Powerful tools but few plan to engage
More than 80 per cent of Australian small businesses and 37 per cent of large enterprises do not have a social media strategy, the 2015 Sensis Social Media Report has revealed.
Released this week, the survey of 800 consumers and 1100 businesses showed that despite 93 per cent of Australian social media users having a Facebook profile — and spending 81/2 hours a week on the site — many businesses of all sizes have no plan in place to engage with customers on social platforms.
Digital communications and social business strategist at Gramercy Park Consulting, Simon te Brinke, said the report highlighted the “sheer size” of social network audiences.
However, he said it was surprising to discover many businesses had not developed a strategy to engage with it.
“In Australia, it’s been reported that Facebook and LinkedIn have around 14 million and 3.6 million users visit their networks respectively, on average, per month,” Mr te Brinke said.
“They’re both seriously significant digital communications channels — arguably two of the largest digital media channels in the world.
“In 2015, I can’t help but wonder how those businesses are communicating, connecting and engaging with their customers. Perhaps it’s by fax-stream, pagers and pigeons?”
The survey found almost half of small businesses and 45 per cent of large businesses had invested money in social media but did not know how much.
Only 16 per cent of small businesses and 29 per cent of large ones actually measured their return on investment from social.
The Sensis study, which Mr te Brinke said provided “a great macro-level barometer for the most popular external social media channels” — also found mixed consumer attitudes to businesses advertising on social media.
Just 32 per cent said they liked sponsored posts from businesses they followed, 38 per cent said they did not mind seeing ads and 42 per cent said they occasionally clicked on an ad to find out more, suggesting paid advertising and sponsorships can be reasonably effective for targeting consumers.
The survey also found that a “solid minority” of Australians who use social media follow brands and businesses (32 per cent) and access offers and promotions (20 per cent).
Almost 20 per cent use social media to conduct research into products and services they want to buy.
Half of those who use social media to research products and services said they made a purchase, while two-thirds of them made that purchase online.
