of our own passionate and engaged online community.
We asked respondents to tell us how they felt about being advertised to through their social network of choice. A significant 46% said they considered it intrusive, suggesting that advertisers need to approach social media with care to prevent audience alienation. Yet at the same time, 26% of respondents would be open to adverts as long as they were relevant and well targeted, rather than just generic content. Over a fifth would also be interested in receiving ads as long as they weren’t too obvious or ‘in your face’. Only one in ten respondents was happy to receive social media ads with no caveats.
The research drilled down in some more detail on the types of adverts that people would be most likely to respond to. Interestingly banner ads were considered the most acceptable, with 50% of respondents saying they would respond to a well-placed banner ad. Video ads received 15% acceptance, with pop-ups the least likely to be responded to at 11%. The contrast between private and professional social networks also became apparent: 26% of respondents were open to receiving ads on their personal networking site, compared to just over 6% who would be happy to see ads on their professional networking site.
When asked what formats of ad were considered intrusive, pop-ups were a clear winner, with a massive 67% of respondents saying that pop-ups interfered with their social networking experience. Least intrusive was the humble banner ad, at 23%.
A quarter of all respondents considered in-network mail an appropriate way to advertise through their professional social network, while 13% considered video ads to be the most appropriate format. The potential of social media is huge but the message in these statistics is clear: advertisers must understand their customer in order to engage with them through their social network. Identifying the customer’s habits and targeting communication to reach them in the way they are most open to will generate a more positive reaction and a greater chance of follow-through than a blanket approach to all potential targets. Social media has personalised the internet for many consumers; advertisers must now learn to follow suit.
This article was produced using Toluna QuickSurveysTM an online self-service tool enabling you to ask 1-5 questions and receive up to 2,000 responses in a few hours. Contact matthew.hurst@toluna.com or call: 0203 058 5011 for your free trial.
