1

Content is the Fuel of the Social Web

2

Rob Medich (moderator) is the managing editor of AdWeek’s website, “Fuel the Future.”

As an employee, writer, or both, he’s covered: general lifestyle (Men’s Health and Men’s Fitness), entertainment (Premiere, TV Guide, the New York Post, CBS.com/CBSNews.com), travel (the Condé Nast Traveler site Concierge.com, Private Air), fashion (InStyle.com), consumer electronics (Sound & Vision magazine and its website), and more.

Kristin Kovner is a Senior Marketing Director at AOL, where she manages the AOL Advertising brand and sets and executes the business marketing strategy for AOL's 40+ owned and operated content sites, including AOL.com, Engadget, MapQuest, Moviefone, TechCrunch, and The Huffington Post.

Jon Stewart is Research Director for Nielsen’s Online division. In this role, Jon is responsible for identifying key digital trends from Nielsen’s suite of Online research solutions and conveying their impact within the online advertising ecosystem.

PRESENTERS

3

ABOUT THIS STUDY In June 2010, Nielsen and AOL began studying the factors that influence consumers’ choice of content.

Among their findings, Nielsen and AOL determined that users spend over half their time online consuming content. Social media and email were the next largest categories of consumption. This prompted the question: How much of a user’s communications also involve content?

In December 2010, Nielsen applied its Social Media Monitoring tools, Online Behavioral Panel and Attitudinal analysis to this question. All told, Nielsen tracked more than 10,000 social media messages and surveyed 1,000+ of its online panel members to determine the relationship between a user’s choice of content and the use of social media to share it.

4

PEOPLE SPEND MORE THAN HALF THEIR TIME ONLINE WITH CONTENT An additional 30% of time online is spent in places where content can be shared.

Time spent on the web

Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, AOL Mail

Portals, entertainment, news/info, lifestyles and auto

Source: Nielsen Netview, December 2010

5

IS CONTENT THE FUEL OF

THE SOCIAL WEB?

Source: NM Incite, GGM Type Comparison Report Date Range: 1/17/2011-2/16/2011, Nielsen Netview Dec 2010

7

CONTENT SHARING PERCENTAGES SKYROCKET

All messages Industry-specific

When messages are specific to an industry, people are more likely to share a piece of content.

*60% of these conversations include a product or brand name mention. These are the conversations you want to be a part of – they’re most relevant to your brand.

Source: NM Incite, GGM Type Comparison Report Date Range: 1/17/2011-2/16/2011

8

INDUSTRY SPECIFIC SHARING

All Messages Industry-Specific Messages

SHARING INCREASES ACROSS ALL PLATFORMS Half of all industry-specific social media messages include content sharing.

Source: NM Incite, GGM Type Comparison Report Date Range: 1/17/2011-2/16/2011

9

WHO SHARES CONTENT? EVERYONE. Sharing isn’t age or gender specific

DEMOGRAPHICS MIRROR THE ONLINE UNIVERSE

Content Sharers

Online Universe

Source: Nielsen Online Custom Survey, Dec 10 – Jan 11, Sample n=1,282

10

WHERE DO PEOPLE SHARE? EVERYWHERE. Content sharing occurs on every social media platform.

Source: Nielsen Online Custom Survey, Dec 10 – Jan 11, Sample n=1,282 Q: On average, how frequently do you use each of the following services specifically to share information you have found online?

11

EMAIL IS THE MOST POPULAR WAY TO SHARE CONTENT While users share everywhere, email is the primary sharing channel for most people.

of people who share via a social network are sharing via multiple platforms

Source: Nielsen Online Custom Survey, Dec 10 – Jan 11, Sample n=1,282. Q: What is the primary way you share information you found online?

12

EMAIL AND SOCIAL NETWORK SHARING ON THE RISE People are sharing more than they did 2-3 years ago - especially women.

Compared to 2-3 years ago, do you share more now in each of these ways?

Q:

Source: Nielsen Online Custom Survey, Dec 10 – Jan 11, Sample n=1,282

13

SOCIAL NETWORK SHARERS SKEW FEMALE

Email sharers’ age demographics mirror the online universe

Social network sharers are 17% more likely to be female

Source: Nielsen Online Custom Survey, Dec 10 – Jan 11, Sample n=1,282 Q: On average, how frequently do you use each of the following services specifically to share information you have found online?

14

AGE 25-34 OVERINDEX AS SHARERS

Source: Nielsen Online Custom Survey, Dec 10 – Jan 11, Sample n=1,282 Q: On average, how frequently do you use each of the following services specifically to share information you have found online?

15

WHO DO PEOPLE SHARE WITH? Overwhelmingly, people prefer to share content with friends and family.

Did you know? While email is the most popular sharing tool overall, message boards are preferred for sharing with the general public.

Source: Nielsen Online Custom Survey, Dec 10 – Jan 11, Sample n=1,282 Q: Who are you typically sharing with on <social media type>?

16

TRUST People are more likely to share content that is trustworthy and helpful.

People want to share trusted information

Information that someone I trust has shared with me

Information that will help others

Information about popular culture

32% Information about common interest Politics, arts & crafts, parenting, etc. 31% General information I found interesting while surfing the web 27% Information that is new or that few people know about

Source: Nielsen Online Custom Survey, Dec 10 – Jan 11, Sample n=1,282 Q: Thinking of the information you find online and share with others, which statements best describes the content you would like to share with others?

17

INFORMATION News, product information, how-to articles; “New SupR-Fone Released Today”

COMMENTARY Opinion, advocacy, product comparison “New SupR-Fone puts the smarts back in smartphones”

MARKETING Recommendations, deals

“Get $50 off a new SupR-Fone”

AMUSEMENT Humor, just-for-fun items “Funny SupR-Fone commercial parody”

TRUST People are more likely to share content that is trustworthy and helpful.

And they do for every industry

Source: NM Incite, GGM Type Comparison Report Date Range: 1/17/2011-2/16/2011

18

WITH ALL THIS SHARING, WHERE IS THE MARKETING OPPORTUNITY?

19

TWO KEY WAYS TO ENGAGE WITH CONTENT SHARING

Format of Shared Content

Did you know? With only 4% of shared content linking to brand websites, it’s clear that the conversation – and opinions – about these same brands is happening elsewhere.

Source: NM Incite, GGM Type Comparison Report Date Range: 1/17/2011-2/16/2011

20

TWO KEY WAYS TO ENGAGE WITH CONTENT SHARING Take advantage of each type of sharing.

The Paths

Pass-Along Media Be part of the content with branded entertainment. Don’t get left behind. Users never leave the social platform to access 36% of shared content. Branded experiences ensure your message is part of what’s passed along.

Link-Back Media “Be there” with display advertising. Association with shared content enhances online advertising. Take advantage of the 60% of content that’s shared via links – to a URL on another site – by “being there” when users click back to access the content.

21

INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITIES

22

AUTOMOTIVE How do they share?

What do they share? The majority of shared content is auto industry news and consumer information about specific cars.

Link-Back Opportunity

Pass-Along Opportunity

•  Facebook — Popular for sharing links to – and opinions on – auto topics •  Twitter — News and common auto topics make up 90% of auto tweets •  Message boards — Want-ads appeal to auto enthusiasts and gearheads

•  Facebook — Users post blog and video links on favorite cars •  Facebook — Users commonly share fan pages for brands

and models

Branded messages include a specific brand or product name

Sources: Nielsen Online Custom Survey, Dec 10 – Jan 11, Sample n=1,282; NM Incite, GGM Type Comparison Report Date Range: 1/17/2011-2/16/2011

23

TECHNOLOGY How do they share?

What do they share? Technical support and product information make up a large percentage of shared content; mobile topics dominate branded link sharing.

Link-Back Opportunity

Pass-Along Opportunity

•  Facebook — Tech ads thrive among links to eBay auctions and product beta tests

•  Twitter — Product announcements are behind most tech tweets •  Twitter — Consumers frequently tweet deals – on cameras

in particular

•  Message boards — Technical support messages drive most discussions •  Message boards — Links to helpful software downloads are also popular

Corporate •  Tech sites – They’re useful. Keep them updated

Branded messages include a specific brand or product name

Sources: Nielsen Online Custom Survey, Dec 10 – Jan 11, Sample n=1,282; NM Incite, GGM Type Comparison Report Date Range: 1/17/2011-2/16/2011

24

FINANCE How do they share?

What do they share? Macro issues such as the US economy are a focal point, although commentary covers a wide range of topics; link sharing is often politically motivated. Personal finance issues tend to be private and shared with a select few via email.

Link-Back Opportunity

Pass-Along Opportunity

•  Facebook — A hotbed of financial opinion sharing, particularly on large, negative issues

•  Twitter — Tweeters share market updates and industry news most frequently

•  Email – The place for personal finance sharing

•  Facebook — Gripes about the economy and financial institutions are often accompanied by video commentary Branded messages

include a specific brand or product name

Sources: Nielsen Online Custom Survey, Dec 10 – Jan 11, Sample n=1,282; NM Incite, GGM Type Comparison Report Date Range: 1/17/2011-2/16/2011

25

ENTERTAINMENT How do they share?

What do they share? Shared entertainment content focuses mainly on film and television, and includes consumer promotions of particular shows and films, and a high percentage of links to niche topics like Bollywood.

•  Facebook — Link sharing is made up predominantly of news and advertising (i.e., deals, trailers)

•  Twitter — General news and information are tops among tweeters •  Message Boards — Niche topics like foreign films and premium

TV networks are commonly discussed

•  Facebook — Streaming video, DVD ads and fan pages make up most of the site’s entertainment advertising

•  Facebook — Links often point to video clips and images of famous personalities

Link-Back Opportunity

Pass-Along Opportunity

Corporate •  Official sites – Users go there for trailers and actor info

Branded messages refer to specific titles of films or TV shows.

Sources: Nielsen Online Custom Survey, Dec 10 – Jan 11, Sample n=1,282; NM Incite, GGM Type Comparison Report Date Range: 1/17/2011-2/16/2011

26

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Summary •  Content is the fuel of social interaction

and connection across the web – 23% of conversations include links to content.

•  Content sharing is important across social media platforms – email is the preferred mode of sharing for 66% of users.

•  Share everywhere – For people using a social network, 99% of them use multiple platforms for sharing content.

•  Email, the new social networking platform – 66% of the population use email as the primary method for sharing content.

•  Content sharing is an authentic activity among consumers that connects their peer network to brands – Friends and family are the most commonly shared with group.

Marketing Opportunities A Pass-Along Strategy (e.g., branded entertainment) ensures that the brand’s message travels with the content being shared. This strategy is optimal for embedded media, such as images or video.

A Link-Back Strategy (e.g., content advertising) ensures that a brand is “there” when consumers come back to the source of content.