Report: Social media only brings 3%-5% traffic to retail sites

Social media only brings 3% of traffic to retail sites [foresee UK report]

Foresee results has just released a research report on social media Marketing (free PDF report download but need to register), with two reports from the UK (see below) and the United States (next post), which surveyed 12,000 visitors from the top 40 retail websites in the UK and the United States respectively. The main results are:

——————————-UK Report ————————— –

Discovery #1: Find the quantity and quality of traffic (look for quantity and quality of traffic)

Only 3% of UK online holiday shoppers (the US figure is 5%), which are mainly influenced by social media to visit top retail sites, but retailers are pinning their hopes on the potential effects and still devote considerable attention to social media. At the same time, 10% of the site visitors to a website, mainly to promote the results of the mail, 13% from the search results, suggesting that we should not be cold treatment of these representatives of newer media, experience proved also good network marketing tools.

America's numbers are a bit different: Promotional messages are the main source of traffic 19% for retail sites, with only 8% results. However, from any given source, it is misleading to observe the quantity of traffic, and we need to observe the quality of the traffic. In the table below, we can see that all traffic sources are listed separately, as well as corresponding percentile satisfaction, online purchase possibilities, and a scoring value for offline purchase possibilities. In the United States, some sources of traffic bring the least number of visitors, but the highest flow quality; people who come from social media or product review sites are more willing to buy. In the UK, however, some of the largest sources of traffic have also brought the best traffic: some of the most satisfying, most likely to buy and most willing to recommend the site visitors, from the aforementioned brand familiarity, promotional messages and Word-of-mouth recommendations.

What most affects you to visit a website? Respondents% satisfaction online purchase may recommend familiar website/company/brand 46%757576 search results 13%676666 from company promotional email 10%737574 from acquaintances/recommendations 10%737575 TV, radio, newspaper or magazine ads 8% 726972 Internet advertising 4%696971 from the link of the shopping parity site (shopzilla.com, shopping.com) 2%706970 social networking site friend's message or recommended 1%727273 Web blog or discussion forum 1% 706871 Video on YouTube 1%697069 product review website (CNET, epinions) 1%656766 social networking sites (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter) 1% 717371 the company's direct message 1%646566 from friends or co-workers im1%697070 phone messages or reminders 1%727170

These scores are the average of recent visitors to the UK's Top 40 retail sites (according to IMRG and Hitwise). Each retailer may be different in terms of which sources of traffic are greatest and which flows are best. But if we only look at what drives the maximum flow, we miss the key information, which can be a huge competitive advantage, because success often comes from such a margin. We are missing out on some actual traffic opportunities.

When I look at the chart above, I see that search results and promotional messages have a huge amount of revenue, because they are both large and high quality. Alone with this data, I was directed to mobilize my resources to really understand what I could do to make promotional messages more effective because I had more control over the mail.

As a driving force for web traffic, store visits or sales, social media has not touched me. This does not mean that we should ignore it, but rather that we should take it as a prospect, one of the many means used for me.

Find #2: Our customers want to hear our voices! (Our customers want to hear from us!)

We asked people how they wanted to hear the retailer's voice, when the traditional channel won again. Nearly 20% of the customers do not want to listen to us, the other 80% for the most favorite channels have a clear view.

How do you like to know about sales and promotions? Respondents% US respondents% UK promotional mail 64%62% do not need to communicate 10%18% the company's website 21%16% letters 25%12% TV 11%8% social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) 8%2% mobile phone messages or alerts 5%1% Radio 3% 1% other 2%1%

As retailers, we assume that everyone is using social media and everyone wants to hear us on Facebook. In fact, less than 2% of the visitors to our site (the United States is 8%) like to hear us in social media. Most people prefer to choose mail, our website, or even snail mail.

Although only 2% of people say that social media is the preferred way to hear us, more than 1/3 of our site visitors seem willing to contact us in some way in social media. When we asked the people surveyed which social media site was the first choice, 33% chose Facebook. Still, we have nearly 2/3 customers who don't want to be associated with us in social media. This shows that the use of social media to attract a larger proportion of customers, a little "glass ceiling" meaning. These figures will certainly change over time, but it is still a chore.

which social media site is your first choice to get in touch with the company? Respondents% United States respondents% UK None of these are 47%58%facebook40%33%twitter4%2% other sites not listed 2%3%youtube2%3%linkedin2%1%myspace2%1%flickr1%0%

Find #3: Facebook is still dominant, but not as big as we think. Not yet. (Facebook e.g. rules, but is isn't as big a factor as we might. Verb.)

We know that Facebook is becoming the world's first-ever web site, and this study shows that it is also the preferred social networking site for the top 40 retail sites in the United States and UK, so far. Nearly 2/3 (61%) of UK online shoppers have visited Facebook this year (56%), and less than 1/3 of online shoppers say they do not use any social web site (1/4 of US internet shoppers). These numbers are rising fast, and while we don't see social media (especially Facebook) as a big driver of sales and traffic, Facebook may soon change the rules of the game.

do you often use the following websites? Respondents% United States respondents% UK facebook66%61% I don't use social sites 24%28%youtube23%27%twitter13%10%linkedin11%5%myspace10%3%flickr5%3%yelp3%0% Other social sites not listed 3%2%

Discover #4: Let the customer be your guide (lets the customers be your guide)

This study brings together the findings of the top 40 retail websites in the UK. We should all understand how many of our customers are affected by promotional emails, Facebook ads, Word-of-mouth referrals, and so on, and we should also understand who is most likely to buy. We should also understand how people intend to hear us and communicate through these channels, and we do well again. We need to ask ourselves whether social media is worth the effort. If the answer is yes, we have to do our best to make sure that everything we interact with in social media meets the needs and expectations of our customers. Otherwise, the effort will be in vain, even thankless.

——————————-UK report ends ————————— –

Note: Do not mechanically, others eyes are green, Britain and the United States have differences, not to mention China. Again, the research is the retail stations, may not be suitable for small and medium-sized sites. Again, the average, the individual to see their own nature.

social media only brings 5% traffic to retail sites [foresee US report]

There is also a U.S. version of the report (two reports have free pdf download but need to register), supplemented by the following:

——————————-US Report ————————— –

Social media: Only 5% of online holiday shoppers, mainly influenced by social media, visit top retail sites. At the same time, 19% of the site visitors to a website, mainly to promote the results of mail, 8% from search results.

some of the most satisfying visitors to the site because they have been familiar with the brand, promotional emails, Word-of-mouth, product review sites, ads on social networking sites, and instant Messaging im from friends or co-workers. Customers who visit the site most on social-networking sites, companies on social networking sites, or mobile phone messages and reminders are likely to buy offline (note 1). Visitors arriving by product review sites or Word-of-mouth recommendations are likely to buy online.

What most affects your access to a website? Respondents% satisfaction offline purchase possible online purchase may be familiar with the website/company/brand 38%807175 from the company's promotional mail 19%797175 search results 8%756571 Television, radio, newspaper or magazine ads 8%777276 Word-of-mouth from acquaintances/recommendations 8% 797078 Internet Advertising 5%777174 web blog or discussion forum 3%737374 from shopping parity site links 2%766672 social networking site friends or recommended 2%777276 product review site 2%797378 social networking site Ads 2% 797675 of the company's direct messages 2%787675 on YouTube video 1%757476 from friends or co-workers im1%797577 SMS or reminders 1%767675

——————————-US report ends ————————— –

Note 1: Offline purchase!

NOTE 2: The United States looks generally higher than Britain in terms of possible purchases.

Note 3: The data is very dispersed, the online network may buy a high number of, and then access accounted for more dispersed. There are online marketing promotion offline purchase possible, also wired under the marketing (TV, radio and other traditional media) to promote online purchase possible. Mix.

Source: http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_586631940100olap.html