NEW DELHI: They network o
nline when they’re home, at work and in between. A survey on use of social networking sites found that 30.6% of users participating in it access them from their mobiles apart from their home and office computers.
The average number of hours spent on social networking sites networking is two per day; 89% users join these sites to stay in touch with friends and 80.4% follow friends for photographs, says a recent survey.
The Indian social media user is anything but predictable. Twitter (despite an increase in social media use from mobiles and work computers) is only the fourth most popular site, beaten by a wide margin by one that is targeted specifically at business networking. The blogosphere enjoys the endorsement of netizens too with almost 70% of social media users spending at least half an hour every day on blogs. Most look for information and would prefer companies to do their promotion on blogs.
The survey conducted by Indiabiz News and Research Services (INRS) dispels another myth. Conducted among 350 users (15-45 years of age) based in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore, the survey found that contrary to popular belief (which has led companies to open accounts and software and marketing firms to start social media wings), brand promotion on social media in India is severely limited in its impact. Only about 15% trust the information provided.
Despite the strident efforts by companies to leverage their net presence though social network campaigns, brand awareness is woefully low on the priority list for users with 33% uninterested and 63% not engaging with communities, groups or fan pages of any kind.
On the other hand, a different survey conducted on the global scale and released in April 2010 by InSites Consulting had declared social media brand promotion a success with the promo information being nearly as trusted as consumer’s advice.
India’s social networking community is clearly following a different trajectory. Another survey conducted by Blogworks and Exchange 4 Media in December, 2008 and January, 2009, this time among working professionals, business executives and marketers, said, “81-85 % of respondents believe that Indian marketers and corporates have just cursory or no understanding of Social Media ; the need for education and learning continues to be high.” But 90% of the same set believed that social media platforms impact business.
A good many users maintain multiple accounts on different social networking sites; while a majority is in it for friends, more than half have joined for business or professional reasons; and though not many in number, there are even those, included in the survey, who operate their accounts from cyber cafes, friend’s homes and college labs. And every survey and study has predicted a bright future for online brand promotion in India.
89% users join networking sites to stay in touch with friends 80.4% follow friends on these site for sharing or viewing photographs Users spend an average of 2 hours daily on these sites 30.6% of users access social networking sites from their mobiles 70% of users spend at least half an hour every day on blogs. Only 15% users trust brand promotion online 33% are uninterested and 63% don’t engage with communities, groups or fan pages.