women, social media and buying decisions

Women, social media, and buying decisionsClo Willaerts, 18 March 2010

@bnox on Twitter

212.04.23 © Sanoma MagazinesMarketing to women online - Clo Willaerts

312.04.23 © Sanoma MagazinesMarketing to women online - Clo Willaerts

Operating Countries Sanoma Magazines

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[Women's] time spent with traditional advertising mediums is declining, while their time spent on the Internet is increasing. For many reasons, the Internet is the perfect advertising medium for reaching women. Many websites either fail in their attempts to persuade women or don’t make any attempt at all. There is a huge opportunity here.

Source: The Soccer Mom Myth: The New Reality of Marketing to Women. Written by Michele Miller and Holly Buchanan

http://www.thesoccermommyth.com/

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In the US, 96 million males are Internet users, compared with 103 million females.

Source: http://www.emarketer.com/Report.aspx?code=emarketer_2000574

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Internet Penetration in Belgium - gender

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47% 53%

Female Male

•The total Belgian online population (past 2 weeks) consists of 5,5 million users •of which 2,58 M are females.

Source: telephone survey for the Belgian Media Mapping in 2008.

Shopping is a serious matter

• In America, where female consumers make more than 80% of discretionary purchases, companies have started tailoring their products and messages to appeal to women, in an effort to boost their sales.Source: Marketing to women | Hello, girls | The Economist http://www.economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/displaystory.cfm?subjectid=1780456&story_id=13278440

• 71% of the Belgian online women are the responsible for grocery shopping in their family.Source: telephone survey for the Belgian Media Mapping in 2008.

Shopping is a serious matter

• 97% of UK female Internet users research products online and 92% of UK female Internet users buy products online. Source: eMarketer, February 2009

• In the past year, UK female Internet users have made an average of 17 online purchases of products/services and spent an average of £600. Source: eMarketer, February 2009

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Women hold up half the sky.(Mao Tse-Tung)

Classic Sales Funnel

Looks an awful lot like this

McKinsey: Customer Decision Journey

Social media vs social sales

• Since web 2.0 the full cycle is visible

• customer experiences drive reviews and conversations

• Challenge: realtime

• Opportunity:

»catching a lead in mid-air

Women and social networks48% of (US women)

respondents reported belonging to four or more social networks.Source: The Power of Social Networking for Women, ShesConnected, August 2009

83%

73%

55%

41%

Profile59%

No Profile41%

89%

24%

12%

59% of Belgian online has a profile on one or more social networks.Source: Belgian Women Online, InSites, April 2009

Women dominate social networks

Women are conversationalists• Forrester’s Levels of participation:

» 24% creators

» 33% conversationalists,

» 37% critics,

» 20% collectors,

» 59% joiners,

» 70% spectators,

» 17% inactives

• Conversationalists:»update status on a social networking

site at least weekly

»post updates on twitter at least weekly

»56% female, more than any other group in the ladder. While they’re among the youngest of the groups, 70% are still 30 and up.

1/6 Initial consideration set

• default preferences

• habit, tradition, trust

• mainly consumer-driven information sources

• visible:

»fan on Facebook

»wishlists

»bio

1/6 Initial consideration set

2/6 Trigger: new or improved product

2/6 Trigger: fashion, seasons

2/6 Trigger: fashion, seasons

2/6 Trigger: promotions

Online promotions

For moms the most effective way Brands can be promoted online, in descending order of likeness:

1. Product samples offered online (47%)

2. Coupons (40%)

3. E-mails (9%)

4. Banner ads on websites (3%)

5. Blogs (1%)

Source: “What Women Want Consumer Survey” (Prospectiv, October 09)

2/6 Trigger: unexpected• e.g. the old one broke, accidents,

retail therapy, health issues, death.

• Challenges:» pain, loss, taboos.

• Opportunity: » time

» rapid social sales response

2/6 Trigger: passion

2/6 Trigger: life stage

• New baby, new job, new boyfriend, new house, ...

• target not on demographics but on phase in life

• online communities

Life stage: becoming a parent

3/6 Active evaluation

• information gathering

• window shopping

» facts (about how to use this product): content marketing

»testimonials/reviews (what it is like to use this product)

http://issuu.com/bnox/docs/vrouwenonline

http://issuu.com/bnox/docs/femmesonline

InSites Field Research commissioned by Sanoma Magazines Belgium

•Period: April 2009•Method: Online questionnaire•Data collection sources:

•InSites TalkToChange Community (1.010 p)•Sanoma Magazines Belgium female sites opt-ins (1.192 p)

•Screening & Quota •Female only•Age 18-65 + representative for female online population (BIM ‘08)•Countries and languages: Belgium (60/40 Dutch/French language

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Internet ActivitiesTop 10 activities of women online (%weekly usage)

1. Sending e-mails (private) – 90%

2. Online banking – 66%

3. Visiting news sites – 62%

4. Leisure surfing – 61%

5. General information search – 55%

6. Sending e-mails (work related) – 52%

7. Logging in to social network – 43%

8. Gaming – 39%

9. Chatting or instant messaging – 34%

10.General information about products or services – 32%

Representative Sample

(N = 1010)

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•90% of internet users use the internet to search for information that is not easily available elsewhere.

•80% use it to search information about products and services •75% use it to compare different product alternatives.

General Information about Products & Services (32% Weekly )

Internet Motivations

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General Information Search (55% Weekly )

Top 10 Most Consulted Topics (% monthly usage)

1. General news items – 83%

2. Healthcare – 78%

3. Cooking & Recipes – 76%

4. Travel – 67%

5. Food – 63%

6. Clothing & fashion – 62%

7. Home, garden & decoration – 60%

8. Movies & music – 59%

9. Personal body care – 54%

10.Finance & banking – 49%

Representative Sample

(N = 1010)

In the Sanoma sample, monthly consultation of these topics is significantly higher (95% conf.)

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Belgian online mothers: internet as a trusted source of information

• Information about children & parenting - 53% monthly (45%: trustworthy)

• Cooking & recipes (74%: trustworthy)

• Government issued information (71% trustworthy)

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Trusted ContentFood

4/6 Moment of purchase

• trust

• convenience

• service

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Boeken

CD/DVD/Blu -ray

Muziek in digital formaat (MP3-nummers, albums, etc.)

Computer, hardware en software

Kleine electronica (bv. digitale camera, iPod, GSM, etc.)

Telecom product (internetverbinding, GSM -

abonnement, etc.)

Erotische producten

Financiéle producten (bv. fondsen, aandelen, etc.)

Vakantie, tickets voor vliegtuig of trein

Huishoudelijke toestellen Juwelen / accessoires

Kledij / schoenen

Meubilair

Gezondheidsproducten (bv. dieet, etc.)

Decoratie

Tickets voor evenementen

Films of TV -series in digitaal formaat (geen DVD)

Ander product, nl.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Offline Purchases

On

lin

e P

urc

hases

Representative Sample(N = 1010)

Online purchases

What are Belgian online mothers buying?More offline than other online Belgian women:

• clothing (64%)

• books (52%)

• computer hardware&software (33%)

• electronic gadgets

• financial products

More online than other online Belgian women:

• holidays (42%)

• tickets for events (43%)

• cd/DVD (esp. 40+ mothers)

• household electronics (esp. younger mothers)

5/6 Postpurchase experience

• two possibilities:

»happy customer loyalty

»unhappy customer customer care rapid social response

6/6 Loyalty loop

• happy customer

»WoM

»fans

»evangelist

6/6 Loyalty loop

www.targetwomen.be

http://www.slideshare.net/bnox/women-hold-up-half-the-sky

Thank you.

c.willaerts@sanoma-magazines.be

@bnox