New Study Finds Facebook And Twitter Icons Increases Sales

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The University of Miami School of Business Administration recently conducted a study
that concludes the display of a social media icon such as a Facebook
“Like” button or a Twitter symbol on a shopping website increases the
likelihood that consumers will buy some products, and reduces the
likelihood that they will buy others. The study found that consumers who
saw a social media icon near a product that might embarrass them were
significantly less likely to buy that product than those who saw the
same product without the icon. On the other hand, consumers who viewed
products they would be proud to show off were significantly more likely
to buy than those who saw the same product with no such icon.

Quote:“Our study finds that the mere presence of social media
icons on a web page where we shop appears to cause us to feel as if our
purchases are being watched by our social network, and we adjust our
buying decisions accordingly,” said Claudia Townsend, an assistant
professor of marketing at the University of Miami School of Business
Administration who conducted the research with Empirica’s David Neal.
“Marketers should be aware that the placement of these symbols in their
web design strategy could have a major impact on buying behavior.”

A sample of 200 consumers explored products in an online shopping
context – some were products people were happy to display in public
(e.g., sportswear for women, a desirable fragrance for men) and others
were products they might not want publicly displayed (e.g., compression
underwear for women, acne products for men). Participants were randomly
assigned to see product pages that either included small Facebook and
Twitter icons or did not. The researchers then measured the intended
purchase behavior of the shoppers.

Their key findings:

• When the product was one for which public consumption is desirable
(e.g., sportswear or a desirable fragrance) the presence of the Facebook
and Twitter icons made people 25 percent more likely to purchase. But
when the product was more private in nature (e.g., Spanx, Clearasil),
the icons suppressed purchase intentions, also by 25 percent.

• The impact on intended buying behavior emerged regardless of
whether people had any memory of having seen the social media icons.
This suggests that these symbols have penetrated people’s unconscious
processes and can influence decisions and behavior in ways that may
bypass our awareness and ability to control.

This is certainly an interesting study but it shows what I’ve talked
about many times before. People are more likely to convert when they
see familiar logos, colors, etc. Social media websites such as Facebook
and Twitter have garnered people’s trust so they feel more comfortable
when entering information. I’m even guilty to putting more information
on Facebook than really should be public. It’s a changing world all
moving towards social media!