Marketers in India fast embracing social media, says survey

Key findings show India is following the global trajectory of online growth - in texture as well as the pattern of consumption. Even way marketers are reacting just as they would elsewhere

As the world grapples with social media and its impact on our everyday lives, so do marketers. They are plugging in to keep in touch with consumers, to inform them, to fight public relation battles, to research or gives them news or information, among other things. The social media loop is also a convenient way for companies to complete the feedback loop. Marketers such as Revlon, Ford and others now use Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube, among other social platforms, to get consumer feedback, to do research and to benchmark themselves against competitors. About half the social-media savvy organisations spend one to five per cent of their marketing budgets on social media.

The annual social media budget is a smallish one - Rs 11-25 lakh at most. (SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING)

These, among other interesting findings, are part of Ernst & Young's 'Social Media Marketing - India Trends Study, 2013'. The rather comprehensive study aims to understand social media objectives, tactics, budgets and logistics, among other aspects. It is based on a 40-question survey of 48 people responsible for the digital outreach of some of India's largest companies, including Bharti Airtel, Ford, Bajaj, Cafe Coffee Day, Honda Cars and Pepsi. The report also includes the opinions of industry experts and bloggers.

Key findings show India is following the global trajectory of online growth - in both the texture, as well as the pattern of consumption. Even way marketers are reacting just as they would elsewhere. For instance, video, one of the biggest drivers of online traffic across the world, is being used to drive traffic to advertising. Now, ad agencies also create commercials meant only for YouTube, says the report. One of the successful ones was a Finnair video in which one of the cabin crew teams performed a flash dance to celebrate India's Republic Day. And, just like in other markets, most companies prefer posting generic, rather than product/brand-specific, updates. For instance, a car manufacturer would post about safety or traffic tips. As many as 74 per cent of the organisations use a specialised digital agency, not a public relations or ad agency, to figure and use social media.

With over half of its 120 million internet users on Facebook, India is one of the largest Facebook countries in the world. Time then for corporate India to take brands such as Facebook as seriously as those in mainstream media.