According to a recent survey from Crowdtap, 64.8 percent of consumers use sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest when searching for the perfect gift.
The survey, which looked at responses from 1,400 consumers, also found that 67 percent of consumers using social media when looking for a gift went on to make a purchase.
Participants were also asked about the type of content they are most likely to share on social media during the holiday season:
- Digital coupon: 67.2 percent
- Link to a holiday contest, sweepstakes, or giveaway: 63.4 percent
- Information about a big holiday sale: 59.2 percent
- Product review or recommendation: 44.7 percent
Bottom Line: With just a few weeks left of summer, it’s time to start thinking about the holidays.
That’s right…I used the “H-word.”
We all saw how quickly the last couple of months went by. The next few won’t be any different.
When you’re ready to start thinking about how you’ll engage your audience and get people ready for the holidays, social media is a great place to start!
Here are some of the other marketing stories that caught our eye this week…
Vine grows to 40 million registered users
Just 7 months after Twitter acquired Vine back in January, the 6-second video-sharing app has reached an impressive 40 million registered users.
When the company released its Android app in June, Vine reported that there were already a total of 13 million users on iOS. Since that time, the number of people using Vine has more than tripled.
Bottom Line: With the introduction of video for Instagram, a lot of people thought Vine’s popularity would be short-lived. During that time, the site has tripled its user base and showed that the demand for 6-second videos is alive and well.
Facebook is testing new tool to help brands keep tabs on other pages
Facebook is testing a new tool called “Pages to Watch,” and just as the name suggests, it will give page administrators the ability to easily keep track of the activity on competing Facebook Pages.
The new “Pages to Watch” feature began showing up for select pages earlier this week, and Facebook has confirmed that it is conducting a test of the new feature.
With the tool, admins will be able to select 5 pages that Facebook will then bookmark and give updates about “like” totals over the past week. Facebook is not providing any other metrics at this time.
It is also important to note that when an admin chooses to “watch” a page, the admin of that page will receive a notification.
Bottom Line: If you’re using Facebook to market your small business or organization, there’s a good chance you’re keeping tabs on other pages already.
There’s nothing wrong with a little friendly competition on Facebook. In fact, keeping an eye on the pages you think are doing well can be a great source of inspiration and a motivator for you to stay active and engaged with your own social audience.
We’ll make sure to keep an eye on this ongoing test and will update you on any further developments.
Adults use Pinterest and Instagram more than teens
While teens continue to dominate a majority of social networks, new data from the Pew Research Center shows that there are 2 networks where adults outpace their younger counterparts: Pinterest and Instagram.
According to the latest report, 15 percent of adult social media users are now using Pinterest, compared to just 1 percent of teen respondents. On Instagram, 13 percent of adults are using the photo-sharing platform, compared to 11 percent of teens.
Here is a breakdown of social media users by age group:
- 13-18 years old – 81 percent
- 18-29 years old – 89 percent
- 30-49 years old – 78 percent
- 50-64 years old – 60 percent
- Over 65 years old – 43 percent
Bottom Line: The once commonly held belief that “social media is just for kids,” is being heard less and less these days, and for good reason.
Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are being used across all age groups.
As different age groups get more and more familiar with sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, they are branching out and showing a willingness to adopt the “new” networks just as fast as a younger audience. That’s good news for the future of social media marketing.
Embedded Facebook posts are now available to all users
Facebook’s embedded posts, which were introduced at the end of July, are now available to all users.
Based on feedback from the initial test of Embedded Posts, Facebook made the following changes:
- The width was reduced to make the posts fit smaller screens and enhance Facebook users’ mobile experiences.
- Videos can now play directly on websites or blogs.
- Posts can now be embedded directly from third-party websites.
Bottom Line: Embedded Posts are giving Facebook users a new way to share their content outside of Facebook. This is especially good news for businesses and organizations that manage a blog.
Add a new element to your blog by embedding a Facebook post and encouraging readers to share their feedback.