Social networks have been dubbed “the moaners’ megaphone” on the back of a new study which shows the vast majority of consumers use the likes of Facebook and Twitter to complain about a brand, rather than to recommend it to friends.
The survey, carried out by Equi=Media’s new social media business, Sixth Sense, quizzed over 3,000 UK adults to see how they interact with social networks.
Although a quarter (26%) of consumers also use social networks to report great customer service or experiences, over two-thirds (67%) are turning to these sites to express their anger and frustration at the treatment they have received from firms.
Sixth Sense, which is headed up by Simon Quance, formerly head of social media at agencies Hyperlaunch and 20:20, has been added to the Equi=Media group to help brands to develop their social media engagement plans, manage online reputation , integrate social media with all other digital channels, especially search, and increase positive social buzz about products and services.
‘Twitticisms’ made about brands include users’ accounts of bad experiences they’ve had with companies and also comments made about damaging mistakes made by brands, such as BP’s disastrous handling of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010.
Almost two-fifths (37%) of those surveyed said if they had a bad brand experience, they would use Twitter or Facebook to tell friends about it rather than email, text or in person, while a quarter (26%) said they’d do the same to talk about a positive brand experience.
The survey also revealed that almost two-thirds of social network users (63%) actively follow brands on sites such as Facebook and Twitter to watch what they are doing and get updates on brand activity.
Simon Quance believes this is a positive sign to brands that they can still turn fortunes around, and with careful work, turn negative sentiment to positive reinforcement of the brand.
He commented: “A negative comment on Facebook or Twitter can actually be the start of a great turning point for many brands, as the right response can turn the experience into a positive one for the customer. Social media is a fantastic channel through which to show people how much their custom means to a business.
“The great news is that so many consumers are interested enough in brands’ activities to follow them online, and the fact that a quarter of people are positively commenting about their experiences is very encouraging. What brands need to do is make sure they give followers interesting, engaging and relevant things to talk about on social networks, as, these days, word of mouth is more important than ever.”
