A Research Exercise conducted by ICON in collaboration with the University of Malta
Consumers’ Use of
SOCIAL MEDIA
IN MALTA
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Contents Introduction....................................................................................................................................................................4 Key Findings...................................................................................................................................................................5 Most Frequently Used Channels................................................................................................................5 The Time Factor.....................................................................................................................................................5 Websites vs. Social Media...............................................................................................................................5 How Consumers Engage With Social Media......................................................................................6 Use of Social Media.............................................................................................................................................6 Demographics...............................................................................................................................................................7 Age.................................................................................................................................................................................7 Education...................................................................................................................................................................7 Gender.........................................................................................................................................................................7
1. USAGE AND ENGAGEMENT 1.1 Consumers’ Use of Social Networks........................................................................................................8 1.2 Use Vs. Age..............................................................................................................................................................8 1.3 Use vs. Gender.......................................................................................................................................................9 1.4 Time Spent Daily on Social Media.......................................................................................................... 10 1.5 Usage By Device............................................................................................................................................... 10 1.6 Social Media Pages vs. Websites............................................................................................................ 11 When researching a company, what do respondents turn to most?...................................... 11 1.7 Consumer-Related Activities......................................................................................................................12 1.8 Engagement with Facebook Adverts...................................................................................................13
2. SOCIAL MEDIA’S INFLUENCE ON CONSUMER PURCHASING DECISIONS 2.1 Social Media’s Role in Consumers’ Purchasing Process.......................................................... 16 2.2 Impact of Following Brands on Social Media................................................................................. 16 2.4 Impact vs. Time...................................................................................................................................................17 2.4 Influence of Social Media Advertising on Consumers.............................................................. 18 2.5 The Time and Age Factor............................................................................................................................20 2.6 The Power of Reviews................................................................................................................................... 22 About the Authors...................................................................................................................................................26 Contributors................................................................................................................................................................. 27 Designers......................................................................................................................................................................28 About ICON..................................................................................................................................................................29 About the Faculty of Media and Knowledge Sciences...................................................................29 Contact us for a free consultation about Social Media Marketing...........................................29
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Consumer Use of Social Media in Malta | 2016 | ICON
Introduction A Research Exercise conducted by ICON in collaboration with the University of Malta
The explosion of digital technology over the last
The questions for marketers trying to leverage these
decade is astounding. A staggering 3.42 billion people
platforms are vast, and include:
around the world are now online . In Malta alone, 1
the number of Internet users has more than doubled over the last ten years, with 73% of the population connecting to the Internet in 20152. Over this time,
• What networks are local consumers using most regularly? • At what stage in the purchasing process do users
digital technology has become an integral part of
refer to social media, if at all?
consumer activity in Malta and across the world.
• What types of social media content hold the most
Consumers are increasingly resorting to the Internet
influence on their purchase decisions?
for all aspects of their purchases and purchasing
• What kind of advertisements are most effective on
decisions. They use it as a tool to search and evaluate a variety of products, to communicate with brands and other consumers as well as to make online purchases and manage returns. Digital technology has had such an impact on mainstream retail that Gartner Research predicts that by the year 2020, customers will manage 85% of their relationship with a company without ever interacting with a human3. Social media plays a big role in these digital relationships and it seems that its significance will continue to grow in the future.
these platforms? ICON has teamed up with the Faculty of Media and Knowledge Sciences at the University of Malta to take an in-depth look into Maltese consumers’ usage of social media and gain insight into how social media platforms and the content within them are influencing customers’ purchasing decisions. The findings that have emerged are intended to help guide local marketers in reaching out to local consumers more effectively via these networks.
Although social networks are not entirely direct e-commerce platforms (websites where one can purchase products & services are), they play a key part
Consumers are increasingly
in reaching and influencing potential customers. With
resorting to the Internet for all
1 in every 4 minutes of time spent on the internet being used for social networking⁴, social media is an essential platform for brands to interact with new and
aspects of their purchases and purchasing decisions.
existing consumers.
¹ Source: http://www.internetlivestats.com/internet-users/ accessed on 27/05/2016 ² Source: http://www.internetlivestats.com/internet-users-by-country/ accessed on 27/05/16 ³ Source: http://www.gartner.com/imagesrv/summits/docs/na/customer-360/C360_2011_brochure_FINAL.pdf accessed on 27/05/16 ⁴ Source: http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/time-spent-online/613474 accessed on 28/05/16
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Consumer Use of Social Media in Malta | 2016 | ICON