Let’s face it, big numbers are sexy. The bigger they are, the more business leaders, marketers and yes, even economists, become excited. So any report on social media that delves into those massive network numbers is bound to cause a flurry of activity. But the big numbers are not what should be interesting us in the latest Global Web Index report on social media engagement. The first rule of the Consumerverse is:
“It’s the little numbers that matter most”.
But before I explain why, let me share the big numbers with you. According to GWI:
- Over 170,000 internet users were surveyed across 32 markets
- Data is collected in the last six weeks of every quarter, making this Q1 2015 report as up-to-date as possible
- Stratified sampling ensures that responses are representative of the internet population aged 16 to 64 in each country
- Outside of China, over 80% of internet users have a Facebook account (indicating a plateauing)
- Tumblr and Pinterest continue to show impressive growth
- The average internet user has 5.5 accounts and is active on three platforms
- More internet users now visit YouTube each month than Facebook.
Now, these are fascinating figures. But the dot point that drew me in most was the last one. In bold.
Why is this important?
It comes down to one of the basic tenets of online participation – what we call the 1% Rule:
- 90% of users are “lurkers” – read, consume and observe
- 9% of users intermittently produce content, engage in comment or discussion
- 1% of users create content.
The GWI report highlights this gap – the participation gap. The figures – on the surface – indicate that internet users have a growing preference for consumption. We visit but don’t contribute. But this has always been the way.
But what if we turned the big numbers inside-out?
- Only 18% of internet users DON’T visit YouTube
- Only 27% of internet users DON’T visit Facebook
- Both are approaching saturation points in terms of consumption
- YouTube still offers significant room for contribution growth.
In my recent presentation, experience is the currency of your brand, I talked about the importance of understanding your customer journey and overlaying that with your business’ sales cycle. This is often a challenging task. But it reveals important insights.
What we call “engagement” is the most trafficked element of the customer journey, yet is often disconnected from the complete picture. It operates in isolation from the sales cycle – from the technology (devices), spaces, channels and processes that deliver business and marketing outcomes. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Start by looking closely at your own “little numbers” and find the insights they reveal. It’s the first rule of the consumerverse.