Social Media in 2017

At Traffic, we believe that the power of social media should not be ignored. In 2017, it is becoming more necessary than ever before to be aware of the happenings going on in the social stratosphere.

Social media is used as a tool for interacting and connecting with consumers in an efficient and effective way and can help to build trust and improve customer satisfaction if used correctly.

We recognise that social media has the ability to transform businesses and with the Sensis Social Media Report recently released, now have the most recent facts to prove it.

Some key takeaways from the report that we believe are important to any business looking to use social media are listed below.

Firstly 8 in 10 Australians (79%) are now using social media. Usage is universal among 18-29 year olds (99%) however over the years, there has been a huge increase in the older demographics. 96% of the 30-39 age group and 86% of the 40-49 age groups now have social media accounts. This highlights that social media can now be used to target all demographics.

The love for visual content is constantly increasing and proves to be the most effective way in reaching the desired target audience. The use of Instagram is becoming more and more popular with an increase from 31% in 2016 to 46% in 2017. However Facebook still continues to dominate at 94%.

The increase of smartphone ownership at 81% as opposed to laptop (30%) and desktop (28%) usage is important to note, as consumers are now accessing social media at any time of the day at any location. This presents countless opportunities for businesses who are trying to engage with consumers online.

So why are people using social media in 2017?

The table below demonstrates that finding out about brands, businesses and their promotions as well as researching about products is among the reasons why people use social media.

It is important to understand what consumers want from the brands they follow. The following table reflects that discounts, give-aways and product information are the most popular benefits that people like to receive.

Why should your business use social media?

The way people perceive a brand can be influenced by their social media accounts. People are more likely to trust a brand if they have a large following across sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Interacting with your customers in a positive way through contact community management will also increase trust surrounding your brand.
It is vitally important to update content regularly and to post content that is relevant and engaging to your audience. Advertising on social media is becoming more favourable therefore it is recommended that paid advertising is used to achieve a successful campaign not effected by the various content algorithms.

All graphs and imagery provided via The Sensis Social Media Report 2017 (Chapter 1) – https://www.sensis.com.au/asset/PDFdirectory/Sensis_Social_Media_Report_2017-Chapter-1.pdf