Consumers who follow brands on Twitter are more likely to buy and recommend those brands’ products, according to a new US study.

This is the latest study on social media marketing by Constant Contact and research firm Chadwick Martin Bailey – the two companies recently carried out a study on Facebook.

The Twitter study analysed the behaviour of 1,491 consumers ages 18 and older throughout the United States. It revealed that more US consumers are turning to Twitter to connect with their favorite brands: one-third of brand followers surveyed reported interacting with brands more this year than they did last year.

“Similar to what we saw in our previous study of behaviour on Facebook, the quality of relationships between brands and consumers on Twitter is high. Consumers are selective as to which brands they follow, but they are extremely loyal to those that they do follow,” says Mark Schmulen, general manager of social media, Constant Contact.

Shmulen also urges brands to connect with social media audiences in the right way. “For brands, simply broadcasting content and talking at consumers doesn’t fly anymore… They don’t just want to hear from brands; they want to be heard and acknowledged by the real people behind the brands. More than ever, marketing is about building relationships, and Twitter is a great channel for this type of two-way interaction.”

The study also revealed that Twitter’s role as a social-media marketing tool is still evolving. Nearly half of those who reported using Twitter have been doing so for less than a year, and a third of brand followers reported using the tool to connect with brands more than ever before,” says Kristen Garvey, vice-president of marketing, Chadwick Martin Bailey.

“It’s also important to realise that consumers are selective – they really want the inside scoop about the brands they follow. Social media platforms like Facebook, and increasingly Twitter, offer companies an opportunity to listen, learn, and engage.”

10 key findings from the Twitter study

1) 60% of brand followers are more likely to recommend a brand to a friend after following them on Twitter.

2) 50% of brand followers are more likely to buy from a brand after following them on Twitter.

3) Consumers follow brands on Twitter for exclusivity, promotions and to be “in the know”.

4) 50% of consumers on Twitter go online more than once an hour.

5) Nearly half of consumers on Twitter have been tweeting less than one year.

6) 79% of consumers on Twitter follow fewer than 10 brands.

7) 75% of consumers have never "un-followed" a brand on Twitter.

8) One-third of brand followers are interacting with brands more this year than last.

9) Consumers on Twitter read posts from brands much more than they tweet about brands.

10) Consumers on Twitter under age 35 are more likely to follow brands than older users.

Read the full report on consumer behaviour on Twitter: http://bit.ly/nNgru7

Posted by

Sarah Wright