I just read through a report published in April of 2007 by iProspect together with JuniperResearch that looks at the behaviors of users of online social networking websites. The report has a lot of great data and I highly recommend spending a half a hour to forge through the data in the report. Following are their top ten learnings with some of my own reactions and pondering after each point. Take some time and read through this study.
“1. All three major search engines (Google, Yahoo! and MSN) have a much higher percentage of the total U.S. online population visiting their sites on a daily and weekly basis than even the largest, most frequently visited, social networking sites. So despite widespread search marketing industry buzz about “social search,” marketers should continue to invest time, effort, and resources ensuring that their Web pages are found in both the paid and natural search results of the major search engines in order to be exposed to the largest audiences.”
In other words, if you haven’t yet taken the time to get your search engine optimization house in order, you really should be starting there. Social networking sites can wait.
“2. The most frequently visited social networking sites are visited by approximately one out of every four Internet users at least once a month. So despite not receiving visits in the quantities, or with the frequency enjoyed by the major search engines, a significant number of Internet users are currently visiting these sites somewhere between daily and monthly. Marketers should take note of this and identify the social networking sites whose “communities” of visitors closely match the profile of their target customers and prospects. Opportunities to reach target audiences on these sites, and to obtain links on these sites to marketers’ own sites, are available through various types of “participation.” Finally, marketers should perform actions to expose prospects to this participation through a variety of channels (see #5 below).”
So, there really is reason to be looking closely at this space and thinking about whether your organization could effectively play in it. In fact, as they point out, if a given social network audience base is aligned with your target audience, you should REALLY be looking closely at it. But don’t make the mistake of thinking that just because you wish you had more folks like their audience means you should jump in. If you’re not succeeding at reaching and building relationships with people from this demographic in offline social networks, there is little chance you’ll succeed doing so in online social networks.
“3. Though sites such as YouTube and MySpace were designed to appeal to a high percentage of the online user population, many social search engines have been built to serve, and attract, a community that is defined by their affinity to a vertical industry, a business model, or an interactive activity type. Sites such as del.icio.us (bookmarking), LinkedIn (BtoB), and TripAdvisor (travel and hospitality), though visited by less than 10% of Internet users, nonetheless can serve as highly targeted, extremely effective means to reach very specific profiles of potential customers. Marketers should research their industry’s/niche’s universe of social networking sites, and explore those offering this special targeting.”
This is a really good point. As most great marketers know, the more targeted you can be with your audience focus the better off you are. This same logic is what is leading to the boom in advertising on blogs. This is all very much in line with the whole Long Tail phenomena we have all become accustomed to in today’s marketplace.
“4. Roughly one out of five visitors does not perform a search once they arrive at a social search engine. One probable reason is that in all cases, the user-generated content from each of the sites addressed by this study is indexed by at least some of the major search engines. As a result, these visitors are able to directly reach content on the sites without having to use the site’s own search functionality. Given this user behavior, marketers who identify a particular social networking site whose community of users closely matches their target audience should be sure to investigate how much of the site’s content is indexed in the major search engines. The easier the site’s user generated content is to find on search engines, and the more channels that are available for Internet users to find content on one of these sites (see #5 below), the better the chance for marketing success.”
Back to the ever important issue of search engine optimization. In this case, though, you are not in control of it, but if your going to invest time in getting people to submit content onto a social networking site, you better be sure it isn’t a silo that the major search engines can’t find.
“5. Visitors primarily arrive at social networking sites through direct navigation/bookmarking, Google search, Yahoo! search, and links in emails (in that order). So aside from making certain that a marketer’s particular form of participation on these sites can be found by users of Google and Yahoo!, they can also help their cause by ensuring that their content is of high enough interest, quality, or value
that it will serve as “link bait” or “bookmark bait.” Doing so will encourage repeat visits, as well as the ability for direct navigation to the content. It is also apparent that the proactive pushing of potential visitors to social networking sites via email (from a current site user or from a marketer) is an important activity and channel in which to engage.”
So, that’s 1. Direct Link/Bookmarking, 2. Google Search, 3. Yahoo Search, 4. Email…
Other words to keep in mind here
- Content should be of high enough interest, quality, or value to serve as link bait of bookmark bait.
-Proactive pushing of potential visitors to social networking sites via email (from a current site user or from a marketer) is an important activity and channel in which to engage.
“6. Internet users who visit social networking sites do so for a variety of reasons (or intents) including: for entertainment, to connect or network with others, to research a product or service, to purchase a product or service, and “other.” The vast majority does not go to these sites with the intent to research or purchase products/services. But those marketers hoping to place their products in the path of motivated prospects (“pull marketing”) should consider developing a strategy for participation on those sites where visitor intent is to research or directly purchase products or services. On the other hand,
brand marketers should take advantage of the sheer numbers afforded by the majority of sites where visitor intent is to be entertained, or to connect/network with other people – where “push marketing” can be employed. These sites are more suited to introduce, or build awareness of a brand, product, or service to a community.”
I fear that their statement about folks not going to research or purchase a product may also hold true for folks researching or taking action on a social cause. But I hope that’s not true…
“7. It’s still early in the history of social networking, yet one out of three Internet users is already taking advantage of a site containing user-generated content to help make a decision to buy, or not to buy something. This bodes well for the future of these sites that take advantage of our human nature to trust the recommendations (and warnings) of fellow consumers more than we do the claims and “marketing-speak” of professional marketers. Given this user behavior, marketers need to initiate ethical mechanisms within their marketing mix to help drive, or provide incentive for the creation of
positively-focused user-generated content about products and services on social networking sites. They should also perform a thorough “online reputation assessment” of the positive, negative, and neutral user-generated content on the leading social networking sites that apply to their target audience – especially any that appear within the first page of results of the major search engines. Once identified, positive steps can be taken to mitigate the impact of damaging content (see #8 below).”
Not much to say here…
“8. The majority of visitors to social networking sites have not posted comments on those sites. This creates great opportunities for marketers to create their own content for these sites (if allowed by the site’s functional model) or to devise ethical ways to cause their current customers to post positively- focused comments. Though there is a mix of positive and negative comments about products and services across these sites, there is also a trend toward non-product-related comments being posted on sites where user intent is not to research or purchase a product, and little purchasing influence is generated. Depending on marketers’ goals, they should participate on sites where the type of content that matches their marketing strategy can be found. It is also vital for marketers to “embrace” negative
comments about their brand, product, services, employees, business practices, etc., that is discovered on social networking sites. By openly, honestly, and transparently addressing each piece of negative content – admitting to mistakes, explaining the steps being taken to fix or to improve – and doing so in a sensitive, factual, and non-promotional way, marketers can accomplish three important things: 1) they call their side of the story to the attention of their target community, 2) they demonstrate that they are human and are deserving of forgiveness and trust, and 3) they add neutral-to-positive content to the sites that contain the negative content.
Beautifully said… this same logic holds for campaigns.
“9. The 18-24 year old age group is more prolific at visiting social networking sites and the major search engines weekly, as well as at posting content on social networking sites. This was the youngest age group surveyed and it’s no surprise that the extremely Internet-savvy users visit these sites more frequently and are more interactive once they arrive. Marketers whose products or services target this age group have even more reason to establish a form of participation on sites frequented by these ultra-interactive users. Proactively engaging this age group (if, and where relevant) can both facilitate a rich channel of customer feedback and other user-generated content, as well as help establish a feeling of trust within this target community. “
I want to say again; don’t make the mistake of thinking that just because you wish you had more 18 to 24 year old members means you should jump in. If you’re not succeeding at reaching and building relationships with people from this demographic in offline social networks, there is little chance you’ll succeed doing so in online social networks.
We have all been watching the Obama campaign with dropped jaws over the past months. 
