A new study by IDG found that 44% of consumers said that “exposure to technology products in social media positively affects their likelihood of purchase.” The study – based on the responses of 3,100 visitors to technology news sites – looked at the effects of both social media and mobile on consumers’ likelihood to research and buy a product (ClickZ).
How does social media affect consumers’ attitudes about technology products and brands?
- 40% of respondents said they have a sense of “technology brand loyalty” to the brands they’ve positively dealt with through social media
- 42% are willing to recommend a brand to others if they’ve been affected positively by the firm’s social media presence
- 53% thought the best way to reach consumers was to answer their questions on platforms like Facebook
The study also looked at mobile usage among visitors to technology news sites:
- 92% of tablet users seek out things like product reviews on their device; 72% do so on their smartphone
- 75% of tablet users engage in purchase-related activity on their device; 70% of smartphone users do so
The study also revealed the efficacy of mobile ads. Seeing a mobile ad about a product inspired 43% of respondents to research that product, and 21% of those surveyed said they purchased a product because of a mobile ad. Online video also had a marked effect on purchase behavior; the study revealed that 44% of respondents have purchased a tech device after watching an online video about it.
“Mobile and social are converging to become one of the most powerful ways for marketers to influence prospects when they’re shopping,” Matthew Yorke, president of IDG Global Solutions, told ClickZ.
The study by IDG – “The Echo Effect: Understanding the Value of Tech Buyers” – surveyed 3,100 visitors of technology news sites like PCWorld and MacWorld.
