Social networking top reason for going online

Category: Social Media

July 1st 09, 09:40

The main reason why web users go online relates to social networking, according to a new survey.

PR firm Ruder Finn's Intent Index showed that more than four in five web users go online to socialise, while 39 per cent do so for business-related activities and 31 per cent look to engage in online shopping.

About 41 per cent of respondents revealed that they mainly use the internet to visit social networking websites, with just over one-third doing so to post opinions or comments.

These results suggest that online marketers may need to approach their social media campaigns differently compared with more traditional platforms, said Michael Schubert, chief innovation officer at Ruder Finn.

He explained: "The Intent Index underscores the importance of knowing what people seek and how we, as communicators, can intersect with what they're looking for."

The UK's top three social networking sites are Facebook, YouTube and Bebo, Hitwise figures suggest.

This news story was brought to you by Bluhalo, a leading UK digital agency.


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