More than 90% of consumers who are a fan of, or "like," at least one brand on Facebook also receive at least one permission-based marketing email per day, and roughly 75% of consumers who follow at least one brand on Twitter subscribe to at least one brand's email marketing, according to a study by ExactTarget.
Many among such consumers are Social Butterflies, one of 12 distinct online personas that describe online motivations. Some 28% of all consumers under age 25 are Social Butterflies, and more than one-half of all Social Butterflies are Millennials.
Other key facts about Social Butterflies:
- 45% become a fan of at least one brand on Facebook; that level is higher than for any other persona.
- 27% say they're more likely to buy a product after becoming an email subscriber, whereas 16% say they're more likely to buy after becoming a Facebook fan.
- 78% use Facebook Daily; 13% use Twitter daily.
- Social Butterflies interact with brands mostly via Facebook and Twitter, and less so via email, but they are more likely to buy from companies that send them permission-based email.
Below, other findings from ExactTarget's Social Profile Report, which explores how various consumer segments engage with brands across email, Facebook, and Twitter.
Online Personas
An analysis of self-reported online preferences among surveyed consumers found 12 distinct personas that describe motivations for acting online: Inner Circle, Cautious, Info Seeker, Enthusiast, Deal Seeker, Shopper, New Junkie, Gamer, Social Butterfly, Business First, Megaphone, Open Book.
The following chart depicts the level of social activity among each of the 12 personas.
Social contribution (x-axis) shows the level of user-generated content (websites, blogs, videos, audio, and photos) that users produce. Social consumption (y-axis) shows the level of user-generated content consumed. The size of each bubble represents the percentage of US online consumers who constitute each persona category.
Some selected personal-related findings:
- Info Seekers (33% of online consumers) are influenced most heavily by product reviews and other forms of user-generated content. Such consumers are more likely to be female (59%).
- Deal Seekers (30% of online consumers) have a huge appetite for promotional content across all online channels. They are, on average, a fan of 10 brands on Facebook, follow 10 companies on Twitter, and receive 14 permission-based marketing emails daily; 45% of mothers with children living in the home identify themselves as Deal Seekers.
- Shoppers (24% of online consumers) are most likely to interact with brands via email. Some 35% say they more likely to buy from companies that send them email, 27% are more likely to buy after following a brand on Twitter, and 17% are more likely to buy after becoming a brand's fan on Facebook. Shoppers are much less likely to have children in the home; they are older and more affluent than average.
- Business First (8% online consumers) use the Internet for business purposes and are motivated to become a subscriber (email), fan, or follower by the promise of product updates, company information, and education.
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Engaging With Brands Across Email, Facebook, and Twitter
Each of the 12 personas engages differently with brands across various channels:
- Email: Deal Seekers, Open Book, and Business First Consumers all demonstrate high levels of engagement with brands via email.
- Facebook: Social Butterflies and Gamers are the two personas more likely to become a fan of a company on Facebook than become an email subscriber or Twitter follower (assuming they actively use all three channels). Such consumers tend to be younger, making them more likely to spend time on social networks. In addition, both personas are motivated by finding entertainment and showing support for their favorite brands.
- Twitter: Megaphones engage with the most brands via this channel, driven by their desire to be "first-to-know."
About the data: Findings are based on an ExactTarget survey of 1,506 consumers age 15+, conducted April 9-13, 2010, and consumer interviews among 44 people in March 2010.
