Survey: Social media users comfortable with marketing messages

Posted by Leah McBride Mensching on November 6, 2009 at 2:50 PM

Social media users are open to marketing on social media sites, according to a new survey by Performics, the ad performance division of Publicis Groupe, BtoB Online reported today.

Thirty-four percent of respondents said they used a search engine to find a product or brand online after seeing an ad on a social networking site, and 46 percent said they would recommend or talk about a product on Facebook. Meanwhile, 44 percent said they have already done so on Twitter, according to the survey, conducted in partnership with ROI Research.

"Brands have a bigger opportunity than people would think - consumers are open to receiving promotions and offers from brands that they've connected with through social networks," said Scott Haiges, president of ROI Research, according to MediaWeek. "Social networking between a consumer and a brand has created this interesting dynamic where you're making a brand your friend and you're treating like a friend."

The survey was conducted online, with 3,000 people responding.