A recent Q Interactive study revealed that most female Internet users are unresponsive to social network marketing. Announced at the ad:tech conference in Chicago this week, the study indicates that less than 35% of women active in online social networks are influenced by these networks for their purchasing decision. This is in spite of the fact that more than half of the women questioned visit these social networks on a daily basis.
Another interesting aspect of the Q Interactive study demonstrates that many women are more affected by coupons and discounts for their purchasing decisions, with only 22% turning to product review services. Less than 10% of women Internet users are affected by online advertisements, and a paltry 7.6% rely on advice from friends.
So what does this study mean? It suggests that female Internet users that both shop online and use online social networks are keeping the two aspects of their Internet usage rather separate. Instead of turning to blogs, communities, forums and their social networks, women are looking for a deal. Understandable, given the current economy. I look for deals all the time.
However, the study results may cause dismay for advertisers, as they hope to capture eyeballs when advertising on large and far-reaching social networks. The study results may be particularly dismal as many marketers have turned to integrated marketing formats for their social network strategy, creating applications that are interactive and have a less direct advertising message.
While the Q Interactive study does not speak directly to the incorporation of applications into forms of marketing considered, the overall results indicate another dismal aspect of a woman’s usage of the web’s social networks: they aren’t readily making the connections between social networking and product recommendations.
Several applications have been created for the very purpose of sharing consumer behavior with users for personalized recommendations. Several search engines have been created for the very purpose of tapping into your immediate resources in order to help you find the best answer to your query. Not many of these applications have fully gained traction, or provided the value they initially set out to extend to users. From a personal standpoint I was often disappointed with most of these apps, and always wondered why I would trust my friends rather than true experts on a given topic, simply because they are my friends.
Given social networks’ and corporate hopes to convert much of the activity on social networks into monetizable data, the day will come when users are both willing and able to share more of their purchasing data (most likely unidentifiable on a personal level) and look to their social graphs for recommendations accordingly. Social networks and brands just need to find better ways in which to aggregate and repurpose this data. Advertisers will then be able to learn from this data and create better ways in which to reach out to their female demographic.
For the time being, it’s best to look at the Q Interactive study and realize that marketers can provide value to end users and still incorporate an advertising message. For those looking to truly integrate social networking with advertising, certain applications that are useful resources to end users are among the effective ways in which to gain quality consumers, especially as the female Internet user is primary looking for a good bargain buy.
The ad directed me to Moxsie.com, a Palo Alto based shopping site that helps visitors discover independent fashion designers. The products available are well priced, well made and most are wearable. I selected my bag and quickly purchased it and I learned something even more exciting than the opportunity to find unique products. I discovered that with each purchase, a portion of the proceeds are donated to a charity that the shopper can select from a preset list. There is no additional cost to the consumer and the charities are close the the heart of the designers and Moxsie team. What a great way to enjoy your shopping and give back at the same time.
If you’ve heard of ideeli or Gilt, then you’ll get the concept behind