Social networking advertisements influenced brand recognition, proactive searching
Social networks have emerged as one of the most popular - and cost-effective - marketing services available to small businesses today. And according to a new study, the investment seems to be paying off.
A study released Thursday by Performics and ROI Research found that consumers are willing to engage with brands that have a presence on social media websites, and that social networking profiles may drive sales and website traffic.
Specifically, 34 percent of consumers have searched for information on a product, service or brand that they have seen on a social networking website, while 30 percent of respondents have learned about a new product, service or brand from a social networking website.
"Social networks are creating a monumental shift in how people communicate with each other and with brands," said Michael Kahn, senior vice president of marketing at Performics. "The results of this study can help marketers better understand where and how consumers interact with social media sites and what types of offers and communications engage them and motivate them to act."
Although the survey was conducted using U.S. consumers, the trend is likely not geographically limited.
In addition to these statistics, social networking websites can be a valuable marketing service simply due to the sheer amount of people that use the websites - Facebook, for one, recently announced that it has surpassed the 300-million user mark.
