subscribers fans & followers exec summary

SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS MEDIA COVERAGE:

THE TOP FIVE BRANDS ON FACEBOOK, 8/25/10

WHERE PEOPLE START THEIR ONLINE DAY, 6/9/10

WHY COMPANIES ‘CLICK’ ON TWITTER, 8/16/10

FACT OR FICTION? MOST CUSTOMERS SEEK OUT DEALS, DISCOUNTS AND COUPONS ONLINE, 8/4/10

HOW TO CREATE A COMPELLING REASON TO GAIN PERMISSION, 9/9/10

7 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING WORK HARDER, 9/20/10

WHY USERS’ FIRST ONLINE ACTIVITY EACH MORNING IS IMPORTANT, 6/15/10

EMAIL STILL DRIVING SHOPPING OVER SOCIAL, 7/21/10

ARE TWITTER FOLLOWERS BETTER THAN FACEBOOK FANS?, 9/16/10

STUDY FINDS CUSTOMERS VALUE EMAIL, FACEBOOK AND TWITTER AS COLLABORATORS, NOT COMPETITORS, 9/8/10

CONSUMERS “LIKE” FACEBOOK PAGES TO CONVEY BRAND AFFILIATIONS, 8/26/10

SOCIAL NETWORKS ARE NOT KILLING OUR SOCIAL LIVES, 10/28/10

GETTING TWITTER-LITERATE, 6/18/10

STUDY FINDS MORE THAN ONE THIRD OF CONSUMERS TURN TO FACEBOOK, TWITTER TO ENGAGE BRANDS ONLINE, 7/13/10

COFFEE ‘N EMAIL, 6/15/10

YOUR CONSUMER IS AS YOUR CONSUMER DOES, 9/13/10

THE 6 NEXT MOST IMPORTANT SOCIAL MEDIA ISSUES, 9/13/10

© 2010 ExactTarget 3

DEAR INTERACTIVE MARKETER,

We know social media has revolutionized the way we communicate with our customers. We’re all in hot pursuit of knowing how to effectively deliver the right messages, through the right channels, at the right time.

At ExactTarget, we also know that a marketer’s hunch is no longer enough to find success on the real-time web. To truly connect with customers and deliver “right message, right time, right place,” we must understand what actions consumers are actually taking across these traditional and emerging channels.

That’s why we went straight to the source and asked consumers—not marketers—how they view and use each of these unique communication mediums.

The result is our ground-breaking research series, SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS*, which captures a snapshot of the interactive marketing landscape as it stands right now. Inside this latest report, we’ll take more than 100 pages of social media and interactive marketing research conducted from April to July of 2010 and boil it down into digestible insights you must know to build integrated, cross-channel campaigns.

And because we understand how short you are on time—and how strategic you need to be to find success in the era of real-time marketing—we provide tangible tips and tricks you can apply TODAY to make our research of more than 1,500 online consumers actionable. By implementing these easy tips and tricks, you’ll immediately reap the benefits of this industry-leading research, before the ever-evolving interactive landscape presents new data and this opportunity to act passes you by.

So enough talk—it’s time for action. The SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS 2010 Executive Summary will help you capitalize on the current interactive marketing landscape—in real time, with real results for your business.

To Your Interactive Successes,

The SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS 2010 Executive Summary will help you capitalize on the current interactive marketing landscape—in real time, with real results for your business.

*SUBSCRIBERS are U.S. consumers who have provided their email address to at least one brand. FANS are U.S. consumers with a Facebook account who have become a FAN (or LIKED) at least one brand on Facebook. FOLLOWERS are U.S. consumers with a Twitter account who FOLLOW at least one brand on Twitter.

TIM KOPPChief Marketing OfficerExactTarget

3% My Company's website/intranet

Where is the

first p

lace you go online in a typical day?

5% News Site

11% Facebook

58% Email

20% Search/ Portal3%

Other

©ExactTarget

© 2010 ExactTarget4

58% OF CONSUMERS BEGIN THE DAY WITH EMAIL, 11% WITH FACEBOOKWhen your customers wake in the morning, are they reaching

for their smartphones to check Facebook, updating their Twitter

statuses, or logging onto laptops to check email? Believe it or not,

what an individual does first thing in the morning can tell you a

lot about the types of marketing messages you should be sending

across email, Facebook, and Twitter. By examining U.S. consumers’

digital morning tendencies, you’ll gain a unique glimpse into your

customers’ individual priorities and motivations.

43% of all online consumers surveyed identify themselves as either FANS or FOLLOWERS.


58% of online consumers begin the day with email, followed by checking a search engine or portal site (20%), and Facebook (11%).

People who check email first tend to be motivated to interact with brands online for the sake of obtaining deals, promotions, or new product information.

People who initially check Facebook tend to become FANS of brands for entertainment purposes or to show support— not to obtain deals. They’re more likely to seek promotions through email.

THE TAKEAWAYS:When delivering product information, deals, and promotions, consider

delivering this information via email, preferably first-thing in the morning.

Individuals who check email first thing in the morning want different

types of information compared to those who check Facebook first. To engage with Facebook-first audiences, deliver content that’s entertaining and fun.

Cross-promote your programs across all channels. Make sure that

FANS and FOLLOWERS know they can receive additional deals through email, and that SUBSCRIBERS know they can participate in activities like contests on Facebook and Twitter.

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Get the full report atwww.exacttarget.com/sff

6 © 2010 ExactTarget© 2010 ExactTarget6

56% OF MILLENNIALS* SUBSCRIBE TO EMAIL IN SEARCH FOR ONGOING DEALSMore than 93% of online consumers are SUBSCRIBERS, meaning

they’ve provided their email address to at least one company or brand.

And 88% of consumers check email daily while 94% use it at least once

a week. Additionally, more than 50% of consumers make purchases

as a direct result of email—it drives more

conversions than any other channel. So

while email isn’t new, it certainly isn’t dead.

It remains a critical foundation for online

marketing, due to its unique x-factors—the

characteristics that set it apart from any

other marketing channel.

THE TAKEAWAYS:56% of consumers aged 15-24 are twice as likely to SUBSCRIBE

to email in their search for deals as they are to search on Facebook. Don’t allow demographics to make you complacent. Offer a blend of messages across both traditional and emerging channels.

Avoid the trap of promoting exclusive offers that are channel-

specific—these offers initially attract more FANS and FOLLOWERS, but they won’t retain consumers over time.

To get on your customers’ “favorite” list, relevancy is a must. The biggest

difference between valuable and non-valuable email programs is whether or not the information relates to the interests of the customer.


81% of consumers have been motivated to provide a company with an email address as a result of a promotion. Only 17% of consumers check Facebook for promotions, and only 3% check Twitter for promotions.

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*Consumers aged 15-24

© 2010 ExactTarget 7© 2010 ExactTarget

56% of Millennials SUBSCRIBE to

email in their search for ongoing deals compared to only 28% who search

for deals on Facebook.

Half of consumers (49%) always open emails from their “favorite” brands, compared to only 16% who

say they never open an email from brands.

© 2010 ExactTarget8

NEW CONSUMER PERSONAS HELP MARKETERS UNDERSTAND ONLINE MOTIVATIONSCustomers no longer pay attention to a marketer’s brand for the same reasons across

all ages, incomes, and genders. And despite marketers’ best efforts to categorize

consumer preferences based on these common demographics, most consumers

approach the internet like they do in all other areas of life—with intrinsic personality

traits and motivations that influence how they’ll interact online. We identified 12

unique online consumer personas by studying their levels of social media consumption and

creation, so marketers like you can get to know your audiences based on personalities.


4% of consumers are SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, and FOLLOWERS*

56%SUBSCRIBERS

ONLY

32%SUBSCRIBERS

& FANS

4%SUBSCRIBERS,

FANS, & FOLLOWERS0.7%

FANS ONLY

<0.1%FANS &

FOLLOWERS

1.3%FOLLOWERS

ONLY

©ExactTarget

SUBS

CRIB

ERS,

FAN

S, &

FOLL

OWERS OVERLAP


The majority of online consumers identify themselves as Inner Circle Consumers (who go online to maintain and deepen friend and family relationships), Cautious Consumers (who tend to be very selective about who they communicate with online), or Info Seekers (who go online to find and consume information).

*SUBSCRIBERS are U.S. consumers who have given their email address to at least one brand. FANS are U.S. consumers with a Facebook account who have become a FAN (or LIKED) at least one brand on Facebook. FOLLOWERS are U.S. consumers with a Twitter account who FOLLOW at least one brand on Twitter.

THE TAKEAWAYS:Don’t fall into the trap of marketing to consumers based on demographics: personalities are

better indicators of how customers will engage with brands across email, Facebook, and Twitter.

If any of your target audiences are comprised of Megaphones, you’ll reach them best via

Facebook and Twitter. Keep your Megaphones happy, or else the entire internet will hear about your shortcomings.

The cross-over between SUBSCRIBER, FAN, and FOLLOWER is more likely than ever before.

Make sure you effectively coordinate your messages across these three channels, so you consistently deliver high-quality and channel-appropriate content.

Although only 7% of online consumers identify themselves as Megaphones (who want to connect, educate, and share resources and information with others across the internet), they have a disproportionately large influence on brands and the internet as a whole.

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10 © 2010 ExactTarget


TWITTER USERS ARE 3X MORE LIKELY TO IMPACT BRANDS ONLINEAlthough Twitter’s active user base remains smaller than

other social networking sites like Facebook, approximately

11.5 million U.S. consumers use Twitter on a daily basis,

and 5% choose to FOLLOW at least one brand or company.

These daily Twitter users are the most passionate and

influential consumers across the entire internet, and what

they say about YOUR brand could have a profound impact

on your bottom line. What happens on Twitter doesn’t stay

on Twitter, and that’s why you must understand how to

successfully interact with them via this channel.

20% of consumers indicate that they’ve started FOLLOWING a brand on Twitter in order to interact with that company, compared to 13% of SUBSCRIBERS and 13% of FANS who turn to email and Facebook for brand interaction.

THE TAKEAWAYS:Commit to serving your customers who do use Twitter on a daily basis, even if this portion of your audience

represents a smaller number than other key constituencies.

When consumers choose to FOLLOW a brand, they want:

• To obtain new, authentic perspectives on companies

• To receive insider information about upcoming products and services

• To get to know the personalities behind a brand

• To receive freebies, samples, and discounts

• To see how a company responds when its brand is publically criticized

Be sure to keep these consumer expectations in mind when choosing how to engage with your customers via Twitter.

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SOCIAL CONTRIBUTION ACTIVITIES (MONTHLY) Daily Twitter Users All Other Consumers

Blog

Comment on Photos or Videos

80%76% 75%

72% 70%

61% 61%59%

56%53%

50% 50% 49% 48%

38%

27% 25%

14%

23%20%

15% 13%10% 10% 12%

7%

14%10%

Upload Photos

Post to Forums

Comment on Blogs

Post Ratings and Reviews

Comment on News

Update Own Site

Upload Articles

Upload Video

Upload Audio

Post to Wikis

Sell Online

Post Coupons


Twitter’s reach is approximately double its user base—23% of online consumers read Tweets at least monthly, and 11% report reading others’ Tweets even though they haven’t created a Twitter account of their own.

A brand’s Twitter FOLLOWERS are three times more likely than the average consumer to blog at least once per month (53% compared to 18%).

THE TAKEAWAYS:In order to combat your customers’ fears about a marketer’s role on Facebook, look at

every engagement as an opportunity to build trust.

It’s crucial that marketers understand that the act of LIKING of a brand on Facebook doesn’t

serve as an open invitation for marketing messages. Instead, it should be viewed as a simultaneous display of endorsement and personal expression.

To capitalize on Facebook’s viral potential, make sure you’re giving your FANS something

worth talking about! The more they talk about your brand, the more your messages will reach new—and potentially profitable—audiences.

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NEARLY 40% OF CONSUMERS “LIKE” COMPANIES TO SHOW BRAND AFFILIATION TO FRIENDSFacebook reigns as the social networking community of choice

for today’s online consumer. 42% of U.S. online consumers,

which equals approximately 46 million people, say they use

Facebook at least once a day. But traditional marketing

theories centered on price, product, placement, and

promotion don’t necessarily work in this unique space.

Our research reveals the hidden opportunities—and potential

landmines—that await you, the marketer, on Facebook.

90% of people trust the recommendations of their Facebook friends.

59% of U.S. consumers say they use Facebook in order to maintain personal relationships, compared to 43% of consumers who say they’ve “LIKED” a brand.

70% of consumers who have “FANNED” (i.e. LIKED) a brand on Facebook didn’t feel they’d given this company permission to market to them.

13© 2010 ExactTarget

WHAT HAS MOTIVATED YOU TO “LIKE” A COMPANY, BRAND, OR ASSOCIATION ON FACEBOOK?

To receive discounts and promotions

To show my support for the company to others

To get a “freebie” (e.g., free samples, coupon)

To stay informed about the activities of a company

To get updates on future products

To get updates on upcoming sales

For fun or entertainment

To get access to exclusive content

Someone recommended it to me

To learn more about the company

For education about company topics

To interact (e.g., share ideas, provide feedback)

40%

39%

36%

34%

33%

30%

29%

25%

22%

21%

13%

13%



CONSUMERS VIEW EMAIL, FACEBOOK, & TWITTER AS COLLABORATORS—NOT COMPETITORSWith headlines like “Facebook COO is Embracing the End of Email” and “Facebook is Going for Some Twitter Sensibility,” it’s easy to understand why marketers get the impression that email, Facebook, and Twitter are in direct competition with one another. But with a short attention span and an ability to multitask, consumers constantly rotate from one online communication tool to another. If your customers don’t isolate these channels from one another, why should you?

THE TAKEAWAYS:Although only 5% of U.S. online consumers actually FOLLOW at

least one brand, these consumers are the most influential online group. You must keep them happy in order to get the most bang for your marketing buck.

96% of daily email users SUBSCRIBE to at least one brand’s email messages,

and it drives more purchases than any other channel. It should serve as the cornerstone for your retention marketing strategies.

A Facebook FAN’S greatest value to marketers lies in his or her ability to

spread messages to friends and contacts. If you empower your Facebook FANS to spread your brand’s message, you’ll acquire new audiences and increase ROI.

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Email is the most broadly used communication channel and is likely to drive increased purchase intent among the largest number of consumers.

69% 68%of daily Twitter users FOLLOW at least one brand—making it the channel most likely to drive increased purchases after a consumer chooses to become a brand’s FOLLOWER.

of daily Facebook users are a FAN of at least one brand, but it’s the least effective channel to drive increased purchase behavior.


EMAIL, FACEBOOK, & TWITTER: SIDE-BY-SIDE+ POOR ++ FAIR +++ GOOD

Drives response from the masses.

Gathering place for FANS ready to be mobilized for outreach.

Personal connection with influential consumers.

Targeted, exclusive content.

Fuel con-versations among FANS and their friends.

Provide “insider access” to fuel content creation.

EMAIL FACEBOOK TWITTER

POTENTIAL REACH +++ ++ +

RETENTION +++ ++ ++

ACQUISITION + +++ +++

CHANNEL HIGHLIGHT

KEY TO SUCCESS

MOTIVATIONS TO BECOME SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS

To receive discounts and promotions 67% 40% 31%To get a “freebie” 55% 36% 28%To get updates on future products 45% 33% 38%To get updates on upcoming sales 50% 30% 30%To stay informed about the activities of the company 28% 34% 32%For fun and entertainment 29% 29% 26%To show support for the company to others 11% 39% 23%To learn about the company’s products and services 28% 21% 25%To get access to exclusive content 33% 25% 25%Someone recommended it to me 17% 22% 14%For education about company topics 22% 13% 14%To interact (e.g., provide feedback) 14% 13% 20%


SOCIAL MEDIA INCREASES—NOT DECREASES—FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTIONSAs the interactive industry evolves at a break-neck pace, marketers need to be armed with the truth about how their customers are engaging across email, Facebook, and Twitter in order to successfully communicate with them. And headlines and industry buzz can often be misleading. That’s why we examined four common social media myths to deny, debunk, and deliver the answers you need to build an integrated marketing strategy built on the truth—not commonly-held assumptions.

THE TAKEAWAYS:Be sure to read beyond the headlines and carefully examine an organization’s methodology before acting on research.

Simply increasing a FAN base won’t earn more money for your organization. Mobilize the FAN base you already have

so they can share your powerful messages.

Twitter’s initial success may have hinged on big-name celebrity participation, but now it’s made room for a new

type of celebrity—an individual who’s become famous simply as a result of using Twitter.

Individuals who are becoming more active on Facebook and Twitter are also interacting with friends in “real” settings

(not virtual) more often.

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THE MYTH THAT A “FACEBOOK FAN IS WORTH $136.38” IS PLAUSIBLE: However, the issue of causality is at stake when further examining the purchase potential of consumers after becoming a FAN.


AMONG CONSUMERS INCREASING FACEBOOK USE

60%SAME

27%MORE

19%LESS

63%SAME

19%MORE

AMONG CONSUMERS INCREASING TWITTER USE

CALL

ING

FRIE

NDS

ON T

HE P

HONE

MEE

TING

WIT

H FR

IEND

S IN

PER

SON

46%SAME

46%MORE

55%SAME

33%MORE

CALL

ING

FRIE

NDS

ON T

HE P

HONE

MEE

TIN

G W

ITH

FRIE

NDS

IN P

ERSO

N

13%LESS

13%LESS 7%

LESS

THE MYTH THAT “SOCIAL MEDIA IS MAKING PEOPLE LESS SOCIAL” IS BUSTED: Increases in Facebook and Twitter usage actually correlate to increases in social, in-person interactions.

THE MYTH THAT “TWITTER’S SUCCESS HINGES ON CONTINUED CELEBRITY USAGE” IS BUSTED: With more than 370,000 new user sign-ups each day, online consumers continue to increase their use of Twitter.

THE MYTH THAT “EMAIL USE IS DECLINING” IS BUSTED: How consumers access email is changing, but the use of email continues to increase.


Our SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS

research is the first of its kind to capture a

snapshot of how consumers are engaging

across email, Facebook, and Twitter. And

one thing is certain: consumers don’t limit

their engagements to one or two interactive

channels. In order to reach your customers in

real time with relevant communications, you

must successfully combine email, Facebook,

and Twitter into an integrated marketing

strategy. We’ve compiled 12 ways for you

to do just that, so you can achieve effective

customer communications today.

QUICK-HITTING WAYS TO INTEGRATE EMAIL, FACEBOOK, AND TWITTER

Promote Facebook games, applications, and competitions in email and on Twitter.

Feature winners of Facebook competitions in your email newsletter.

Tweet about exclusive content that’s only available to email SUBSCRIBERS.

Promote exclusive deals on Facebook and Twitter, but make it only available to email SUBSCRIBERS.

Post links to web versions of your best emails on Facebook and Twitter.

Include LIKE and FOLLOW buttons in email newsletters and promotions.

Include links to your Twitter and Facebook pages in email newsletters.

Collect email addresses at the point of conversion for consumers who link to your site from Facebook and Twitter.

Create an email segment containing Twitter FOLLOWERS and provide them with additional “insider information” through email.

Include questions posted on Twitter and Facebook in your emails, and then answer them.

Encourage email SUBSCRIBERS to post questions on Facebook and/or Twitter.

Host videos on your Facebook page and include links in your emails and post links on Twitter.

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19© 2010 ExactTarget© 2010 ExactTarget 19

“Companies should stand behind their products, be available for questions, respond quickly, give realistic delivery dates, and charge appropriately for delivery.”

“Only make legitimate, no-gimmick

offers and include an easy way to unsubscribe.”

“Make it worth my while. Incentives are always a good start, but in the end, anything you do needs to benefit me as the consumer and get me hooked on your product.”

“MAKE YOUR POINT CLEARLY AND DON’T BURY THINGS IN THE FINE PRINT. WHILE YOU’RE AT IT, GET RID OF ALL THE LEGAL GARBAGE. IF YOU WANT TO SELL ME SOMETHING, DON’T MAKE ME DIG AROUND FOR IT.”

“RESPOND TO ME QUICKLY AND TREAT ME WITH RESPECT WHEN I HAVE A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED.”

“FREEBIES ARE A GOOD WAY TO CATCH ME. IF I LIKE YOUR PRODUCT, I’LL STICK AROUND AND TELL MY FRIENDS.”

“Be honest and forthright. Consistently deliver quality products and provide the best customer service possible. That will keep me coming back.”

“Include something extra from time to time.

Surprise me and show me you value my business.”

“Send me your questionnaire about the kinds of things I’m interested in and send me the stuff I tell you I want.”

“Have an email that I can sign up for,

but don’t send emails all the time. If a company

sends me too many, I start thinking spam, and then I

just hit delete.”

This document may not be copied without the prior written consent of ExactTarget. © 2010 ExactTarget.

With a comprehensive email + Facebook + Twitter strategy, you need to understand what’s being said about your brand—right now, in real time.

That’s why you need the ExactTarget Interactive Marketing Hub™.

You’ll get a single view of what’s happening across Email, Mobile, Social, and Sites. From planning and tracking campaigns to engaging in real-time conversations on Twitter and Facebook, the Interactive Marketing Hub will forever change the way you communicate with your customers.

Learn more at www.exacttarget.com/hub

Real [data]. Real [time]. Real [smart marketing].

www.ExactTarget.com www.CoTweet.com

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