28-02-2008
Survey highlights attitudes to social networking
News by Adfero for Simply Business - independent providers of public liability insurance, business finance, landlord insurance, buy-to-let mortgages & commercial mortgages.
UK-based senior-level executives are not taking advantage of the marketing potential of social networking sites such as Facebook or MySpace, it has been claimed.
A study by TNS Media Intelligence/Cymfony has found that, of those polled in the UK, only 18 per cent confirmed a belief in the need to engage with the social networking phenomenon, as a way of holding off a loss of market share.
Social networking sites offer a number of communication tools, including email, video and voice functionality. However, in the US, the desire to participate was far higher, at close to 50 per cent, reports the Financial Times.
"It is surprising to see the UK lagging so far behind in terms of recognising the business potential for social media," said Jim Nail, chief strategy and marketing officer at TNS Media Intelligence/Cymfony, a firm specialising in the monitoring of brand reputations.
Moreover, Mr Nail stressed that the consequences - for brands - of ignoring social networking sites was obvious, with the impact worsening as user numbers increased. In addition to executives from the UK and US, the poll gauged the opinions of senior company executives in France and Canada.