Young Adult Power survey questions social media’s ability to drive sales
The first Young Adult Power (YAP) Media Index survey has confirmed the popularity of social media amongst young people, but has revealed figures which cast doubt on its ability to generate sales for brands.
The survey, consisting of 500 young people in the UK, showed that a massive 98% of 18-24 year olds questioned use Facebook, with 96% of those visiting more than once a day, and 66% of them logging onto the site at least five times a day. However, the figures drop considerably when applied to making purchases online; only 11% of users say that they would visit a manufacturer’s Facebook page when looking to make a ‘major’ purchase. A majority said they preferred to visit the manufacturer’s website itself (57%) or rely on online reviews (69%) or friend’s recommendations (47%) to get the information they required.
The YAP research also indicated that traditional marketing methods such as print adverts would have little impact when targeting a young customer, as only one in ten said that a printed advert would influence their purchasing decision.
Ed Heaver, director of YAP, said, “While young people’s passion for social media continues unabated, the first YAP Media Index indicates that social networking site’s influence in generating sales may be limited. However, that’s not to say that social media should be ignored, just that the focus of a brand’s social media budgets should be on building reputation, brand engagement and customer service rather than on sales. Our research network can provide a detailed insight into what young people think, feel and do. It is no great surprise that so many young people use Facebook, but to be able to drill down into how they use it and what for can help marketers think about how to get the most out of social networking sites.”