We just wrapped up our Science of Sharing event in London this past week. This event was the culmination of research by Beyond, Lexis and M Booth, all Next Fifteen Communications companies.
How has social media changed the way consumers make purchase decisions? We asked 1,500 UK consumers in two surveys what most influenced them online, as well as how and why they influenced others. What we found was that the consumer is an increasingly influential part of the conversation.
Today's social consumer is one that can either be categorised as a high or low sharer, who utilises various digital channels differently depending on whether he or she is researching and interacting with high or low involvement products. High sharers prove to be the most valuable to brands as they recommend products 3x more often and influence others' purchases. By identifying high sharers, their preferred channels, and the reasons why they share, marketers can engage them with sharable content, thereby increasing the dynamic of sharing. This acts as a positive amplifier leading towards a virtuous cycle of recommendation, loyalty and purchase.
Our white paper report can be found here. The UK version of our infographic is below. What type of sharer are you? Let us know in the comments below!