UM, a division of IPG Mediabrands, has published findings from the seventh iteration of its Wave project – the world’s largest and longest-running survey examining social media habits across the globe.
For seven years now Wave has tracked the dynamic shifts that have taken place within the social media landscape, surveying almost 50,000 active internet users in 65 countries that represent more than one billion users overall.
According to the survey, 56% agree that social networking is an ‘integral’ part of their social lives, with microblogging sites such as Twitter showing some of the highest growth. In China, 71% of internet users are active on a microblog of some sort.
However, it is the professional social network, such as LinkedIn, that has shown the fastest growth in the past year, demonstrating that in an increasingly competitive global jobs market, people are turning to social sites.
In terms of privacy, almost 70% of global consumers showed concern about the amount of personal data online, with UK citizens amongst the most uncomfortable about being tracked.
However, over 43% of global consumers were found to be supportive of brands using online behavioural data for marketing if it ‘improves their online experience’. The value-exchange has resulted in a 10% increase in consumer membership in brand communities, though UK consumers were the most reluctant to join – instead demanding bigger incentives in exchange for loyalty.
“It’s no longer enough to simply track the latest trends, because much of what you see is just background noise or, even worse, a complete distraction,” said Glen Parker, Research Director, UM G14/EMEA.
“What we really need is to understand the motivations behind these trends – because even the most superficial social interaction online is driven by a consumer need.
“Wave 7 has identified that consumers will connect with brands that meet five basic needs. By answering these needs, and by combining technology, social platforms and media in a more cohesive way, brands can put themselves in an extremely powerful position. We believe Wave 7 can guide them through this journey.”
