MASH MY WEEK! Summary of outstanding news about the Internet, technology, and social media from October 24–29

First, we present a report by Ipsos and Paypal, identifying a new trend in online commerce among “dual owners,” users who have both tablets and smartphones.

Our second report reflects consumer behavior on social networks, highlighting the importance of online platforms for interacting and connecting with your company’s audience.

In the last report, Randi Zuckerberg offers a recipe for success on the social networks. The sister of Facebook’s founder reveals 10 secrets of an effective web strategy.

E-commerce benefited by the use of tablets

It is increasingly evident that mobile devices with Internet access influence online shopping. A survey carried out by Ipsos and Paypal in the United States reveals that having a tablet increases the frequency of mobile shopping and enhances the purchase experience.

Ipsos identifies a new consumer group, “dual owners,” so-called because they have both smartphones and tablets. Among owners of both technologies, the percentage of purchases through mobile devices is nearly twice what it is for those who have only smartphones.

Dual owners are also more willing to increase their expenditure on mobile purchases (63%) versus those who use only smartphones (29%).

According to Ipsos, this tendency derives from the intrinsic attractiveness of the tablets. Their users are induced to spend more because of the better purchase experience, which they attribute to the device’s bigger screens, bigger keyboards, and touchscreen characteristics, among others.

To read the press release and download the report click here.

Consumer behavior on the social networks 

new report by Constant Contact and Chadwick Martin Bailey highlights the importance of brand interactions with consumers on social networks.

Based on an analysis of consumer behavior on Twitter and Facebook, the study concludes that a presence on the social networks can benefit companies and improve sales.

Consumers who follow a brand on Twitter are more likely to buy and recommend the brand’s products. More and more consumers go to Twitter to connect with their favorite brands. A third of the Twitter users who follow brands affirmed during the survey that their interaction with brands had increased compared with the previous year.

The study analyzed the behavior of 1491 users older than 18, living in the United States. The report reveals some key facts: 60% of users who follow a brand on Twitter are willing to recommend the brand to a friend, and 50% of them would buy the brand’s products. Their reasons for following a brand include content exclusiveness, promotions, and direct contact. Half of all users enter their Twitter accounts more than once an hour, and approximately half of them have been users for less than a year. Most users (79%) follow at least 10 brands, and 75% have never stopped following a brand. 

This tendency toward interaction and involvement with a company’s products and services is more marked among persons younger than 35.

Based on these data, together with those from a previous study of Facebook, Constant Contact and Chadwick Martin Bailey argue that Twitter and Facebook are ideal platforms to generate customer loyalty and positive word of mouth communications.

To access the report click here.

Zuckerberg’s advice for online success

Randi Zuckerberg, the sister of Facebook’s founder and former marketing director of the company, offered companies ten recommendations for successful online communications strategies. Randi points out that, “Connections among people improve the possibilities for doing business. In that respect, social networks are a good opportunity.”

1. Give your customers a reason to follow you.

2. Create loyalty programs.

3. Humanize your company so it has a visible face.

4. Design your message strategically and measure its impact within the social network. 

5. Be attentive and funny.

6. Involve your followers in your decisions.

7. Use new e-commerce options.

8. Create new channels for customer service.

9. Interact with interest groups in real time to maintain control of topicality and information.

10. Explore new ways to exploit your business via mobile devices. 

Remember Randi Zuckerberg’s words: “Good and bad news now travel the social networks and can affect a company immediately. That is why we must know how to manage these new communications challenges.”