How Social Media is changing the purchasing trend

When was the last time you turned to social media before making a purchase?

In the past years, Social Media has already grown as a one big platform where users get a bulk of their information from. Most users nowadays rely on various networks to influence their purchasing decisions.

A recent report by Hotwire and Vanson Bourne somehow proved that most people purchasing good online now do some research to see if the vendor they are buying from is genuine. This could probably state to most users purchasing goods online and the good thing is that there are now existing portals for them to check the if the store they are buying from is genuine.

Additionally, most users tend to go to video as a main tool for influencing their purchases. That is why YouTube has become more than just a video-sharing sites – people aren’t content nowadays with just simple content written on a page. Usually a video that accompanies it helps in making the product sell.

The report also highlighted that consumers do not see and separation between personal media channels compared to the professional ones. For example, a recommendation one finds on Facebook will still be as valuable as the one found on a more professional network like LinkedIn.

A person looking to buy a smartphone for example can look up professional reviews online but at the same can watch a YouTube video for a more informal review – showcasing that it doesn’t really matter where or who the information is coming from.

These findings show that Facebook is one of the top portals for looking for information when making a purchasing decision. The reason behind this is that Facebook is one of the most popular social media networks, in which an average person spends about 18 days a month browsing news feeds, watching videos and talking to friends.

That number is still expected to grow as Facebook plans ways on how you can spend more time on their network – one of which is the recent introduction of live broadcasts, similar to Periscope which is currently owned by Twitter.

Then again one would ask what about traditional media? The report still maintained that it is just as important as social media – based on the survey they have conducted that said about 87 percent agrees to that statement.

Which is why vendors have started doing a lot of its marketing through social media since it is the easiest way to reach consumers. It is also believed that human interaction that involves activities like seminars is extremely beneficial to the product’s success.

The face of influence has changed since social media was introduced. Vendors can utilize these platforms as a tool for their marketing, whatever product or service it may be.

Author: Victor Philip Ortiz

About the Author: Tech Enthusiast and Movie Buff. Has passion for all things tech – you’ll normally find him tinkering with the latest gadgets and computer peripherals. He is an avid collector of DVDs and Blu-ray discs, and recently discovered his love for gaming. Follow him on Twitter at @vp_ortiz17

Story was originally published on http://www.t3me.com