Small Business Marketing News
Survey: Consumers Using Facebook To Support Products And Businesses
Written by Jenna Weiner
Published: 4/16/2010
New survey results indicate that Facebook has become a place for consumers to research and support businesses.
New research suggests that Facebook has grown from a popular social networking site to a place where consumers can learn about and support businesses and products.
The March Retail Omnibus study from Morpace found that retailers who use Facebook for marketing have a clear advantage over the competition.
The survey found that not only are consumers becoming fans of certain products, they are also using the site to discuss and recommend those products to other users.
Although businesses can't sell products directly via Facebook, nearly 40 percent of survey respondents said that they joined fan pages in order to receive coupons and discount offers.
Furthermore, more than one-third called the site a good tool for researching products, and almost 70 percent of consumers said that receiving a product recommendation from a friend would positively influence their purchasing decision.
While the transformation of Facebook over time could be compelling news for small business owners, those who haven't yet joined the social media sphere should consider their strategy before jumping in.
Writing for American Express' OPEN Forum, Jason Rudman recently discussed the key benefits of social media, which include better search results, brand management, networking, brand awareness, innovation and competitive research.
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