Social media is gaining a more pronounced role in driving customers’ engagement with brands, according to annual research by The Logic Group.
In terms of customer loyalty, Facebook is the main social media channel, with 22% of British adult participants in the survey having followed the Facebook site of a company they are loyal to and nearly a third (27%) expressing willingness to do so.
However, activity on Twitter is gaining momentum and is set to double, with 16% of respondents revealing plans to visit the Twitter page of a company they are loyal to within 12 months, compared to 8% who have done so already.
Social networking sites are also being widely used for loyalty programmes, with 9% of those polled having received a loyalty offer via such channels.
Moreover, the use of social media on mobile is emerging as an important driver of customer loyalty, the survey found, with 24% of UK adults saying they would look at product details and in-store offers via their phones.
The survey on customer loyalty also established that 42% of respondents prefer immediate rewards as they like to receive loyalty offers while shopping, instead of afterwards.
With the rapid advance of technologies, consumers are increasing tapping non-traditional means such as social networks and real-time discount options to stay loyal to a company, says Logic Group chief executive Antony Jones.
