A researcher named Tom Smith at Universal McCann has published a fascinating study called “When Did We Start Trusting Strangers.” After interviewing 17,000 people in 29 countries he convincingly explains (as we thought) how and why social media and online experiences in general directly impact purchase decisions.
The report chronicles the rise of social media, explains the phenomenon of digital friends, and untangles the proliferation of influencer channels. Some interesting takeaways from the study include:
• Music, films, and technology are the categories most discussed online, but even low interest categories like finance, real estate and insurance have high participation rates.
• Holidays and travel are the most sought after for information.
• We are more likely to be influencers than receivers in the age of social media.
• The new world of influence needs a more conversational approach; advertising should encourage interaction, input and community.
You can download the whole report here. Valuable stuff for marketers.
