Consumer Insights: A Look at Branded Online Conversations Beyond Text

360i recently conducted an analysis to identify the types of assets and content that consumers include in their branded conversations online. Retail/Fashion and CPG posts were examined, with the aim of understanding how people share online beyond words and how conversations differ from one vertical to the next.

This tweet about an Oreo Blizzard from Dairy Queen is one example of someone mentioning a brand while sharing content (not part of research sample for this report).

So, what did we find? Retail/Fashion discussions generate more frequent re-tweets on Twitter, and while both verticals yield a similar “Like” rate on Facebook, the average CPG post receives more comments on the platform. The differences are also clear when it comes to asset inclusion: Retail/Fashion conversations frequently contain links, while CPG posts are more likely to include a picture. Yet, there’s a unifying thread: influence. On average, consumers who share content and mention either type of brand have more friends/followers than those who do not.

Here at 360i we are slightly obsessed with online listening. We’re also very social, and realize that a great listener makes a great friend – and perhaps an even better marketer. As such we strongly believe in the value of human-based (not software-based) analysis of conversations.

So, we humans keep up on our semantics – studying consumer-generated conversations online to determine meaning and sentiment. Yet, digital language is evolving. Conversations are now dynamic and often include several layers of content, beyond text.

This post takes a look at non-verbal components of online discussion to understand what types of content consumers include in their branded conversations beyond text. The following analysis is based on a randomized sample of Facebook and Twitter posts that include branded terms, focusing on two verticals – Retail/Fashion and CPG.

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Social Metrics – How do interactions differ by platform and industry vertical?

Consumers are 4.5X more likely to re-tweet posts about Retail/Fashion brands than CPG brands. The higher re-tweet rate suggests that Retail/Fashion conversation is more share-worthy, as users pass along news about their favorite brands, discuss designers and styles, and share finds. Consumers find real value in these posts, and share with others as a form of social currency.

While Facebook “Like data” for each vertical is similar, interaction rates differ: CPG posts on average garner more comments. This is likely because consumers are more inclined to mention CPG brands in their short status updates as they share what they are buying and eating in real-time, often with a playful tone, eliciting commentary from friends in their network.

Conversation Context – When and why are consumers talking?

In order to capture context, each post was bucketed into one of three conversation categories – Status Update, Dialogue, or Sharing Information. Each category is defined below:

• Status Update: Describes current activity or reflects on recent event (e.g. “just ate a whole box of brandX”)

• Dialogue: Involves discussion with other user(s) (e.g. “Love this new shirt from brandX. @consumerX, don’t you have this one? [PIC]”)

• Sharing Information: Post provides news or offers insight, often via links or other forms of content (e.g. “BrandX is currently having a sale – check it out here [LINK]”)

Status updates are most common for each vertical, accounting for 55% and 42% of CPG and Retail/Fashion conversations respectively. Consumers tend to broadcast daily routine activities involving CPG products, resulting in a higher percentage of Status Updates for CPG conversations. However, Retail/Fashion mentions are more frequently part of Dialogue conversations – in which two or more consumers talk to one another via user mentions or @ replies. The Retail/Fashion space and related content is evidently more conducive to two-way discussion, most of which takes place via Twitter and differs from the type of interactions stimulated by CPG status updates.

Asset Inclusion – Beyond text, what types of content do consumers include in their branded conversations?

Links are fashionable. Nearly 1/3 of Retail/Fashion posts contain a link to outside content (74% of those links are shared via a link shortener). Conversely, only 2% of posts that mention a CPG brand include a link. Consumers readily share Retail/Fashion links as there is a wealth of valuable and interactive content to link to: retailer sites, coupon blogs, digital look-books, etc.

Below are the top 5 types of pages commonly linked-to within Retail/Fashion conversations:

1. News article/Business blog
2. Coupon Aggregator
3. Brand Page/Product Page
4. Fashion/Lifestyle Blog
5. Mom Blog
5. Other Shopping Site (non-brand)

Pictures tell a different story. Although Retail/Fashion would seem more conducive to the sharing of visuals, more CPG conversations actually include photographs. It seems that since there are fewer professional sources of CPG content to share online, consumers take matters into their own hands: nearly all CPG pics are user-generated, while two-thirds of the Retail/Fashion photographs that people share come from professional sources.

CPG Brands can look to provide fans with tools to share their own content. Similarly, Retail/Fashion brands should aim to leverage the visual, style-focused nature of their industry to incite more photo-sharing.

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Conversation for each vertical certainly differs in terms of the type of content that consumers include and how they interact with others’ posts. However, is there something to be said for content-sharers in general? Are they different from the average consumer participating in social? Apparently, yes – content-sharers are more influential. Users that include links, pics, video, check-ins, etc. in their conversations have on average 84% more friends/followers than those who do not share content.

Marketer Takeaways

• Social Strategy and measurement methods for evaluating campaigns should be unique to each brand/vertical and take into account platform factors. While Retail/Fashion brand posts incite more interactions on Twitter, more consumers choose to comment on CPG posts on Facebook. Context is key when assessing success.

• Asset inclusion can play a considerable role in branded conversation, as evidenced by the 31% of Retail/Fashion posts that include a link. Yet surprisingly, CPG posts feature more pictures. By monitoring conversation, brands can glean insight into the type of content that consumers enjoy and build relevant programs that tap into sharing trends.

• On average, content-sharers are more influential. Marketers should acknowledge this segment and provide them with a relevant stream of assets and tools that enable them to share among their networks. Dynamic content may be the critical spark that ignites influential conversation around a brand.

Data Sourcing: Retail/Fashion buzz (150 posts), CPG buzz (150 posts), (October 2010 – March 2011)

- Marc Geffen is Analyst, Insights & Planning at 360i. Claire Charron contributed to this report.B