Global social media trends, what it means for research. Warc March 4th 2009

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Global Social Media Trends

Tom SmithTrendstream

Research will never have it so good

► Social Media drives a listening economy► Consumer demand drives the market and

dictates the agenda► Research is in the forefront

Huge opportunity

► Focus on listening = demand for research skills► Higher seat at the table ► Global platform = bigger opportunity

But need to evolve

► Focus on community► Embrace new techniques► Externalise communication and community► Social media is undermining direct response

methods► Critical to understand web trends

Today

► Social media driving change► Global social media trends► Opportunities for research

Before I became Trendstream

► Head of Consumer Futures EMEA► Global media planning and buying agency► Use research to understand current and future

trends

Created a global social media study

► Wave global social media research

► Quantifying theory► 17,500 people in 29

countries delivering 3 years of trend data

Research vital in social media

► Unique set of data to track usage► Measured social media platforms such as

blogging, social networking, video sharing and photo sharing

► Helped sell the case for social media

What I learnt running that research

► Social media is a really big deal► Emerging world is driving adoption of mass

market social media platforms► Research increasingly important in a consumer

driven world

Trendstream

“Research consultancy dedicated on understanding global web trends”

Next – More detailed global research

► Global Web Index powered by Lightspeed► Launching in 16 markets and 16,000

respondents► Bi-annual – every six months► Understanding all web behaviour ► Test data: US video sharing market

Reflects the global web marketplace

► Online research makes this viable► Clients demand global perspective► Niche and consumer driven web means a focus

on behaviour, motivations and needs► Responding to social media

Why social media is a big deal for research

Context: Web is flattening the world

North America: 246m users 128% growth since 2000

Asia: 650m users 469% growth

Latin America: 166m users 820% growth

Internet World Stats January 2009

Emerging markets are the future

Comscore: December 2008

Social Media. Everyone involved

“Web based media driven by consumer content, community and peer to peer distribution”

BlogsMicro bloggingForumsSocial NetworksWikisVideo sharing sitesPodcastsPhoto sharing sitesContent sharing sites

Strangers – are the new influencers

Social media impacts everyone

“Samsung Netbook”

Consumer generated

Moving to every screen

PC Mobile TV

Think how big

► Barack Obama: transparent and open

Research proves the impact

Social media is exploding globally

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Wave 1 Sep 06 Wave 2 June 07 Wave 3 March 08

% E

ver

Do

ne

Read blogs / weblogs

Start my own blog/ weblog

Leave a comment on a blog site

Upload my photos to a photo sharing site

Upload a video clip to a video sharing site

Watch video clips online

Create a profile on a social network

Social Media adoption over time (waves 1 – 3)

Global Average. Source: Universal McCann Social Media Tracker Power to the People

Video leads blogs then photos

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Subscribe to an RSS feed

Upload a video clip to a video sharing website

Start my own blog / weblog

Downloaded a Podcast

Leave a comment on a news site

Upload my photos to a photo sharing website

Leave a comment on a blog

Manage a profile on an existing social network

Visit a photo sharing website

Read personal blogs / weblogs

Read blogs / weblogs


% Ever Done


Social media is a daily occurrence

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Subscribe to an RSS feed

Upload video clip to video sharing website

Post/write stories for my own blog/ weblog

Download a Podcast

Upload my photos to a photo sharing website

Leave a comment on a blog site

Manage profile on existing social network

Visit a photo sharing website

Share a video clip w ith a friend

Read personal blogs/ weblogs

Visit a friends social network page

Read blogs/ weblogs


% Ever Done

Daily Reach

Weekly Reach

Monthly Reach


Blogging growing globally

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

% W

rite

a B

log

Wave 1 Sep 06 Wave 2 J une 07 Wave 3 J an08

Global. Source: Universal McCann Social Media Tracker Power to the People

France4m

Italy3.4m

Turkey2m Pakistan

0.97m

Czech0.6m

MEXICO4.1m

China43m

South Korea9.7m

Taiwan4.2m

Philippines2.4m

BRAZIL7.6m

Spain4.5m

India8.7m

Japan14m

HongKong

1m

USA26.4m

CANADA1.6m

UK4.5m

Greece0.3m

Australia1m

Germany5.2m Romania

0.5m

Denmark0.3m

Poland1.1mNetherlands

1.6m

Switzerland0.5m Austria

0.4m

Hungary0.1m

Russia2.4m

% Write their own blog

60%+

40% -60%

30%-40%

<30%

Asia leads the charge


Russia leads social networking

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

GLOBAL France Germany Italy Russia Spain UK USA

% C

rea

te a

pro

file



Italy3.9m

Germany8.2m

Switzerland0.9m

USA43m

Spain4.7m

France4.2m

Japan12.4m

Czech0.8m

Denmark0.6m

Austria0.6m

Greece0.5m

Turkey3.3m

China39m

India11.7m

South Korea9.4m

Romania1.4m

Netherlands3.7m

CANADA4.2m

UK11m

Australia2.6m

Hong Kong1m

MEXICO5.1m

BRAZIL11.4m

Pakistan1.8m

Poland2.7m

Taiwan3.9m

Philippines3m

Hungary1m

Russia6.1m

% joined a social network

70%+

60% -69%

50%-59%

<49%

Connects the world


Video – fastest growing media

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

% W

atch

Vid

eo C

lips



It is about sharing opinion

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Write a review of a product/serviceon yr blog/weblog

Post opinion on social network

Write review on retail site

Comment on a review on a blog/weblog

Tell someone about aproduct/service by email

Tell someone about aproduct/service by messenger

Monthly Reach - Sharing Infomation

Wider world

Peer to peer

Global. Source: Universal McCann Trusting Strangers

Asia leads opinion sharing

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

RomaniaFranceJapan

HungaryUK

NetherlandsRussiaCanada

SwitzerlandSpain

DenmarkEuropeTurkeyGreece

ItalyAustralia

USACzechPolandAustriaMexico

GermanyPakistan

ChinaTaiwan

IndiaPhilippines

BrazilSouth Korea

Hong Kong

Talked about beverages online


Consumer content more trusted

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Celebrity recommendation Television Adverts

Blogs/Weblogs-blog w ritten by people you do not know

Peoples w ish/fav lists on retail w ebsites e.g amazon.com Recommendation in a television programme

Comments/view points on social netw ork sites e.g facebook.com

Readers letters page in a new spaper Blogs/Weblogs- professional blog e.g engadget.com

Shelf information and product displays in store

Company/brand Website Search engine (e.g live.com)

Review s w ritten on new s w ebsites e.g guardian.co.uk New spaper article

Magazine article

User review s on an online auction site (e.g ebay.com) Blogs/Weblogs- personal blog w ritten by people you know

Review s on retail/ price comparison w ebs e.g priceline.com

Consumers review s on retail sites e.g amazon.com Instant Messenger conversation w ith a friend/ colleague

Emails from a friend/ colleague

Personal recommendations from professionals Personal recommendations from friends/ family/

Least trusted Most trustedGlobal Average. Source: Universal McCann When Did We Start Trusting Strangers


US Jan 2009: Personal content leads

Global Web Index: January 2009 USA 1000 respondents

Social web powers viewing

Global Web Index: January 2009 USA 1000 respondents

Why has social media evolved this way?

Growth of broadband

Dec 2006: 282 million broadband connections



Dec 2008: China overtook US with 80m lines

New economy: global innovation

► Low costs► Single person multi-

national► Global market place for

ideas and skills► Tools are democratised

Access is open

Free broadbandLaptops for £200

HD Video camera for £200 Video on Mobile phones

cheapest form of entertainment

Hugely liberating

Hierarchy Individualism

The social future of research

► No lines: listening is marketing► Rise of data & analytics► Social Media as a data collection► Global perspective

Listening economy: lines disappear

=Research Marketing

= ResearchMarketing

Listening is the future of marketing

Social network = research panel

150m active users

Data: Buzz tracking

► Listening is the future► Interpretation / trend analysis is key► Important but won’t replace research

Data: Analytics a big deal

We still need answers: new methods

► Fuse question data with observational data ► Distribute surveys into social networks / RSS /

social networks► Allow consumer content generators to share

your surveys► Use conversational media to drive qual insight

– Blogs, microblogs etc

Widgitize

► Use widgets– Externalize your technology– Not just about email

Build community

► Build dynamic and conversational community to increase participation and response

► Allow panelists to interact► Make results open to the community ► Learn from the social networks► Be open – cross platform ► Work with brands to build their community

Use tools of social media

► Promote external community to build relationship ► External community builds internal community► Communicate with the world► Get consumers to endorse your product

Social media = research future

► Research key skill for marketing in the future► Listening is the future of marketing► Huge opportunity► Global scope ► Web trends are key

Get in touch

Email: [email protected] Mobile: +447970727061 Web: trendstream.net Twitter: TomtrendstreamLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/smithtom

Globalwebindex.net

Global social media trends, what it means for research. Warc March 4th 2009

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