What is the difference between social media sites?

According to CNN, Nielsen found Facebook users are 25 percent more likely to be affluent than MySpace users. Twenty-three percent of Facebook users earn more than $100,000 compared to only sixteen percent of MySpace users. The report unveiled MySpace users “tend to be ‘in middle-class, blue-collar neighborhoods” in comparison to Facebook users. “Facebook [use] goes off the charts in the upscale suburbs,” said to Mike Mancini, vice president of data product management for Nielsen.

How does this research impact your business?

The impact of more demographic research by the three most popular social media sites lends itself to creating strategic marketing campaigns (The word ‘campaign’ may emanate an expensive bill but a marketing campaign can start at a few hundred dollars). Companies who want to reach an affluent audience may concentrate content on Facebook or LinkedIn, but companies that want to reach an audience with smaller salaries may want to concentrate on content with MySpace.

CNN reports the Nielsen research shows almost 38 percent of LinkedIn users earn more than $100,000 a year, but companies that wish to use only one social media site and reach a broader audience should use Twitter. “Nielsen’s survey didn’t find a dominant social class on Twitter as much as they found a geographic one: Those who use Twitter are more likely to live in an urban area where there’s greater access to wireless network coverage,” said Mancini. More information like this Nielsen report can help tame marketers frustrated social media antics and allow them to concentrate on sites that will result in higher leads.

How can you monetize and prioritize using social media?

Besides promoting the popularity of social media, this research promotes the need for a social media strategy. The demographic differences between the large social media sites can help marketers plan a social media strategy and focus attention on the sites that may lead to higher leads. Many marketing agencies can help create a simple social media strategy that is customized for your business. Ask the agency if they offer an a la carte options (Web Biz Consultants does).

Take Away Lessons

• Pay attention to new information about social media. This is one phenomenon that is not going away (Although social media sites like Facebook or MySpace may be replaced with another option). Social media is so popular that large research companies like Nielsen Claritas is spending time discovering specifics about this phenomenon
• Have a specific social media strategy to leverage leads and information effectively.