Each day, Twitter users post more than 100,000 questions* to followers on the microblogging site, according to a study by inboxQ. Nearly six in ten of such users say they would welcome answers from companies, provided the quality of answers was as good as or better than those from followers.
Among surveyed Twitter users who have posted questions on Twitter:
- 59% of those with 100+ followers are open to receiving answers from brands.
- 57% of those with fewer than 100 followers are open to responses from brands.
Below, other findings from inboxQ's report titled "Social Media's Loaded Questions," based on a survey of 1,825 Twitter users and additional data from inboxQ.
Most Popular Questions
Among questions asked via Twitter in April 2011, posts related to product recommendations and advice were most popular (13%), followed by tech support (12%), local suggestions (11%), entertainment (8%), and sports (6%).
Who's asking? People with high follower levels ask more questions: 67% of Twitter users with 100+ followers post questions on Twitter, compared with 33% of those with fewer than 100 followers.
Answers From Brands
High follower accounts are also more likely to receive answers from brands: 41% of those with 100+ followers say they have received an answer from a brand, compared with 21% of those with fewer than 100 followers.
Answers from brands are trustworthy: 80% of Twitter users who have received an answer from a brand say such posts were at least as trustworthy as posts from other Twitter users:
Similarly, the quality responses from brands is generally high: 80% of Twitter users who have received answers from brands rate the quality of such posts at least as highly as those from other Twitter users.
Gaining Followers, Customers
Brands that respond to user questions are more likely to gain Twitter followers: 59% of Twitter users say they are more likely to follow a brand that answers their question; 29% say they are as likely to do so.
Similarly, people are more likely to buy from brands that respond to their questions: 64% of Twitter users who have received an answer from a brand say they are more likely to make a purchase from a business account that answered their question on Twitter.
Only 12% of Twitter users who have received an answer from a business say they are less inclined to make a purchase from a business account that answered their question on Twitter.
Looking for real, hard data that can help you match social media tools and tactics to your marketing goals? The State of Social Media Marketing, a 240-page original research report from MarketingProfs, gives you the inside scoop on how 5,140 marketing pros are using social media to create winning campaigns, measure ROI, and reach audiences in new and exciting ways.
Not All Answers Created Equal
Low follower accounts are more likely to be unsatisfied with answers on Twitter: 32% of Twitter users with fewer than 100 followers say they are unsatisfied with the answers they have received on Twitter, compared with 13% of those with 100+ followers.
*Based on data compiled via inboxQ technology, April 2011.
About the data: Findings are from a survey distributed via Twitter among 1,825 Twitter users from April 29 to May 3, 2011, with additional data from inboxQ.
