Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011 How Asian Companies are Engaging Stakeholders Online
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Many more Asian companies now use social media platforms Number of social media channels with corporate activity
Key take-aways 2011
2010
• 81% of top Asian companies have a branded social media presence – compared to 40% in 2010 • Under 20% of top Asian companies have no official corporate social media presence - compared to 60% in 2010 • Most social media channels are used for both branded product marketing and corporate communications purposes
Source: Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
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S. Korean companies are the most ‘social’ Asians Corporate use of social media channels by market - 2011
Key take-aways • South Korean companies are the most aggressive users of social media for corporate communications and marketing • Chinese, Malay and Thai firms are also agressively using social media
Percentage of companies using the four major social media channel types across Asia-Pacific - 2011 Source: Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
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Southeast Asian firms have invested strongly in social media in 2011 Corporate use of social media channels by market - 2010
Key take-aways • Southeast Asian (Malay, Thai and Filipino) firms have invested strongly in social media over the past twelve months • Taiwanese and Singaporean firms continue to lag their peers and competitors in other Asian markets
Percentage of companies using the four major social media channel types across Asia-Pacific - 2010 Source: Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
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Asian companies prefer social networks and micro-blogs Top social platforms used for corporate marketing and communications
Key take-aways • Social networks are the most popular social media channels, though tend to be used for both product and corporate marketing
• Micro-blogs are also popular, as they are easier to manage and are less dialogue-oriented • Few Asian companies are using blogs to communicate with corporate audiences
Percentage of top Asian companies using one or more of the four top social media platforms
Source: Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
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Asian firms continue to lag their global peers and competitors Top global social platforms used for corporate marketing and communications Key take-aways • There was an 18% increase in Fortune Global 100 companies using Twitter, followed by a 14% growth in YouTube channels and a 13% growth in companies using Facebook pages • Twitter is emerging as the predominant social media platform used by corporations, although corporate Facebook pages have more “likes” than Twitter accounts have “followers” Percentage of top Asian companies using one or more of the four top social media platforms
Source: Global Fortune 100 Corporate Social Media Study 2011
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Corporate social strategies remain short-term and piecemeal Levels of corporate activity on company social media channels
Key take-aways • 62% of social channels surveyed were inactive • Companies that use social networks and corporate blogs are most committed to these channels, as they require more active management • Conversely, Asian firms that have set up video sharing channels struggle to keep them updated Percentage of companies with active (at least one post during the period July 01-15, 2011) or inactive (with no posts or activity) social media channels used solely or in part for corporate marketing and communications Source: Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
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Integration of social media with corporate websites remains a low priority Integration of social media channels with company website
Key take-aways • South Korean, Australian and Malay firms are promoting their social media channels most actively via their websites • Most firms are still testing social media, and fear that linking it closely to their ‘core’ online channels may increase the likelihood of loss of face
Percentage of companies promoting their branded social media channels via their corporate homepage or page sharing tools
Source: Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
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Corporate social storytelling in Asia remains in its infancy Use of company video sharing channel
Key take-aways • Use of video to tell the corporate story is thin
• Companies in South Korea, Australia and India are most actively using online video • Relatively poor telecoms infrastructures has limited video communication in some markets, especially in Southeast Asia
The average number of videos uploaded to a company’s video sharing channel(s) from 1-15 July 2011 (inclusive)
Source: Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
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Media & influencer outreach dominates corporate social activity Focus of corporate social media activity
Key take-aways • Asian companies are focused mostly on ‘pushing’ news to users, including journalists, bloggers and other opinionformers • Few Asian company CEOs or senior executives are actively using social media • Crisis and issues communications mostly concern customer service complaints that may escalate Percentage of corporate marketing or communications posts to company social media channels across Asia-Pacific during the period July 01-15, 2011
Source: Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
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Technology & telecoms companies are Asia’s most advanced social media users Corporate use of social media channels by industry
Key take-aways • Telecoms companies are the most active users of social media for corporate purposes • Of the industries represented, financial services are the least enthusiastic users of social media
Percentage of companies by industry sector using one or more of the four top social media types
Source: Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
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Approach & next steps to corporate social media Companies considering developing and implementing a corporate social media strategy might usefully consider the following: • • • • • • • • • • • •
Monitor Continuously Clarify Objectives Get Management Buy-In Align Messages Connect the Dots Contribute to the Community Participate in Times Good and Bad Be Prepared to Respond in Real-time Be Flexible Speak as a Human Don’t be Heavy Handed Optimise Continually
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Next steps
1.Understand your Audiences 2.Assess your Communications Capabilities 3.Identify and Strengthen Gaps 4.Re-design Policies, Procedures and Toolkits 5.Communicate Employee Roles and Responsibilities 6.Cascade Learnings
Methodology This study assesses corporate marketing and communications activity on top social media channels by 120 of Asia’s leading companies. Companies were selected from the Wall Street Journal Asia 200 Index of Asia’s leading companies as determined by executives and professionals across Asia-Pacific. The top 10 companies were selected per country. The countries studied were: Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
Corporate marketing is defined as: Media and Influencer Relations; Corporate Social Responsibility; Thought Leadership; Leadership Communications; Crisis and Issues Management; Recruitment Marketing.
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Social media channels analysed comprised the top social networks, micro-blogs, video sharing and corporate blogging platforms per country – hosted on third party platforms and/or website-based. Data was collected in July 2011 by BursonMarsteller’s Asia-Pacific digital and research teams. Accounts were considered ‘active’ if they had at least one post by the company on or between July 1st and 15th 2011. Of the 120 companies surveyed, 24 of them are in financial services, 15 in telecommunications, 25 in consumer goods, and 14 from the technology sector.
This study is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
Further Information Charlie Pownall Lead Digital Strategist (Asia-Pacific) charles.pownall@bm.com
Carly Yanco Head of Digital (Australia) carly.yanco@bm.com
Kelvin Lim Digital Strategist (Malaysia) kelvin.lim@bm.com
Albert Pereira President, Digital (India) albert.pereira@bm.com
Leon Zhang Digital Strategy & Insights Lead (China) leon.zhang@bm.com
Jinny Jacaria Account Director (Philippines) jjacaria@seinc.com.ph
Craig Adams Director, Marketing (Asia-Pacific) craig.adams@bm.com
Terence Yam Digital Strategist (Hong Kong) terence.yam@bm.com
Steve Bowen Managing Director (Singapore) steve.bowen@bm.com
Zaheer Nooruddin Digital Chief Marketing Officer (Asia-Pacific) zaheer.nooruddin@bm.com
Salil Jayakar Digital Strategist (India) salil.jayakar@bm.com
DaeChul Shin Digital Associate (S. Korea) daechul.shin@bm.com
Natashia Jaya Digital Associate (Indonesia) natashia.jaya@bm.com
Luna Chiang Senior Account Director (Taiwan) luna.chiang@compasspr.com.tw
Gosuke Kumamura Lead Digital Strategist (Japan) gosuke.kumamura@bm.com
Jeremy Plotnick Knowledge Director (Thailand) jeremy.plotnick@abm.co.th\
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About Burson-Marsteller Asia-Pacific Burson-Marsteller Asia-Pacific is the leading consultancy for organisations communicating in AsiaPacific and internationally. With a presence in the region dating back to 1973, Burson-Marsteller today includes 35 offices and affiliates in 16 countries integrated seamlessly into a global network operating in 98 countries.
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