Social Media Is Changing Online Behavior

It’s no surprise to hear that social media is driving changes in online behavior.  Consumption of social media is on the rise, with more than 400 million active users on Facebook and more than 10% of all internet users using Twitter.  It’s become part of our everyday lives. ”So what” – you may ask.

Well the difference is that we are seeing a shift in the way social media is used. It’s becoming a hub for information which exposes users to content they might not have seen. According to a recent research report from the Center for Media Research, “there is a growing number of people using search engines to further learn after seeing an ad on a social networking site, with many who believe social networking sites are good sources of information about companies and products.”

What this tells us is that social media influences the way people will behave online. Consumers are consuming information differently. With many firms jumping on the social media bandwagon, it is important to mange the content delivered using social media knowing that consumers will research content further using search and other online sources. With more and more consumers using social networking sites, the question for Marketers is how can they fish where the fish are and use social media to impact product awareness and purchase intent?