As may be expected, the penetration of different social media sites decreases with the consumers’ age, however, it’s still significant to note that almost half of all connecting consumers are using YouTube and almost a fifth are on Twitter. 1 in 10 of connected consumers, including grey spenders, are also using LinkedIn.
If they have not done so already, B2C suppliers must consider the role of social media/networking sites and particularly Facebook, as key channels to reach their target markets - even if these include grey spenders. By looking at social media channels to complement traditional marketing channels such as TV, radio, or print, suppliers have an opportunity to raise their brand visibility and product awareness levels.
However, it’s also a case of ‘seller beware’! There are accepted conventions for how companies should conduct their involvement on these sites, for example through company profile / brand pages on Facebook, as without due care and attention to these conventions, suppliers could face more challenges than opportunities!
Source: Consumer Omnibus Survey, November 2010
