Retail TouchPoints: Social Media 'Fatigue' Impacts Channel Growth
Through a special arrangement, presented here for discussion is a summary of a current article from the Retail TouchPoints website.
Although analysts have predicted that social media will continue to have a significantly positive effect on brand awareness and purchase decisions, a new report by Gartner has revealed a growing social media "fatigue" among users of sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. The findings were based on a survey of more than 6,000 respondents between the ages of 13 and 74, and compiled in a report titled: User Survey Analysis: Trends in Consumers' Use of Social Media.
"Aspirers," a group Gartner describes as "young, more mobile, brand-conscious consumers" ages 19 to 39, are leveraging social media less often, according to the survey. Approximately 31 percent of this group's respondents indicated they are growing bored with current social networks and yearn for a unique and innovative platform.
"Branded content needs to be kept fresh and must be able to capture people's attention instantly," according to Brian Blau, research director at Gartner. "The new generation of consumers is restless and short on attention span, and a lot of creativity is needed to make a meaningful impact."
To peak interest among younger consumers, retailers developing a social media plan should focus on initiating compelling communication.
"Retailers really need to focus on establishing a social media strategy for their product and brands, make a plan for connecting with these customers at their points of interest such as social networking sites, mobile devices, and through partnerships with established businesses who already have a presence in the consumer market," Mr. Blau explained. Additionally, he urged companies to leverage social media analytics, "which are used to help organizations understand what those customers are saying in the online social conversations."
To counteract this social media "fatigue," providers must innovate, Mr. Blau noted.
"Consumers will continue to embrace social networking services, and service providers are constantly innovating and adding new products and features that will keep consumer interest in social networking for the foreseeable future," he said. "While we did find that interest in social networking from some segments is starting to wane, this is counterbalanced by the technology providers' view that social interactions are a more effective way to reach and interact with their customers."