"Word of mouth has always been the most powerful marketing tool; what social media has done is dramatically increase the scale, velocity and immediacy with which people can influence each other and create the biggest revolution to hit our industry since television," said David Jones, global CEO of Euro RSCG. "One of the interesting findings of the study is that it's the combination of online and offline experiences that creates the biggest impact."
Other findings include:
- Even though 53.5% of respondents have met new people through electronic media, face-to-face interaction is still the "gold standard"
- Consumers are engaging more in multi-way exchanges of ideas and opinions among consumers and brands
- Consumers are not only move involved with family and friends, but they have increased involvement in political and humanitarian issues.
- 40% agree that social groupings online can be truly social, while only 14% disagree. According to Euro RSCG, figures varied little across age, gender, ethnic, or income groups.
Perhaps more interesting than the statistics provided by the firm, are the key takeaways it cites. This includes things like the fact that social media is an important consideration for any communications strategy, and the fact that it's impossible to predict how bits of communication will spread across social media.
The firm also says that even though the web is world-wide, its emerging power is hyperlocal. This is because this is the space where online and offline most often meet. That is a key reason why businesses, particularly local businesses should not ignore social media. Related Articles: > A Few Guidelines for Drafting Social Media Guidelines >
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