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DEAR INTERACTIVE MARKETER:
    Social media is revolutionising the way people communicate with each
    other, the way they communicate with brands and the way they expect
    those brands to communicate with them. As interactive marketers,
    we’re constantly trying to discover the next big thing that will give us an
    advantage in the competitive marketplace. At the same time, experts
    continue to emphasise the importance of delivering the right message, to
    the right audiences, through the right channel, at the right time.

    While marketers have plenty of information about what consumers do
    online, there’s relatively little information that helps us understand WHY
    consumers do the things they do.

    At ExactTarget, we recognise that creating relationships between brands
    and consumers requires more than just a clever tagline and some
    posh marketing materials. To truly connect with customers, we need to
    understand their behaviour and motivations. That’s why we went straight
    to the source and asked consumers about their usage and attitudes
    toward email, Facebook and Twitter—the channels most commonly used
    by consumers for online communications.

    In The Digital Down Under, the 15th report in our ongoing SUBSCRIBERS,
    FANS & FOLLOWERS research series, we’re excited to share insights
    gleaned from our first-ever study of Australian consumers. In the pages that
    follow, we hope to provide you with a sense of how Australian consumers
    view their brand relationships and what motivates them to subscribe, “like”
    and “follow” brands online.

    I invite you to spend some time reviewing and digesting this exciting new
    report. Share it amongst your colleagues, discuss how the findings may
    impact your cross-channel strategy and let us know what you think. Your
    feedback is always welcome at lhawksley@ExactTarget.com.

    Cheers,




    Lee Hawksley
    Sr. Director, ExactTarget
    @LeeHawksley



2    © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff
INTRODUCTION
        The Digital Down Under provides marketers with an overview of email, Facebook and Twitter consumption across online
        Australian consumers. In this report, we explore three main themes:
           •	 When and how Australian consumers use email, Facebook and Twitter
           •	 What motivates consumer interaction in each of these channels
           •	 How marketers can communicate more effectively across channels

        Much of marketing is managing consumer expectations and desires, and by understanding what is expected, brands
        are better able to deliver the right message, through the right channel, at the right time. Though this concept isn’t new,
        the evolution and growing popularity of social channels like Facebook and Twitter make it critical for you to consider
        campaigns from the perspective of the consumers whom you seek to engage with. In order to successfully cater marketing
        efforts to consumer expectations, you must first understand their motivations.

        Prior SUBSCRIBERS, FANS & FOLLOWERS research conducted in the US and UK has focused on similar themes, but in this
        edition, we focus specifically on the Australian market. We build on previously conducted research findings and highlight
        key differences for Australian marketers to take into account when using these three channels to connect with consumers.




 FOR PURPOSES OF THIS REPORT, WE HAVE DEFINED THE TERMS SUBSCRIBERS, FANS AND FOLLOWERS AS SUCH:


       SUBSCRIBERS:                                           FANS:                                                      FOLLOWERS:
       Australian consumers who                               Australian consumers with an                               Australian consumers with
       receive at least one commercial                        active Facebook account who                                an active Twitter profile who
       email per day.                                         have “liked” at least one company                          “follow” at least one company
                                                              or brand on Facebook.                                      or brand on Twitter.




96%    of the online Australian
       consumers polled (age 18
       and older) are SUBSCRIBERS
                                             55%              of the online Australian
                                                              consumers polled (age 18
                                                              and older) are FANS
                                                                                                      6%           of the online Australian
                                                                                                                   consumers polled (age 18
                                                                                                                   and older) are FOLLOWERS

                                                                                                          © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff   3
Australians are
    much more willing
    to “like” brands
    on Facebook than
                                                      NOW TRENDING
    their counterparts                                As we continue our SUBSCRIBERS, FANS &                      & FOLLOWERS report: The Meaning of Like), indicating
                                                      FOLLOWERS series, it’s difficult to ignore the              that Australian consumers are more willing to engage
                                                      growing consistencies between Australian, UK and            with brands on Facebook.
    are in the US and                                 US consumers. To start, these countries have mature
                                                                                                                  Young adults are more likely to be involved with brands
                                                      internet audiences and as such, post comparable
                                                                                                                  via social media—68% of 18-24 year olds are fans and
    UK. Compared to
                                                      channel adoption rates. Views as they pertain to brand
                                                                                                                  11% are followers. The strong correlation between age
                                                      interaction within each channel are also similar between
                                                                                                                  and social media engagement is primarily a result of
                                                      the three countries. Consumers from these countries
                                                                                                                  higher overall adoption of Facebook and Twitter among
    prior research,                                   look to connect with brands as a means of obtaining
                                                      a deal. While this may be their primary motivation,
                                                                                                                  younger age groups. Older consumers who are active
                                                                                                                  in social media are nearly as likely to become fans
                                                      there are many other reasons consumers engage with
                                                                                                                  and followers assuming they are actively engaged in
    we’ve seen a                                      brands, and these motivations do not appear to be
                                                      culturally-influenced.
                                                                                                                  Facebook and Twitter.

                                                                                                                  Email adoption, however, is much more consistent
                                                      As you might have guessed, there are also quite a few
    notably larger                                    differences between how consumers interact with
                                                                                                                  across ages. In fact, Australian consumers across
                                                                                                                  all age groups are very likely to be email subscribers.
                                                      brands online across cultures. One critical difference we
                                                                                                                  Young adults ages 18-24 are the least likely to opt in
                                                      observed when comparing Australian consumers with
    percentage of                                     those in the US and UK is how they approach Facebook.
                                                                                                                  to receive commercial emails (94%), indicating that
                                                                                                                  the vast majority of consumers across all age groups
                                                      Australians are much more willing to “like” brands on
                                                                                                                  engage with brands via email.
    Facebook fans
                                                      Facebook than their counterparts are in the US and
                                                      UK. Compared to prior research, we’ve seen a notably        As we dig further into the insights gleaned from this
                                                      larger percentage of Facebook fans (55%) in Australia.      research, we’ll continue to analyse trends we see within

    (55%) in Australia.                               This is due to the fact that 79% of active Facebook
                                                      users have “liked” a brand. This is considerably higher
                                                                                                                  and between channels. Email, Facebook and Twitter
                                                                                                                  are very unique, yet the consumers who interact with
                                                      than the 66% of Facebook users who’ve performed the         each channel are in large part the same. Understanding
                                                      same action in the UK or the 45% who have done so in        what the consumer expects from each channel is the
                                                      the US (according to the 2011 SUBSCRIBERS, FANS             challenge we’ll address.


4   © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff
AUSTRALIAN SUBSCRIBERS, FANS AND FOLLOWERS (BY AGE)                                                                                          Young adults are
                             Email Subscribers                    Facebook Fans                      Twitter Followers                                       more likely to
        94%                       96%                      98%
                                                                                    95%                        96%                    96%                    be involved with
                                                                                                                                                             brands via social
                                                                                                                                                             media—68% of
              68%
                                        66%
                                                                                                                                                             18-24 year olds
                                                                 62%
                                                                                                                                                             are fans and 11%
                                                                                          47%
                                                                                                                                                             are followers. The
                                                                                                                     38%
                                                                                                                                                             strong correlation
                                                                                                                                            30%              between age
                                                                                                                                                             and social media
                    11%
                                              8%                       9%
                                                                                                                                                             engagement
                                                                                                                                                             is primarily a
18-24




                          25-34




                                                   35-44




                                                                            45-54




                                                                                                       55-64
                                                                                                3%                         3%



                                                                                                                                65+
                                                                                                                                                  1%
                                                                                                                                                             result of higher
                                                                                                                                                             overall adoption
                                                                                                                                                             of Facebook and
                                                                                                                                                             Twitter among
                                                                                                                                                             younger age
                                                                                                                                                             groups.

                                                                                                                                                       © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff   5
DIGITAL MORNING
                                                      Consumers’ initial online activities tell us something of
                                                      their priorities and motivations as they start their day.
                                                      Understanding their mindset—whether it be business,
                                                      social or news focused, as well as the lens through which
                                                      they access their first online content—provides valuable
                                                      insight into the most effective ways to meet consumers
                                                      where they are.

                                                      Overall, 71% of Australian consumers check email first thing
                                                      in the morning. In a distant second and third place, consumers
                                                      choose Facebook (17%) and news sites (6%) as their early
                                                      morning online activity. It’s important to keep in mind that
                                                      while email may be the go-to place in the morning, this does
                                                      not mean that consumers do not ALSO check Facebook,
                                                      Twitter and search portals frequently. Email is simply the first
                                                      priority when consumers start their digital days.

                                                      Across the US, UK and Australia, early morning priorities
                                                      are similar. Email represents a more formal form of online
                                                      communication and helps people set priorities for their
                                                      days. Thus, it’s where most consumers choose to start their
                                                      morning. In the UK, 73% of consumers check email first,
                                                      whereas only 58% of Americans choose to do the same.

                                                      As previously mentioned, consumer online behaviours
                                                      and motivations do vary considerably with age. And,
                                                      not surprisingly, where one starts their digital day is also
                                                      influenced by age. 18-24 year olds are more likely to start
                                                      their day with Facebook than with email (45% vs. 37%).
                                                      To rationalise, consider this age group’s priorities and
                                                      motivations. They are less likely to be employed full-time
                                                      and more likely to be in school. It’s also important to note
                                                      that Facebook was originally designed to target college
                                                      students, prompting the site to become the “hub” of
                                                      today’s college students’ online social lives.

                                                      So, it’s not surprising that it is this age group’s go-to
                                                      morning channel. 18-24 year olds who are employed full-
                                                      time are more likely to start their day like the rest of the


6   © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff
WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU CHECK
                                                                                ONLINE IN A TYPICAL DAY?
adult consumer population, using email more readily than
Facebook (42% vs. 38%). This behaviour underscores the
more “official” nature of email as a communication tool.

How consumers access their first online content of the day
is also interesting:
   •	 74% use their personal computer
   •	 14% use their mobile phone
   •	 7% wait until they arrive at work or school

How people perform this initial “digital morning check”
is also influenced by age. Consumers over the age of 45
are overwhelmingly performing their initial morning check
using a personal computer (more than 90%). But, nearly                                         71%
30% of consumers, 34 years of age and younger, rely on                                         EMAIL
a mobile device for this purpose—only reinforcing the
importance of optimising your brand’s emails for mobile
consumers, especially when targeting younger audiences.                                                       17%
                                                              0.4%                                         FACEBOOK
Understanding where your consumers start their day will       TWITTER
help you identify how and when your audience will be most
receptive to marketing messages. It can also help you craft       0.6%
the content and tone of your message—which will become           GOOGLE+
more evident as we examine each individual channel.                        1%
                                                                         SEARCH/
                                                                        PORTAL SITE                                      6%
                                                                                      1%                              NEWS SITE
                                                                                 MY COMPANY’S                2%
                                                                                   WEBSITE      1%          OTHER
                                                                                           ENTERTAINMENT




Overall,      71%   of Australian consumers check email first thing in the
morning. Understanding where your consumers start their day will help you identify
how and when your audience will be most receptive to marketing messages.
                                                                                                           © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff   7
DIGITAL EVENING
                                                      Just as it is important to analyse morning behaviour
                                                      to understand the priorities and motivations of
                                                      your consumers, it is important to examine how
                                                      consumers end their digital day in order to better
                                                      comprehend how channel usage shifts throughout
                                                      the day.

                                                      When evening rolls around, consumer priorities
                                                      tend to shift from business to leisure. Email usage
                                                      decreases in the evening, but it remains the most
                                                      popular channel for Australian consumers. Forty
                                                      seven percent say that email is the last thing they
                                                      check online in a typical day, as compared to 71%
                                                      who check email first thing in the morning. Email
                                                      is official—it’s active and about getting things
                                                      done, which is why it is checked so frequently
                                                      in the morning.

                                                      Social media is about connection and leisure—
                                                      activities that are more common in the evening.
                                                      This explains why more people tend to spend time
                                                      on social channels like Facebook, Twitter and
                                                      Google+ or news and entertainment sites before
                                                      turning in for the night.

                                                      Keep these figures in perspective though. While
                                                      there is an increase in evening online social activity,
                                                      the steadily high incidence of email checking into
                                                      the evening demonstrates its prominence in the
                                                      lives of Australian consumers. Consider reaching
                                                      your consumers through social sites in the
                                                      evening, but remember that a significant number
                                                      of consumers are still closing out their evening
                                                      with the inbox.




8   © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff
“At night I am a lot more active on the internet, as I can use it of my own free will
(unlike at work). I spend time researching, shopping, socialising, etc.” –Tali, age 26




                       47%
                       EMAIL

                               1%
                          TWITTER
                                     2%                                                          27%
                                GOOGLE+                                                         FACEBOOK
                                                                                      9%
                                        2%                                          NEWS SITE
                                    MY COMPANY’S
                                      WEBSITE      3%        4%          5%
                                                   OTHER    SEARCH/ ENTERTAINMENT
                                                           PORTAL SITE


                                             WHAT IS THE LAST THING YOU CHECK
                                                 ONLINE IN A TYPICAL DAY?

                                                                                                 © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff   9
THE EMAIL CONSUMER
                                                                Email is the foundation of online communication—after all, 96% of online consumers are subscribers. When
                                                                we look holistically at purchase behaviours as they relate to marketing channels, we see that 53% of Australian
                                                                consumers have made a purchase as the direct result of a marketing message they received via email. This
                                                                statistic alone may be enough to convince you of the importance of using email to drive engagement and
                                                                conversion, but when analysing the success of this channel, there are a number of other factors to consider.




     AGE: While it may not be surprising to learn that 18-24 year olds are the least            •	 65% use email for communicating with personal contacts
     likely (45%) to have made a purchase as a direct result of receiving an email,             •	 54% use email to reconnect with old friends
     there is a significant increase in the number of consumers ages 25-34 who
                                                                                                •	 44% report that their friends use email, so it’s the best way to stay in touch
     have done so. In fact, 25-34 year olds are the most likely (57%) to have made
                                                                                                   with them
     a purchase as the direct result of an email message they received. So, why
     the jump in behaviour between two seemingly similar age groups?                            •	 42% say email can be addictive, and report checking their email “compulsively”
                                                                                            It’s clear from our research that email is useful for both personal and professional
     This variation in how consumers act on email is largely life-stage based. As
                                                                                            communications—and for most, it is an everyday necessity. The fact that email
     people enter the workforce and take on more adult responsibilities, email
                                                                                            transcends both work and personal domains is part of why email continues to
     becomes more ingrained as an essential part of life. We have seen similar
                                                                                            thrive even as other communication channels emerge online.
     patterns with research conducted in the US and UK and conclude that email
     utilization increases significantly as consumers enter the workforce:                  CONTENT: According to Australia’s SUBSCRIBERS, FANS & FOLLOWERS
        •	 84% of online consumers check email at least once per day                        research, the top two reasons consumers opt in to receive email are to receive
                                                                                            discounts and promotions (55%) or free items and giveaways (51%). While
        •	 18-24 year olds are least likely to check email daily (70%)
                                                                                            monetary incentives are clear drivers of email subscriber opt-in, it’s dangerous
        •	 86% of consumers 25 and older use email at least once per day                    to assume that the only value of email is in delivering discounts. By narrowing
     DEVICE: As smartphones become increasingly prevalent, it is important to               your use of email, you risk missing valuable opportunities for added brand
     consider email design, testing to ensure proper rendering across mobile devices.       engagement. Upon deeper examination, we see that 39% of consumers
     This is due to:                                                                        subscribe to commercial email in order to stay up-to-date on company offerings,
                                                                                            while 35% want to receive advanced notice of future releases.
        •	 59% of consumers report owning and using a smartphone
        •	 43% of consumers (73% of smartphone owners) report checking email at             EXPECTATIONS: It’s key to recognise consumers’ need for value exchange in
           least once per day from their smartphones                                        email. Consumers do not subscribe to emails in order to be affiliated with “trendy”
                                                                                            companies, nor do they subscribe as a means of showing support for a company
     MOTIVATIONS: While email is commonly thought of as a business communication            (as is more frequent in social channels). Moreover, 61% of consumers say they
     tool, it’s important for marketers to remember that its capabilities extend well       have become more selective in the past year about subscribing to receive email.
     beyond the office. While 47% of Australian consumers use email for work, email         Subscribers want to know exactly what they will get in exchange for providing their
     truly serves as a “catch-all” for online communications:                               email address. By clearly stating this value up-front, you’ll set expectations with
                                                                                            subscribers for a mutually beneficial relationship.



10    © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff
Subscribers want
                      AUSTRALIAN          To receive discounts and money-off promotions                   55%
to know exactly       CONSUMERS:
                      MOTIVATIONS         To receive “free stuff” or giveaways (e.g. free download,
what they will get    TO SUBSCRIBE           voucher) offered in exchange for my email address        51%
                      What drove
                      you to give your    To keep up-to-date with a company’s
                                                                                      39%
in exchange for       email address       products, services or offerings

                      to a company,
providing their       association or                                            35%
                                          To receive advanced notice of
                                          new products or future releases
                      organisation?
email address.                            I shop with this company or buy
                                          this brand on a regular basis              31%

By clearly stating                        To gain access to exclusive content        31%

this value up-                            For more information related to my
                                          personal interests, hobbies, etc.      28%

front, you’ll set                                 14%
                                                            To receive alerts related to
                                                            developments within the company,
                                                            association or organisation

expectations with                                 14%
                                                            For a quick and easy way to
                                                            “keep my finger on the pulse”
                                                            of the brand/company

subscribers for a                              12%       Someone recommended it to me


mutually beneficial                               To show my support for the
                                         7%       company to others (including
                                                  friends and family)
relationship.                                 To be affiliated with the product or
                                         4%   brand because it’s trendy or “cool”



                                                                          © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff   11
THE FACEBOOK CONSUMER
                                                                      Many marketers do not view Facebook as a “hard sell” channel. Instead, it’s seen as a relational channel
                                                                      where marketers can build affinity for their brands. Despite this perception, we found that 16% of online
                                                                      Australians have made a purchase as the direct result of a marketing message they received through
                                                                      Facebook. As was the case with email, there are a number of factors to consider when evaluating ways
                                                                      to effectively use this channel to drive consumer engagement.




     AGE: Australian consumers like Facebook—a lot. In fact, they are more active           content (30%) and monitoring for new products or future releases (28%). These
     on Facebook than either the US or UK consumers we’ve surveyed. 69% of                  findings infer a need for deeper customer relationships, making balance of topics
     consumers are active Facebook users. Of those users, 69% check Facebook at             in your social content crucial, while still meeting fan expectations.
     least once per day, and 55% have actually “liked” a company.
                                                                                            It is also important to consider the affiliation a customer may already have with
     Unlike email, where purchase behaviour is reasonably consistent across the age         a brand prior to “liking” them on Facebook. Twenty-nine percent of consumers
     spectrum, Facebook seems to influence purchases of predominantly younger               report becoming fans because they already shop or purchase regularly from the
     consumers. Thirty percent of online Australian consumers aged 18-24 have made          brand and 27% of consumers “like” brands in order to show their support to
     a purchase as a result of seeing a message on Facebook. Of consumers aged 25-          friends and family. Thus, Facebook is clearly a place where existing customers
     34, that figure drops to 25%, while it’s only 5% for consumers over the age of 45.     are willing to provide endorsements. Build on this phenomenon by determining
                                                                                            ways to convert your already loyal customers into fans that can be mobilised as
     USAGE: One of Facebook’s most distinguishing characteristics is that it is not
                                                                                            part of an integrated cross-channel strategy.
     typically used for work and is almost exclusively considered a social and leisure
     outlet. Forty-seven percent of subscribers report using email for work. Thirty         EXPECTATION: Similar to email, consumers report becoming more selective
     percent of active Twitter users report using it for work. But, only 14% of active      about the companies they “like” on Facebook (54%) over the past year. Online
     Facebook users report logging in for work purposes.                                    consumer audiences are not willing to tolerate content they feel is uninteresting
                                                                                            or irrelevant—regardless of channel. As such, it’s crucial that you recognise and
     It’s important to know why consumers gravitate toward a particular channel so that
                                                                                            track the reasons fans “like” your brand, and deliver content that is aligned to these
     you can understand how they use it, and what they expect to see from you.
                                                                                            expectations on an ongoing basis.
     MOTIVATION: As mentioned earlier in this report, Australian Facebook users are
     more willing to “like” a company than users in the US or UK. Despite their increased
     willingness, their primary motivations for “liking” a company are consistent with       “Sometimes it’s like saying to your friends, ‘I’m hip, I like
     what we’ve seen in the US and UK—many consumers are simply extending their              cool companies.’ Sometimes I ‘like’ companies to get news
     online quest to find a good deal on Facebook.
                                                                                             about new product releases. A while ago, I ‘liked’ Apple
     Even so, it’s not wise to build a one-dimensional strategy solely around promotional
     material. Consumers also “like” companies as a means of receiving updates on            iTunes because they gave out free music. So discounts are
     a brand’s products, services and offerings (33%), gaining access to exclusive           also a big deal.” –Antoinette, age 43


12    © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff
AUSTRALIAN CONSUMERS: MOTIVATIONS TO “LIKE”
What drove you to “like” a company, association or organisation on Facebook?
       To receive “free stuff” or giveaways (e.g. free download, voucher)
       offered in exchange for my email address                                                   52%

            To receive discounts and money-off promotions                                  46%
                   To keep up-to-date with a company’s
                   products, services or offerings                          33%

                        To gain access to exclusive content            30%
                                  I shop with this company or buy
                                  this brand on a regular basis                 29%
                                    To receive advanced notice of
                                    new products or future releases            28%
                                                                             To show my support for the
                                                                 27%         company to others (including
                                                                             friends and family)


                                                              22%      For more information related to my
                                                                       personal interests, hobbies, etc.

                                                                To receive alerts related to
                                                    17%         developments within the company,
                                                                association or organisation
                                                              For a quick and easy way to
                                                   16%        “keep my finger on the pulse”
                                                              of the brand/company


                                                   16%         Someone recommended it to me



                                           8%       To be affiliated with the product or
                                                    brand because it’s trendy or “cool”



                                                               © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff   13
THE TWITTER CONSUMER
                                                                       While commanding a smaller audience than either email or Facebook, Twitter has found a loyal user
                                                                       base. In fact, 5% of online Australians told us that they made a purchase as the direct result of a
                                                                       marketing message they received through Twitter. But there’s more to the story…




        AGE AND USAGE: While only 11% of online consumers are active Twitter                 MOTIVATION: Now that we know who is using Twitter, it’s important to
        users, it’s important to note that these people tend to be some of the most          understand how they’re using it. Forty-seven percent of users say they turn
        active online consumers. Of those who are active on Twitter, 51% check it at         to Twitter when they’re looking to pass the time. While the channel is certainly
        least once per day, and 18% report using Twitter “consistently throughout            social, users don’t see it as a means for connecting with friends, since a low
        the day.” Twitter users are active across other channels too—70% check               percentage of their friends are likely to be users. Facebook and email are
        Facebook daily and 84% check email daily.                                            considered more appropriate for those purposes.

        The most active users are those aged 18-24 (18%), but 25-34 year olds are            Other users access Twitter as a means of keeping up-to-date with a
        the most likely to have made a purchase as a result of seeing a message on           company’s products, services and offerings (45%) or to receive information
        Twitter (12%). Similar to Facebook adoption trends, the percentage of Twitter        related to personal interests and hobbies (32%).
        users decreases significantly with age.
                                                                                             EXPECTATION: Similar to email and Facebook users, Twitter users have
        USERS: Unlike email and Facebook, Twitter isn’t typically seen as the place          become more selective about which companies they “follow” on Twitter, but
        to work or connect with friends. Twitter users tend to view the channel as           remain loyal to those they find most relevant, entertaining or useful. Users are
        a way to alleviate boredom and receive what they perceive to be “insider             looking for exclusive content they can share with others in the form of blogs,
        information” from their friends, brands and celebrities. So, what’s the real         reviews or other content that allows them to build influence with their own
        benefit of engaging with these users via this channel?                               followers. As such, it’s common for users to vet and continually reassess who
                                                                                             they “follow.” But, if you’re able to become a favorite among your followers,
        In previous SUBSCRIBERS, FANS & FOLLOWERS research, we have
                                                                                             you could benefit from a lot of exposure—more than 50% of Twitter users
        analysed common consumer profiles in both the US and UK. One profile
                                                                                             always read posts from their favourite companies.
        that we see consistently across these countries is made up of individuals
        who have a strong desire to connect, educate and share resources and
        information with others online. This is consistent with our findings in Australia.
        These “Influencers” are typically heavy Twitter users, and are most likely to
                                                                                             “Twitter is where I can connect with all of the people
        blog and create new web content. Often this content can be very valuable             I wish I had gone to school with. Facebook is where I
        in its ability to promote your brand and products. But, unlike many of their
        consumer counterparts, these “Influencers” are not looking for a deal. While
                                                                                             stay in touch with the people I unfortunately did go to
        monetary incentives work well as motivation to engage on Facebook and                school with.” –David, age 26
        through email, it is not likely to inspire users to take action on Twitter.




14   © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff
39%
                          AUSTRALIAN CONSUMERS: MOTIVATIONS TO FOLLOW
                          What drove you to follow a company, association or organisation on Twitter?
              of
                            To keep up-to-date with a company’s products, services or offerings         45%
consumers find              To receive alerts related to developments within
                                                                                        36%
Twitter quite               the company, association or organisation

                            To receive “free stuff” or giveaways (e.g. free download,
addictive and               voucher) offered in exchange for my email address                 35%
say they check it
                            For a quick and easy way to “keep my finger
                            on the pulse” of the brand/company                            33%
“compulsively.”             For more information related to my personal interests,
                            hobbies, etc.                                                32%
                            I shop with this company or buy his brand on a
                            regular basis                                                32%
                            To gain access to exclusive content                          32%
Influencers are not
                                                                             To receive advanced notice of new
just consumers with                                               26%        products or future releases

                                                                             To receive discounts and
a large number of                                                 26%        money-off promotions


Twitter followers. Even                                    23%        Someone recommended it to me


users with relatively                               19%
                                                              To show my support for the company to others
                                                              (including friends and family)

few followers can be                    13%
                                                   To be affiliated with the product or
                                                   brand because it’s trendy or “cool”

active bloggers and
commenters that
can influence buying
decisions.



                                                                                              © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff   15
“Don’t just repeat what has been written on another site of yours—offer
     exclusive Facebook content, respond to comments. This is a SOCIAL network,
     not just an advertising platform. Make us laugh.” ­—Simon, age 19




16   © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff
INSPIRING ENGAGEMENT ACROSS CHANNELS
Email, Facebook and Twitter are unique channels that have the potential to inspire consumer engagement to drive
business success. But you have to take the right approach, and each channel is unique.



Tips for Email: The inbox is the gathering place for all things personal, commercial        Tips for Twitter:          Of the three channels
and business. Though consumers may treat messages differently in terms of priority and      discussed in this report, Twitter has the smallest
response based on the sender (i.e. email from your boss vs. an industry eNewsletter), the   following of Australian consumers. That, however,
inbox is not as guarded as social networks. Consumers are generally more receptive to       does not decrease the value of the channel or
receiving commercial messages via email as compared to messages delivered through           the consumers who interact on Twitter. It simply
Facebook or Twitter.                                                                        affects the way you must engage with this
The key to success in email is to gain permission and trust.                                 audience.
As consumers become more selective with whom they share                                        Twitter users are most likely to be “Influencers,”
their information, permission-based marketing becomes                                            so the goal must be to provide followers with
more critical than ever. Consumers MUST give you                                                  an intimate view of your brand so they can
their permission. If you use email addresses without                                               share any insider information they acquire
the permission of the consumer, you cannot expect your                                              with the rest of the world. “Influencers”
marketing messages to be well-received.                                                             inherently want to spread the word—
                                                                                                    so fuel their desire with interesting
                                                                                                    engaging dialogue that allows them
Tips for Facebook:                 Facebook is first and                                          to play this crucial role among their
                                                                                                followers.  
foremost meant for socializing. And while “liking” brands in
Australia is extremely popular, consumers don’t necessarily                                   Even so, Twitter is still a social environment.
expect to hear from you immediately after “liking” your                                      The relatively informal and friendly environment
brand. This doesn’t mean that Facebook is off limits to brands.                             allows like-minded people to carry an ongoing
It does, however, impact how you should approach the channel                                dialogue about the things that interest them.
in terms of tone. Consumers want to interact with you in a way                              Engage with followers by retweeting, exchanging
that is consistent with the Facebook environment—interactions                               insights and letting people get an insiders view of
should be fun and entertaining.                                                             your business. Yes, Twitter’s 140-character limit
To drive conversion and ROI, think cross-channel. Drive                                     requires brevity, but that is part of what these
consumers to become email subscribers, which lends to the                                   consumers appreciate and it is an effective way of
greatest potential for a more anticipated, personalised and                                 driving consumers to other points of engagement
targeted customer experience.                                                               such as your website, email or Facebook.




                                                                                                              © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff   17
Australia                                         AUSTRALIA SUBSCRIBERS, FANS AND FOLLOWERS OVERLAP
                                                                0.7%
     is the first                                          SUBSCRIBERS AND                                            0.1%
                                                              FOLLOWERS                                              FANS AND

     market we’ve                                                                                                   FOLLOWERS


                                                          5%                                                             1.2%
     studied in the                                    SUBSCRIBERS,                                                    FANS ONLY
                                                         FANS AND

     SUBSCRIBERS,                                       FOLLOWERS
                                                                                              48%
                                                                                           SUBSCRIBERS
     FANS &                                                                                 AND FANS


     FOLLOWERS
                                                                                42%
     series where the                                                        SUBSCRIBERS
                                                                                ONLY

     percentage of
     consumers who                                                                          96% EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS
                                                                                            55% FACEBOOK FANS
                                                                                            6% TWITTER FOLLOWERS
     are subscribers                                                                        3% NONE OF THE ABOVE

     and fans is
     LARGER than the
     percentage of
     people who are
     only subscribers.


18   © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff
CONCLUSION
Our SUBSCRIBERS, FANS & FOLLOWERS research largely portrays email as the dominate channel in the marketplace in
terms of consumer reach and frequency of use. While this is certainly still factual within the US and UK markets, in studying       Consumers
the Australian market, we see an interesting shift in how consumers engage with brands socially. Australia is the first market
we’ve studied in the SUBSCRIBERS, FANS & FOLLOWERS series where the percentage of consumers who are
subscribers and fans is LARGER than the percentage of people who are only subscribers.
                                                                                                                                    aren’t siloed—
Australian consumer engagement with Facebook in particular offers exciting opportunities for you to experiment
with new ways of engaging fans. But, it’s important to remember that even with the elevated social adoption rates,
                                                                                                                                    so why should
you must continue to adopt an approach that layers communications across multiple channels. Consumers aren’t
siloed—so why should you be?                                                                                                        you be?
Remember that regardless of the channel, the same general marketing principles apply when it comes to relevant, engaging
content. Consumers do not expect vast differences in communication across these three channels. Each channel should
reinforce your overall brand proposition while aligning these messages to the unique culture of each channel—where email is
more formal, Facebook is more entertaining and Twitter provides an insider’s view into your company. By playing to channel
strengths and ensuring that your communications unify your brand across channels, you can avoid recycling the same content
and thereby build deeper, more meaningful relationships with your customers and prospects.



                                                                                                                             © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff   19
CONNECTING ACROSS
INTERACTIVE
MARKETING
                                                                                                          We Can Help.               Your consumers have a megaphone on the real-
                                                                                                          time web. Through thousands of tweets, emails, Facebook posts, ratings,
                                                                                                          reviews and Google searches, they’re discussing your organisation. And it
                                                                                                          doesn’t take long for your brand to become the sum of those conversations.




CHANNELS
                                                                                                          You need a better way to connect with your customers, and ExactTarget can
                                                                                                          help. We’ve developed the Interactive Marketing Hub™, a new category
                                                                                                          of software that transcends organisational size and industry to solve the
                                                                                                          root challenges we all face as interactive marketers. We help you bridge




IS TOUGH
                                                                                                          the divide between siloed marketing communications and thousands of
                                                                                                          unique, integrated consumers.

                                                                                                          Ready to connect with your customers?

                                                                                                          Contact us today at +61 3 8637 4900 or learn more at
                                                                                                          www.ExactTarget.com.au




                                                                                            www.ExactTarget.com.au




This document may not be copied without the prior written consent of ExactTarget. © 2012 ExactTarget.

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The Digital Marketing Down Under - Australia

  • 1.
  • 2. DEAR INTERACTIVE MARKETER: Social media is revolutionising the way people communicate with each other, the way they communicate with brands and the way they expect those brands to communicate with them. As interactive marketers, we’re constantly trying to discover the next big thing that will give us an advantage in the competitive marketplace. At the same time, experts continue to emphasise the importance of delivering the right message, to the right audiences, through the right channel, at the right time. While marketers have plenty of information about what consumers do online, there’s relatively little information that helps us understand WHY consumers do the things they do. At ExactTarget, we recognise that creating relationships between brands and consumers requires more than just a clever tagline and some posh marketing materials. To truly connect with customers, we need to understand their behaviour and motivations. That’s why we went straight to the source and asked consumers about their usage and attitudes toward email, Facebook and Twitter—the channels most commonly used by consumers for online communications. In The Digital Down Under, the 15th report in our ongoing SUBSCRIBERS, FANS & FOLLOWERS research series, we’re excited to share insights gleaned from our first-ever study of Australian consumers. In the pages that follow, we hope to provide you with a sense of how Australian consumers view their brand relationships and what motivates them to subscribe, “like” and “follow” brands online. I invite you to spend some time reviewing and digesting this exciting new report. Share it amongst your colleagues, discuss how the findings may impact your cross-channel strategy and let us know what you think. Your feedback is always welcome at lhawksley@ExactTarget.com. Cheers, Lee Hawksley Sr. Director, ExactTarget @LeeHawksley 2 © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff
  • 3. INTRODUCTION The Digital Down Under provides marketers with an overview of email, Facebook and Twitter consumption across online Australian consumers. In this report, we explore three main themes: • When and how Australian consumers use email, Facebook and Twitter • What motivates consumer interaction in each of these channels • How marketers can communicate more effectively across channels Much of marketing is managing consumer expectations and desires, and by understanding what is expected, brands are better able to deliver the right message, through the right channel, at the right time. Though this concept isn’t new, the evolution and growing popularity of social channels like Facebook and Twitter make it critical for you to consider campaigns from the perspective of the consumers whom you seek to engage with. In order to successfully cater marketing efforts to consumer expectations, you must first understand their motivations. Prior SUBSCRIBERS, FANS & FOLLOWERS research conducted in the US and UK has focused on similar themes, but in this edition, we focus specifically on the Australian market. We build on previously conducted research findings and highlight key differences for Australian marketers to take into account when using these three channels to connect with consumers. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS REPORT, WE HAVE DEFINED THE TERMS SUBSCRIBERS, FANS AND FOLLOWERS AS SUCH: SUBSCRIBERS: FANS: FOLLOWERS: Australian consumers who Australian consumers with an Australian consumers with receive at least one commercial active Facebook account who an active Twitter profile who email per day. have “liked” at least one company “follow” at least one company or brand on Facebook. or brand on Twitter. 96% of the online Australian consumers polled (age 18 and older) are SUBSCRIBERS 55% of the online Australian consumers polled (age 18 and older) are FANS 6% of the online Australian consumers polled (age 18 and older) are FOLLOWERS © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff 3
  • 4. Australians are much more willing to “like” brands on Facebook than NOW TRENDING their counterparts As we continue our SUBSCRIBERS, FANS & & FOLLOWERS report: The Meaning of Like), indicating FOLLOWERS series, it’s difficult to ignore the that Australian consumers are more willing to engage growing consistencies between Australian, UK and with brands on Facebook. are in the US and US consumers. To start, these countries have mature Young adults are more likely to be involved with brands internet audiences and as such, post comparable via social media—68% of 18-24 year olds are fans and UK. Compared to channel adoption rates. Views as they pertain to brand 11% are followers. The strong correlation between age interaction within each channel are also similar between and social media engagement is primarily a result of the three countries. Consumers from these countries higher overall adoption of Facebook and Twitter among prior research, look to connect with brands as a means of obtaining a deal. While this may be their primary motivation, younger age groups. Older consumers who are active in social media are nearly as likely to become fans there are many other reasons consumers engage with and followers assuming they are actively engaged in we’ve seen a brands, and these motivations do not appear to be culturally-influenced. Facebook and Twitter. Email adoption, however, is much more consistent As you might have guessed, there are also quite a few notably larger differences between how consumers interact with across ages. In fact, Australian consumers across all age groups are very likely to be email subscribers. brands online across cultures. One critical difference we Young adults ages 18-24 are the least likely to opt in observed when comparing Australian consumers with percentage of those in the US and UK is how they approach Facebook. to receive commercial emails (94%), indicating that the vast majority of consumers across all age groups Australians are much more willing to “like” brands on engage with brands via email. Facebook fans Facebook than their counterparts are in the US and UK. Compared to prior research, we’ve seen a notably As we dig further into the insights gleaned from this larger percentage of Facebook fans (55%) in Australia. research, we’ll continue to analyse trends we see within (55%) in Australia. This is due to the fact that 79% of active Facebook users have “liked” a brand. This is considerably higher and between channels. Email, Facebook and Twitter are very unique, yet the consumers who interact with than the 66% of Facebook users who’ve performed the each channel are in large part the same. Understanding same action in the UK or the 45% who have done so in what the consumer expects from each channel is the the US (according to the 2011 SUBSCRIBERS, FANS challenge we’ll address. 4 © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff
  • 5. AUSTRALIAN SUBSCRIBERS, FANS AND FOLLOWERS (BY AGE) Young adults are Email Subscribers Facebook Fans Twitter Followers more likely to 94% 96% 98% 95% 96% 96% be involved with brands via social media—68% of 68% 66% 18-24 year olds 62% are fans and 11% 47% are followers. The 38% strong correlation 30% between age and social media 11% 8% 9% engagement is primarily a 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 3% 3% 65+ 1% result of higher overall adoption of Facebook and Twitter among younger age groups. © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff 5
  • 6. DIGITAL MORNING Consumers’ initial online activities tell us something of their priorities and motivations as they start their day. Understanding their mindset—whether it be business, social or news focused, as well as the lens through which they access their first online content—provides valuable insight into the most effective ways to meet consumers where they are. Overall, 71% of Australian consumers check email first thing in the morning. In a distant second and third place, consumers choose Facebook (17%) and news sites (6%) as their early morning online activity. It’s important to keep in mind that while email may be the go-to place in the morning, this does not mean that consumers do not ALSO check Facebook, Twitter and search portals frequently. Email is simply the first priority when consumers start their digital days. Across the US, UK and Australia, early morning priorities are similar. Email represents a more formal form of online communication and helps people set priorities for their days. Thus, it’s where most consumers choose to start their morning. In the UK, 73% of consumers check email first, whereas only 58% of Americans choose to do the same. As previously mentioned, consumer online behaviours and motivations do vary considerably with age. And, not surprisingly, where one starts their digital day is also influenced by age. 18-24 year olds are more likely to start their day with Facebook than with email (45% vs. 37%). To rationalise, consider this age group’s priorities and motivations. They are less likely to be employed full-time and more likely to be in school. It’s also important to note that Facebook was originally designed to target college students, prompting the site to become the “hub” of today’s college students’ online social lives. So, it’s not surprising that it is this age group’s go-to morning channel. 18-24 year olds who are employed full- time are more likely to start their day like the rest of the 6 © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff
  • 7. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU CHECK ONLINE IN A TYPICAL DAY? adult consumer population, using email more readily than Facebook (42% vs. 38%). This behaviour underscores the more “official” nature of email as a communication tool. How consumers access their first online content of the day is also interesting: • 74% use their personal computer • 14% use their mobile phone • 7% wait until they arrive at work or school How people perform this initial “digital morning check” is also influenced by age. Consumers over the age of 45 are overwhelmingly performing their initial morning check using a personal computer (more than 90%). But, nearly 71% 30% of consumers, 34 years of age and younger, rely on EMAIL a mobile device for this purpose—only reinforcing the importance of optimising your brand’s emails for mobile consumers, especially when targeting younger audiences. 17% 0.4% FACEBOOK Understanding where your consumers start their day will TWITTER help you identify how and when your audience will be most receptive to marketing messages. It can also help you craft 0.6% the content and tone of your message—which will become GOOGLE+ more evident as we examine each individual channel. 1% SEARCH/ PORTAL SITE 6% 1% NEWS SITE MY COMPANY’S 2% WEBSITE 1% OTHER ENTERTAINMENT Overall, 71% of Australian consumers check email first thing in the morning. Understanding where your consumers start their day will help you identify how and when your audience will be most receptive to marketing messages. © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff 7
  • 8. DIGITAL EVENING Just as it is important to analyse morning behaviour to understand the priorities and motivations of your consumers, it is important to examine how consumers end their digital day in order to better comprehend how channel usage shifts throughout the day. When evening rolls around, consumer priorities tend to shift from business to leisure. Email usage decreases in the evening, but it remains the most popular channel for Australian consumers. Forty seven percent say that email is the last thing they check online in a typical day, as compared to 71% who check email first thing in the morning. Email is official—it’s active and about getting things done, which is why it is checked so frequently in the morning. Social media is about connection and leisure— activities that are more common in the evening. This explains why more people tend to spend time on social channels like Facebook, Twitter and Google+ or news and entertainment sites before turning in for the night. Keep these figures in perspective though. While there is an increase in evening online social activity, the steadily high incidence of email checking into the evening demonstrates its prominence in the lives of Australian consumers. Consider reaching your consumers through social sites in the evening, but remember that a significant number of consumers are still closing out their evening with the inbox. 8 © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff
  • 9. “At night I am a lot more active on the internet, as I can use it of my own free will (unlike at work). I spend time researching, shopping, socialising, etc.” –Tali, age 26 47% EMAIL 1% TWITTER 2% 27% GOOGLE+ FACEBOOK 9% 2% NEWS SITE MY COMPANY’S WEBSITE 3% 4% 5% OTHER SEARCH/ ENTERTAINMENT PORTAL SITE WHAT IS THE LAST THING YOU CHECK ONLINE IN A TYPICAL DAY? © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff 9
  • 10. THE EMAIL CONSUMER Email is the foundation of online communication—after all, 96% of online consumers are subscribers. When we look holistically at purchase behaviours as they relate to marketing channels, we see that 53% of Australian consumers have made a purchase as the direct result of a marketing message they received via email. This statistic alone may be enough to convince you of the importance of using email to drive engagement and conversion, but when analysing the success of this channel, there are a number of other factors to consider. AGE: While it may not be surprising to learn that 18-24 year olds are the least • 65% use email for communicating with personal contacts likely (45%) to have made a purchase as a direct result of receiving an email, • 54% use email to reconnect with old friends there is a significant increase in the number of consumers ages 25-34 who • 44% report that their friends use email, so it’s the best way to stay in touch have done so. In fact, 25-34 year olds are the most likely (57%) to have made with them a purchase as the direct result of an email message they received. So, why the jump in behaviour between two seemingly similar age groups? • 42% say email can be addictive, and report checking their email “compulsively” It’s clear from our research that email is useful for both personal and professional This variation in how consumers act on email is largely life-stage based. As communications—and for most, it is an everyday necessity. The fact that email people enter the workforce and take on more adult responsibilities, email transcends both work and personal domains is part of why email continues to becomes more ingrained as an essential part of life. We have seen similar thrive even as other communication channels emerge online. patterns with research conducted in the US and UK and conclude that email utilization increases significantly as consumers enter the workforce: CONTENT: According to Australia’s SUBSCRIBERS, FANS & FOLLOWERS • 84% of online consumers check email at least once per day research, the top two reasons consumers opt in to receive email are to receive discounts and promotions (55%) or free items and giveaways (51%). While • 18-24 year olds are least likely to check email daily (70%) monetary incentives are clear drivers of email subscriber opt-in, it’s dangerous • 86% of consumers 25 and older use email at least once per day to assume that the only value of email is in delivering discounts. By narrowing DEVICE: As smartphones become increasingly prevalent, it is important to your use of email, you risk missing valuable opportunities for added brand consider email design, testing to ensure proper rendering across mobile devices. engagement. Upon deeper examination, we see that 39% of consumers This is due to: subscribe to commercial email in order to stay up-to-date on company offerings, while 35% want to receive advanced notice of future releases. • 59% of consumers report owning and using a smartphone • 43% of consumers (73% of smartphone owners) report checking email at EXPECTATIONS: It’s key to recognise consumers’ need for value exchange in least once per day from their smartphones email. Consumers do not subscribe to emails in order to be affiliated with “trendy” companies, nor do they subscribe as a means of showing support for a company MOTIVATIONS: While email is commonly thought of as a business communication (as is more frequent in social channels). Moreover, 61% of consumers say they tool, it’s important for marketers to remember that its capabilities extend well have become more selective in the past year about subscribing to receive email. beyond the office. While 47% of Australian consumers use email for work, email Subscribers want to know exactly what they will get in exchange for providing their truly serves as a “catch-all” for online communications: email address. By clearly stating this value up-front, you’ll set expectations with subscribers for a mutually beneficial relationship. 10 © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff
  • 11. Subscribers want AUSTRALIAN To receive discounts and money-off promotions 55% to know exactly CONSUMERS: MOTIVATIONS To receive “free stuff” or giveaways (e.g. free download, what they will get TO SUBSCRIBE voucher) offered in exchange for my email address 51% What drove you to give your To keep up-to-date with a company’s 39% in exchange for email address products, services or offerings to a company, providing their association or 35% To receive advanced notice of new products or future releases organisation? email address. I shop with this company or buy this brand on a regular basis 31% By clearly stating To gain access to exclusive content 31% this value up- For more information related to my personal interests, hobbies, etc. 28% front, you’ll set 14% To receive alerts related to developments within the company, association or organisation expectations with 14% For a quick and easy way to “keep my finger on the pulse” of the brand/company subscribers for a 12% Someone recommended it to me mutually beneficial To show my support for the 7% company to others (including friends and family) relationship. To be affiliated with the product or 4% brand because it’s trendy or “cool” © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff 11
  • 12. THE FACEBOOK CONSUMER Many marketers do not view Facebook as a “hard sell” channel. Instead, it’s seen as a relational channel where marketers can build affinity for their brands. Despite this perception, we found that 16% of online Australians have made a purchase as the direct result of a marketing message they received through Facebook. As was the case with email, there are a number of factors to consider when evaluating ways to effectively use this channel to drive consumer engagement. AGE: Australian consumers like Facebook—a lot. In fact, they are more active content (30%) and monitoring for new products or future releases (28%). These on Facebook than either the US or UK consumers we’ve surveyed. 69% of findings infer a need for deeper customer relationships, making balance of topics consumers are active Facebook users. Of those users, 69% check Facebook at in your social content crucial, while still meeting fan expectations. least once per day, and 55% have actually “liked” a company. It is also important to consider the affiliation a customer may already have with Unlike email, where purchase behaviour is reasonably consistent across the age a brand prior to “liking” them on Facebook. Twenty-nine percent of consumers spectrum, Facebook seems to influence purchases of predominantly younger report becoming fans because they already shop or purchase regularly from the consumers. Thirty percent of online Australian consumers aged 18-24 have made brand and 27% of consumers “like” brands in order to show their support to a purchase as a result of seeing a message on Facebook. Of consumers aged 25- friends and family. Thus, Facebook is clearly a place where existing customers 34, that figure drops to 25%, while it’s only 5% for consumers over the age of 45. are willing to provide endorsements. Build on this phenomenon by determining ways to convert your already loyal customers into fans that can be mobilised as USAGE: One of Facebook’s most distinguishing characteristics is that it is not part of an integrated cross-channel strategy. typically used for work and is almost exclusively considered a social and leisure outlet. Forty-seven percent of subscribers report using email for work. Thirty EXPECTATION: Similar to email, consumers report becoming more selective percent of active Twitter users report using it for work. But, only 14% of active about the companies they “like” on Facebook (54%) over the past year. Online Facebook users report logging in for work purposes. consumer audiences are not willing to tolerate content they feel is uninteresting or irrelevant—regardless of channel. As such, it’s crucial that you recognise and It’s important to know why consumers gravitate toward a particular channel so that track the reasons fans “like” your brand, and deliver content that is aligned to these you can understand how they use it, and what they expect to see from you. expectations on an ongoing basis. MOTIVATION: As mentioned earlier in this report, Australian Facebook users are more willing to “like” a company than users in the US or UK. Despite their increased willingness, their primary motivations for “liking” a company are consistent with “Sometimes it’s like saying to your friends, ‘I’m hip, I like what we’ve seen in the US and UK—many consumers are simply extending their cool companies.’ Sometimes I ‘like’ companies to get news online quest to find a good deal on Facebook. about new product releases. A while ago, I ‘liked’ Apple Even so, it’s not wise to build a one-dimensional strategy solely around promotional material. Consumers also “like” companies as a means of receiving updates on iTunes because they gave out free music. So discounts are a brand’s products, services and offerings (33%), gaining access to exclusive also a big deal.” –Antoinette, age 43 12 © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff
  • 13. AUSTRALIAN CONSUMERS: MOTIVATIONS TO “LIKE” What drove you to “like” a company, association or organisation on Facebook? To receive “free stuff” or giveaways (e.g. free download, voucher) offered in exchange for my email address 52% To receive discounts and money-off promotions 46% To keep up-to-date with a company’s products, services or offerings 33% To gain access to exclusive content 30% I shop with this company or buy this brand on a regular basis 29% To receive advanced notice of new products or future releases 28% To show my support for the 27% company to others (including friends and family) 22% For more information related to my personal interests, hobbies, etc. To receive alerts related to 17% developments within the company, association or organisation For a quick and easy way to 16% “keep my finger on the pulse” of the brand/company 16% Someone recommended it to me 8% To be affiliated with the product or brand because it’s trendy or “cool” © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff 13
  • 14. THE TWITTER CONSUMER While commanding a smaller audience than either email or Facebook, Twitter has found a loyal user base. In fact, 5% of online Australians told us that they made a purchase as the direct result of a marketing message they received through Twitter. But there’s more to the story… AGE AND USAGE: While only 11% of online consumers are active Twitter MOTIVATION: Now that we know who is using Twitter, it’s important to users, it’s important to note that these people tend to be some of the most understand how they’re using it. Forty-seven percent of users say they turn active online consumers. Of those who are active on Twitter, 51% check it at to Twitter when they’re looking to pass the time. While the channel is certainly least once per day, and 18% report using Twitter “consistently throughout social, users don’t see it as a means for connecting with friends, since a low the day.” Twitter users are active across other channels too—70% check percentage of their friends are likely to be users. Facebook and email are Facebook daily and 84% check email daily. considered more appropriate for those purposes. The most active users are those aged 18-24 (18%), but 25-34 year olds are Other users access Twitter as a means of keeping up-to-date with a the most likely to have made a purchase as a result of seeing a message on company’s products, services and offerings (45%) or to receive information Twitter (12%). Similar to Facebook adoption trends, the percentage of Twitter related to personal interests and hobbies (32%). users decreases significantly with age. EXPECTATION: Similar to email and Facebook users, Twitter users have USERS: Unlike email and Facebook, Twitter isn’t typically seen as the place become more selective about which companies they “follow” on Twitter, but to work or connect with friends. Twitter users tend to view the channel as remain loyal to those they find most relevant, entertaining or useful. Users are a way to alleviate boredom and receive what they perceive to be “insider looking for exclusive content they can share with others in the form of blogs, information” from their friends, brands and celebrities. So, what’s the real reviews or other content that allows them to build influence with their own benefit of engaging with these users via this channel? followers. As such, it’s common for users to vet and continually reassess who they “follow.” But, if you’re able to become a favorite among your followers, In previous SUBSCRIBERS, FANS & FOLLOWERS research, we have you could benefit from a lot of exposure—more than 50% of Twitter users analysed common consumer profiles in both the US and UK. One profile always read posts from their favourite companies. that we see consistently across these countries is made up of individuals who have a strong desire to connect, educate and share resources and information with others online. This is consistent with our findings in Australia. These “Influencers” are typically heavy Twitter users, and are most likely to “Twitter is where I can connect with all of the people blog and create new web content. Often this content can be very valuable I wish I had gone to school with. Facebook is where I in its ability to promote your brand and products. But, unlike many of their consumer counterparts, these “Influencers” are not looking for a deal. While stay in touch with the people I unfortunately did go to monetary incentives work well as motivation to engage on Facebook and school with.” –David, age 26 through email, it is not likely to inspire users to take action on Twitter. 14 © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff
  • 15. 39% AUSTRALIAN CONSUMERS: MOTIVATIONS TO FOLLOW What drove you to follow a company, association or organisation on Twitter? of To keep up-to-date with a company’s products, services or offerings 45% consumers find To receive alerts related to developments within 36% Twitter quite the company, association or organisation To receive “free stuff” or giveaways (e.g. free download, addictive and voucher) offered in exchange for my email address 35% say they check it For a quick and easy way to “keep my finger on the pulse” of the brand/company 33% “compulsively.” For more information related to my personal interests, hobbies, etc. 32% I shop with this company or buy his brand on a regular basis 32% To gain access to exclusive content 32% Influencers are not To receive advanced notice of new just consumers with 26% products or future releases To receive discounts and a large number of 26% money-off promotions Twitter followers. Even 23% Someone recommended it to me users with relatively 19% To show my support for the company to others (including friends and family) few followers can be 13% To be affiliated with the product or brand because it’s trendy or “cool” active bloggers and commenters that can influence buying decisions. © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff 15
  • 16. “Don’t just repeat what has been written on another site of yours—offer exclusive Facebook content, respond to comments. This is a SOCIAL network, not just an advertising platform. Make us laugh.” ­—Simon, age 19 16 © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff
  • 17. INSPIRING ENGAGEMENT ACROSS CHANNELS Email, Facebook and Twitter are unique channels that have the potential to inspire consumer engagement to drive business success. But you have to take the right approach, and each channel is unique. Tips for Email: The inbox is the gathering place for all things personal, commercial Tips for Twitter: Of the three channels and business. Though consumers may treat messages differently in terms of priority and discussed in this report, Twitter has the smallest response based on the sender (i.e. email from your boss vs. an industry eNewsletter), the following of Australian consumers. That, however, inbox is not as guarded as social networks. Consumers are generally more receptive to does not decrease the value of the channel or receiving commercial messages via email as compared to messages delivered through the consumers who interact on Twitter. It simply Facebook or Twitter. affects the way you must engage with this The key to success in email is to gain permission and trust. audience. As consumers become more selective with whom they share Twitter users are most likely to be “Influencers,” their information, permission-based marketing becomes so the goal must be to provide followers with more critical than ever. Consumers MUST give you an intimate view of your brand so they can their permission. If you use email addresses without share any insider information they acquire the permission of the consumer, you cannot expect your with the rest of the world. “Influencers” marketing messages to be well-received. inherently want to spread the word— so fuel their desire with interesting engaging dialogue that allows them Tips for Facebook: Facebook is first and to play this crucial role among their followers. foremost meant for socializing. And while “liking” brands in Australia is extremely popular, consumers don’t necessarily Even so, Twitter is still a social environment. expect to hear from you immediately after “liking” your The relatively informal and friendly environment brand. This doesn’t mean that Facebook is off limits to brands. allows like-minded people to carry an ongoing It does, however, impact how you should approach the channel dialogue about the things that interest them. in terms of tone. Consumers want to interact with you in a way Engage with followers by retweeting, exchanging that is consistent with the Facebook environment—interactions insights and letting people get an insiders view of should be fun and entertaining. your business. Yes, Twitter’s 140-character limit To drive conversion and ROI, think cross-channel. Drive requires brevity, but that is part of what these consumers to become email subscribers, which lends to the consumers appreciate and it is an effective way of greatest potential for a more anticipated, personalised and driving consumers to other points of engagement targeted customer experience. such as your website, email or Facebook. © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff 17
  • 18. Australia AUSTRALIA SUBSCRIBERS, FANS AND FOLLOWERS OVERLAP 0.7% is the first SUBSCRIBERS AND 0.1% FOLLOWERS FANS AND market we’ve FOLLOWERS 5% 1.2% studied in the SUBSCRIBERS, FANS ONLY FANS AND SUBSCRIBERS, FOLLOWERS 48% SUBSCRIBERS FANS & AND FANS FOLLOWERS 42% series where the SUBSCRIBERS ONLY percentage of consumers who 96% EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS 55% FACEBOOK FANS 6% TWITTER FOLLOWERS are subscribers 3% NONE OF THE ABOVE and fans is LARGER than the percentage of people who are only subscribers. 18 © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff
  • 19. CONCLUSION Our SUBSCRIBERS, FANS & FOLLOWERS research largely portrays email as the dominate channel in the marketplace in terms of consumer reach and frequency of use. While this is certainly still factual within the US and UK markets, in studying Consumers the Australian market, we see an interesting shift in how consumers engage with brands socially. Australia is the first market we’ve studied in the SUBSCRIBERS, FANS & FOLLOWERS series where the percentage of consumers who are subscribers and fans is LARGER than the percentage of people who are only subscribers. aren’t siloed— Australian consumer engagement with Facebook in particular offers exciting opportunities for you to experiment with new ways of engaging fans. But, it’s important to remember that even with the elevated social adoption rates, so why should you must continue to adopt an approach that layers communications across multiple channels. Consumers aren’t siloed—so why should you be? you be? Remember that regardless of the channel, the same general marketing principles apply when it comes to relevant, engaging content. Consumers do not expect vast differences in communication across these three channels. Each channel should reinforce your overall brand proposition while aligning these messages to the unique culture of each channel—where email is more formal, Facebook is more entertaining and Twitter provides an insider’s view into your company. By playing to channel strengths and ensuring that your communications unify your brand across channels, you can avoid recycling the same content and thereby build deeper, more meaningful relationships with your customers and prospects. © 2012 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com.au/sff 19
  • 20. CONNECTING ACROSS INTERACTIVE MARKETING We Can Help. Your consumers have a megaphone on the real- time web. Through thousands of tweets, emails, Facebook posts, ratings, reviews and Google searches, they’re discussing your organisation. And it doesn’t take long for your brand to become the sum of those conversations. CHANNELS You need a better way to connect with your customers, and ExactTarget can help. We’ve developed the Interactive Marketing Hub™, a new category of software that transcends organisational size and industry to solve the root challenges we all face as interactive marketers. We help you bridge IS TOUGH the divide between siloed marketing communications and thousands of unique, integrated consumers. Ready to connect with your customers? Contact us today at +61 3 8637 4900 or learn more at www.ExactTarget.com.au www.ExactTarget.com.au This document may not be copied without the prior written consent of ExactTarget. © 2012 ExactTarget.