Most actionable data from the State of Social Media and Influencer Marketing 2018 report
This is the most actionable data from the State of Social Media and Influencer Marketing Australia Report.
Social media management is an ever-evolving beast, and when it comes to finding the best ways to effectively distribute your content, you’ll need some up-to-date data to support your decisions.
If what you need right now is some really useful data to support your social media marketing plan, you’ve come to the right place. Influencer marketing agency, The Exposure Co, conducted a survey in 2017 (that we even took a part in) to discover how Australian’s are interacting with social media and now the results are in.
Key findings at a glance
- Instagram and Facebook are clear winners: 92% people surveyed have a Facebook while 62% have an Instagram account
- Social proof carries weight: over 50% read influencer blogs and product reviews to find out what the influencer thinks of the product they want to purchase
- #ad posts can be good for sales: Every two in five people are more likely to purchase a product they see an influencer or blogger promote
- Promo codes are a good driver of sales: One-quarter of people surveyed have used discount codes from an influencer or blogger
- Social media part of the pre-purchase research process: 70% of Australians will research products they’re interested in on social media – regardless of the platform
- On motivation: Inspiration, tips and advice and product information were the top three motivations to follow influencers
How are Australians interacting with social media?
Who uses what?
The report asked survey participants why they use social media and the results will shock no one. The latest Facebook algorithm, which prioritises family and friends, is also clearly justified in the results of the report. This is what they said:
- 88% – to connect with family and friends
- 62% – for news and articles
- 53% – to find out what’s happening in my local area
- 42% – to keep up-to-date with brands
- 34% – for my own business
There was around 9% who responded with “other” stating, “managing social media accounts”, “videos/memes”, “procrastination” and “networking/connecting with like-minded individuals” as some of their other reasons for engaging with social media.
How often is it used?
We know why, but how long are people on social media? We’ve heard some reports of people being on social media for 7+ hours a day or checking their phone upwards of 50 times a day. Luckily (for the hope of the human race) the results are more conservative. Just over half the respondents check social media six times per day and engage with it for 1-3 hours a day.
Mobile reigns
Mobile (82%) far outweighs desktop (52%), but what’s more interesting is that people accessing social media via multiple devices for different reasons (i.e. social media users in the office), highlighting the potential for mobile-first businesses to adopt a multiple device social media marketing strategy.
Most popular types of brands on social media vs who’s researching what
The most popular brands categories (travel, food and beverage, fashion and beauty, and health and fitness) on social media also corresponds with the product categories researched on social media yet highlights one key thing: A lot of people (39%) are researching for technology and electrical products whereas only 27% of people are actually following them. This could be that many electricity or technology brands aren’t on social media or aren’t posting the kind of content followers engage in.
Knowing the lingo of the law
All paid sponsorships and partnerships should be disclosed according to the Australian Association of National Advertisers, using the hashtags #ad (for advertisement) and #sp for (sponsorship). Interestingly, 60% of respondents didn’t know the meaning of the disclosure hashtags.
Feelings on advertising
While 26% of people claimed that sponsored posts from influencers annoyed them, a whopping 74% said they have a neutral or positive attitude towards them.
What do users want to see from brands on social media?
- Lots of followers – 26%
- Positive client testimonials and reviews – 64%
- Beautiful imagery and professional looking photos – 50%
- Positive comment sentiment on posts – 54%
There’s a lot to unpack here and we’d love to talk to you about how we can use this data to help your company’s social media strategy thrive. Contact iFactory today for a free consultation. Or check out our Pinterest board on Social Media Statistics Australia 2018.
