Getting Social In The UK

In recent years, some have suggested that the rise of social media would drive a reduction in SUBSCRIBERS, but we have actually found the opposite to be true. According to our research, 93% of UK online consumers are SUBSCRIBERS, 45% are FANS and 7% are FOLLOWERS. It is important to note, however, that consumers typically don’t choose just one channel. 96% of UK consumers who “Like” companies on Facebook subscribe to brand emails as well. 97% of consumers who Follow brands on Twitter subscribe to email. 86% of people who Follow brands on Twitter are FANS of at least one company on Facebook.

• Online consumers aged 25-34 are the most likely to be SUBSCRIBERS (97%), likely because this group uses email in the workplace and at home, for business and personal reasons.
• While teens are the least likely to be SUBSCRIBERS (86%), this channel is still the most common way for teens to request proactive communications from brands.
• Consumers aged 18-24 are the most likely to be Facebook FANS— 87% of consumers in this age group are active on Facebook
• Those in the 18-24 age group are most likely to be FOLLOWERS as well (54%), despite the fact the 25-34 age group has more active Twitter users.

Our findings are consistent with reports that younger consumers (particularly those aged 18-24) are the most likely to engage with brands on Facebook and Twitter. However, through our focus groups we learned that age is not the only factor influencing channel preference. It’s just as important to consider why people go online in the first place when trying to determine how they want to engage with brands.

Some people use the Internet primarily to communicate with friends and family—these people tend to prioritise interpersonal communication over seeking information from brands online. Others use the Internet primarily for work and their engagement with brands tends to be work-related. Still others consider the Internet an ideal forum for shopping. These consumers span all age groups and, not surprisingly, they tend to be the most aggressive about seeking information from companies online.

A Land Of Starts And Stops

Two distinct and opposing forces seem to be influencing UK online behaviour: the need to stay in touch and the desire to protect one’s privacy. On one hand, many UK consumers report feeling a compulsive need to check their online accounts:

• 34% of UK consumers say they check email compulsively
• 27% of UK consumers (40% of active Facebook users) say they check Facebook compulsively
• 7% of UK consumers ( 37% of active Twitter users) say they check Twitter compulsively

In contrast, a small minority of UK consumers (5%) are not SUBSCRIBERS, FANS or FOLLOWERS (although they may use email, Facebook and Twitter for other purposes). This minority tends to describe themselves as incredibly cautious about their online activities. They’re highly selective about which sites they visit and whom they communicate with online, and they’re quite concerned about privacy.

Selectivity isn’t limited to this group, however. When asked about their activity over the past year:

• 53% of SUBSCRIBERS say they have become more selective about giving out their email address
• 53% of FANS say they have become more selective about “Liking” companies on Facebook
• 42% of FOLLOWERS say they have become more selective about Following companies on Twitter

Clearly, UK consumers are feeling the need for increased discretion when it comes to engaging with brands online—regardless of channel. Online marketing can be intrusive, dull and bothersome—so consumers are exercising control over which brands have access to their limited attention. The best way to gain entry to a consumer’s trusted inner circle is to rise above the competition by understanding your customers’ pain point and delivering content that meets their expectations.

Digital Morning

When your customers awake in the morning, are they reaching for their mobile to check email? Firing up their laptop to post a status update on Facebook? Greeting the world with a Tweet?

What your customers do first thing in the morning reveals not only their priorities and motivations (whether business, social or news-focused) but also provides an indication of how and when to communicate with them.

According to our research, an overwhelming 73% of UK consumers check email first thing in the morning (as compared to 58% of US consumers). Following at a significant distance are Facebook (14%) and news sites (5%). Of course this doesn’t mean that consumers are ignoring Facebook, Twitter and other sites altogether—email is simply their first priority.

My first job when I get on the Internet is to log into Hotmail and sift through the messages that came through overnight, then I check Facebook.

– Matt (Male, age 25)

Younger consumers are more likely than the general population to choose Facebook over email as their first online stop of the day. For young consumers aged 15-17, Facebook is actually the most popular place to start their day (53%), followed by email (27%). Consumers aged 18-24 choose email just slightly more often (44%) than Facebook (36%).

For most consumers (74%), a personal computer is the device of choice in the morning, followed by mobile phones (13%). Only a small minority (7%) wait until they arrive at work or school to access online content. Younger consumers are more inclined to reach for their mobile phones in the morning than older age groups, but personal computers remain the most favored device across the age spectrum.

Understanding where your customers start their day will help you identify how and when they are likely to be most receptive to your marketing messages. It can also give you insight into the proper tone and content for these communications.

Does Facebook Drive Email Usage?

At the time of publication (November 2011), Facebook was in the process of phasing out the majority of its email notifications. As time goes on, it will be interesting to monitor the effect this has on popularity of email vs. Facebook as the day’s first online destination.

Has email’s morning popularity been partially attributable to its delivery of Facebook notifications? Whereas Facebook has no ability to display the contents of your Inbox, email notifications once gave notice as to whether there was a need to check Facebook. Will consumers now reorganise their morning priorities to compensate for the lack of Facebook notices in their inbox? Time will tell how this change impacts consumers’ morning priorities and habits.

Email: A Channel For All

Modern media tends to portray email as a bit stodgy and businessoriented, in contrast to casual, social channels like Facebook and Twitter. However, this is certainly not the case in the UK, where email serves as more of a catch-all.

• 82% of UK online consumers check email at least once a day, including more than 90% of all consumers over age 35
• 63% view email as a channel for personal contacts—equivalent to the number that use Facebook for personal contacts
• 44% use email as a means of connecting with old friends and those who live far away
• Only 39% of UK consumers report using email for work purposes, although this increases to 58% among working adults

With the minority of UK consumers using email for work purposes, it’s not surprising that we see less use of email during the workday (36%) than before and after work/school (60%) or during weekends and holidays (56%).

However, in stark contrast with Facebook and Twitter, the majority of UK consumers don’t see email as a means of alleviating boredom. Rather, email serves a more utilitarian purpose (whether business, social or commercial) and once that purpose is achieved, consumers move to other channels such as social networks, commerce or news sites.

Anatomy Of A Subscriber

According to our research, 93% of UK consumers are SUBSCRIBERS—meaning they subscribe to permission-based email from at least one company or brand. Of course, convincing consumers to subscribe to your brand is a bit more complex. What motivates UK consumers to share their email address with a company? What do they want out of their relationship with a brand?

The top three reasons given by survey respondents:

• To receive discounts or money-off promotions (52%)
• To receive free stuff or giveaways (44%)
• Because they shop with or buy from the company regularly (39%)

Essentially UK consumers provide their email address in exchange for deals or to expand their relationship with brands they already know and trust. In return, they expect those brands to deliver something of value in the form of exclusive content, early notification or deals. These expectations remain relatively consistent across all age groups— although older consumers can be more cynical about the likelihood that brands will follow through by delivering real value and they are more likely to express disdain for excessive email and spam.

“I must admit I am a bit wary of signing up to any more companies as I hate getting inundated with emails daily and sometimes twice daily.”

– Claudia (Female, age 41)

Facebook: The Place To Be

Facebook is overwhelmingly seen as a channel for personal social interactions, with limited usefulness in the context of business purposes.

• Overall, 68% of UK consumers are active Facebook users, including 87% of consumers in the 18-24 age bracket
• 51% of UK consumers check Facebook at least once a day
• 39% of UK consumers (58% of active Facebook users) say Facebook is the best way for them to stay in touch with friends online
• 43% of UK consumers (64% of active Facebook users) use Facebook to reconnect with old friends and those who live far away
• 43% of UK consumers (63% of active Facebook users) use Facebook for personal contacts
• 37% of UK consumers (54% of active Facebook users) use Facebook to alleviate boredom
• Only 8% of UK consumers, (11% of active Facebook users) report using Facebook for business

Consistent with its social purpose, survey respondents report checking Facebook mostly during weekends and holidays (68%) and before/after work or school (60%). Only 32% check Facebook during the workday— one of those times when it likely fulfills its purpose as a banisher of boredom.

In addition to the 68% of UK consumers who are active on Facebook, another 8% created a Facebook account in the past but no longer use it. This leaves less than a quarter of all UK consumers who have never been on Facebook.

“Facebook’s the best to use. It’s what everyone uses and all my friends have it. Plus it has so many other features like games and stuff so it’s not boring.

Anatomy Of A Fan

45% of UK consumers (66% of active Facebook users) are FANS—meaning they have “Liked” at least one company or brand on Facebook. What motivates UK consumers to connect with brands on Facebook? According to survey respondents, the top drivers are:

• To receive discounts or money-off promotions (49%)
• To receive free stuff or giveaways (48%)
• To monitor new products or future releases (26%)
• To receive updates on products and services (26%)

Interestingly, the top two responses are identical for email and Facebook. It seems that, although Facebook is generally a social channel, consumers are also looking for value. In fact, deals and freebies are by far the strongest driver of “Likes,” as demonstrated by the significant drop-off in responses after these top two answers.

Also note that the companies consumers “Like” on Facebook are less likely to be those they shop with on a regular basis— which calls into question the sincerity of their fandom. Discounts and promotions may not be the best way to interact with consumers on Facebook—a better tactic may be to encourage email subscriptions on your Facebook page, creating clear boundaries between those who want a meaningful cross-channel relationship and those who just want a deal.

I like to think of Twitter as my connection to the people I wish I’d gone to school with, whereas Facebook is how I’m connected with the people I was unfortunate to go to school with. Of course this is a generalisation

– David M. (Male, age 26)

Twitter: For Those In The Know

Among UK consumers, Twitter is viewed not as a place to interact socially with friends, but rather as a place to pass the time or get inside information. Twitter’s adoption rate is much lower than that of Facebook, which contributes to it generally not being seen as a viable channel for connecting with friends.

• Overall, 18% of UK consumers are active Twitter users, including 33% of consumers aged 25-34
• 13% of UK consumers check Twitter at least once per day—3% of these people do not have their own Twitter account
• Of active Twitter users (people that have a created a Twitter account and still use Twitter), 58% check Twitter at least once a day and 16% check it “constantly throughout the day”
• 51% of active Twitter users (9% of UK consumers) use Twitter to alleviate boredom
• 46% of active Twitter users (8% of UK consumers) view Twitter as a place to receive “insider information”
• 24% of active Twitter users (4% of UK consumers) report using Twitter for business

As Twitter is largely considered a place to gather information, it follows that a significant percentage of survey respondents report checking Twitter during the workday (41%). However, Twitter is not all about productivity—among those who use Twitter at work, 34% admit their usage is not for business purposes. These may well be the 51% who use Twitter to battle boredom.

Anatomy Of A Follower

According to our research, 7% of UK consumers (34% of active Twitter users) are FOLLOWERS—meaning they Follow at least one company or brand on Twitter. Survey respondents tell us the top reasons for Following a brand on Twitter are:

• To receive information related to personal interests or hobbies (42%)
• To receive advance notice about new products or future releases of a product (41%)
• To gain access to exclusive content (36%)
• To receive discounts and money-off promotions (31%)

Unlike email and Facebook, where consumers are predominantly motivated by discounts and freebies, Twitter is clearly viewed as an important place to gather information. Twitter may also be viewed as a place to create social circles of new friends based on niche interests, rather than a way to maintain existing connections. Of course some consumers do use Twitter for money-off promotions, but there is always a segment of the population looking for deals wherever they can find them.

Digital Evening

Before turning in for a good night’s sleep, where do your customers go for their final online stop of the day? One last check of Facebook? A final look at the inbox? As with the first activity of the morning, your customers’ last activity before bedtime provides valuable insight into their priorities and motivations.

Our research shows that email remains the most popular choice at night, although less so than in the morning (47% of UK consumers vs. 73% in the morning). Facebook is another popular stop on the way to dreamland (25%), followed by news and entertainment sites (a combined 15%).

Consumers’ choice of device is nearly identical in the morning and evening. 73% of consumers conduct their evening activities on a personal computer (compared to 74% in the morning), while mobile phones are the device of choice for 11% (down from 13% in the morning).

While there is clearly an increase in leisure and social activity at night, the continued dominance of email demonstrates its prominence in the lives of UK consumers. Marketers looking to capitalise on this social mindset may want to focus on channels like Facebook for their evening messages—although clearly email is important throughout the day for a large number of UK consumers

While there is clearly an increase in leisure and social activity at night, the continued dominance of email demonstrates its prominence in the lives of UK consumers. Marketers looking to capitalise on this social mindset may want to focus on channels like Facebook for their evening messages—although clearly email is important throughout the day for a large number of UK consumers

– Tali (Female, age 26)

Conclusion

Email maintains the most loyal users in the UK both in terms of consumer reach and frequency of use. However, Facebook and Twitter are still important in their own right, as 46% of consumers are either FANS or FOLLOWERS—and 2% of consumers will engage with brands through Facebook or Twitter, but not through email! While each individual channel brings a significant audience in terms of sheer numbers, marketers gain the most advantage by playing to the strengths of each—since consumers choose different channels for different reasons.