Thirty percent of South Koreans are members of social networking site Cyworld, according to Ipsos Insight's annual study "The Face of the Web." The study also found that 20% of internet users worldwide have visited a social networking site in the previous 30 days. Fifty-five percent of Korean internet users reported visiting a social networking website in the previous 30 days, and 24% of U.S. internet users reported that they had visited a social networking site in the same time period.
Other findings:
* Two-thirds of all internet users worldwide who have ever visited social networking sites had done so in the past 30 days.
* 36% of U.S. internet users have watched a video stream online -- up from a reported 28% last year.
* 34% of internet users worldwide have watched a video stream online -- up from a reported 31% last year.
Learn more (Media Post)
Lean more (Marketing Charts)
Online social networking may not foster deeper friendships between users, but it does make relationships with casual friends and acquaintances easier to manage, according to research from Sheffield Hallam University in the United Kingdom. The study, which set out to examine the role online social networks play in friendship management, found that with the help of platforms such as Facebook and MySpace, users are able to expand their social groups beyond the traditionally accepted 150-person limit -- something that broadens each individual's potential field of influence.
Part of the reason for this, study analysts speculate, is that staying in touch with "nodding acquaintances" online is easy and because social networks allow users the option of posting information to multiple people simultaneously, decreasing the amount of time necessary to stay in touch.
Interestingly enough, in spite of the operational advantages offered by online social networks, users still say they have an average of five close friends -- and 90% of the friends users regard as "close friends" are people they have had face-to-face interactions with.
Learn more (Guardian)
Learn more (Yahoo! News)
Online gamers are active information seekers and influencers, according to a recent study from Ziff Davis and ConStat. The study found that on average, one third of all gamers have doled out vehicle purchase advice in the past six months, and 63% of gamers' car talk focused on which make or model to purchase.
Ziff Davis reported that gamers' conversations involved a wide range of touch points in the car-buying timeline, from where to search for a car to features and dealership recommendations. Thirty-four percent of gamers gave advice about which dealership to purchase a car from and 64% indicated that they prefer to buy car models that they or someone they know have owned and liked.
Add to that an early August study from Parks Associates, which reported that 34% of U.S. internet users play video games at least once per week while fewer (29%) U.S. internet users watch online videos and (19%) visit social networking sites weekly. With online gaming topping the usage charts and boasting chatty, influential users, it's a medium ripe with word of mouth potential.
Learn more (Media Post)
Learn more (Press Release)
Fifty-three percent of travel industry executives indicate that social networking will have a positive effect on their company's sales and marketing, according to recent research from the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and the Travel Industry Association (TIA). The study, titled "The Travel Marketer's Guide to Social Media and Social Networking," also found that only 1.5% of travel executives believe social media will have a negative impact on their sales and marketing.
Other findings:
* 65% of travel executives believe that social media usage will deepen brand relationships with consumers.
* 55% say social media usage will allow for more targeted communications to niche markets.
* 46% say social media will help staff better understand customer needs.
* 42% say social media will lead to a more recognizable brand image.
* 41% say social media usage will lead to improved revenues.
Learn more
Connected kids don't necessarily love technology, but they do love the way it facilitates their communications with friends, according to the "Circuits of Cool/Digital Playground" study, which was released by MTV and Nickelodeon in August. According to the study, which reached 18,000 16- to 24-year-olds in 16 countries, 83% of "tech embracing" youth visit a majority of websites because of links sent from friends. Similarly, 55% of viral video views were the result of a recommendation.
Other findings:
* The average tech embracing youth has 94 phone numbers in his or her mobile phone, has 78 people on an instant messenger buddy list, and has 86 people in his or her social community.
* In general, teens use technology to enhance -- rather than to replace -- their face-to-face contact with peers.
* The average 14 - to 24-year-old has 53 friends (both online and face-to-face) and they communicate often.
* Many of the youth surveyed claim that technology allows them to talk about more intimate subjects that they can discuss face-to-face.
* 53% of the youth surveyed say technology helps them get to know friends better, and 40% say technology makes it easier to make new friends.
Learn more (MarketingCharts)
Learn more (MediaPost)
Learn more (BizReport)
Eighty percent of Americans know what blogs are, and nearly half of them have visited blogs, according to recent research from Marketing Daily and Synovate.
So what is drawing Americans to the blogosphere? According to Synovate, the majority of blog readers (65%) are interested in reading others' opinions, 39% are looking for news, and 38% are seeking entertainment.
Other findings:
* 8% of Americans have their own blog.
* 46% of blog readers visit the same blogs regularly.
* Of Americans who have visited blogs, 20% of women and 14% of men write their own blog.
* Half of blog readers read blogs because they find them entertaining, 26% are looking for specific niche or hobby-related information, and 15% are looking for news.
Learn more (Press Release)
Learn more (MediaPost)
Ten percent of tech journalists report that changes in social medial have dramatically impacted they way they work, indicating, "I feel as if I have a new job now," according to recent research from Fusion PR.
Seventy-eight percent of tech bloggers say they read blogs, 31% say they regard bloggers as credible sources, and 67% say they cite bloggers in their articles. Forty-nine percent read between one and three blogs, and the majority of tech journalists read blogs several times a day.
Other findings:
* 40% of tech journalists say social media has impacted their stories and the way they cover news.
* 35% of tech journalists say they maintain their own blog.
* The majority of tech journalists turn to search engines to research companies and trends.
Learn more (Fusion PR)
Due in large part to a big push from social networking growth, revenue from mobile user-generated content is expected to jump to 10 times its current rate by 2012, according to a report released from Juniper Research. The company projects that the number of people using social networks will grow from 14 million in 2007 to a whopping 600 million in 2012.
Among the current hurdles to social network participation, Juniper included: privacy, cost of data services, user-interface, and network speed and capacity, as well as others. Company analysts expect that social networking will overcome these obstacles and reach its full potential.
Learn more (Press Release)
Learn more (Juniper Research)
The proliferation of social networks and blogs has made it even easier for college students to keep tabs on what their friends are doing. And this has grander applications than knowing where the next big party is taking place. According to a recent article from WOMMA member company eMarketer, which sited June 2007 research from YouthTrends, 59% of college students pick word of mouth as their preferred method for learning about new products and services. Another 13% of college students choose online product reviews as their preferred way for learning about new stuff.
According to eMarketer senior analyst Debra Aho Williamson, "The fact that students favor word of mouth, combined with their use of social networking, indicates that they are a strong audience for online word or mouth marketing efforts." Something smart companies already know.
Learn more (eMarketer)
It seems like a no-brainer: On retail sites that include customer ratings and reviews, a high number of positive reviews will positively impact product sales, while a high number of negative reviews will negatively impact sales. This conclusion comes out of recent research from Hila Etzion, professor at the University of Michigan, along with analyses that caution retailers against ratings and reviews functionality.
While the potential for any negative outcome at all might be enough to spook some retailers away from ratings and reviews, the real message should be: Consumers are listening to peer reviews, are you? If a large majority of customer reviews indicate that a certain product isn't worth purchasing, maybe that's an indication that the product needs another look. The fault is probably in the source more so than the messenger.
Learn more
This is old content! The Research Blog has been retired. For the new stuff, visit 
