Two-thirds of Asia-Pacific consumers look for brands on social media: Nielsen

Nearly two-thirds of Asia-Pacific consumers are also actively researching the positive or negative experiences of fellow social-media users at least once a week, and 58 per cent are actively seeking deals online. 

"The users expect companies to be on social media and to give them offers," said Yasir Yousuff, Nielsen APMEA managing director of NM Incite, in an interview with Campaign Asia-Pacific. "They also want to be acknowledged and to be treated differently because they've reached out."

Yousuff believes the phenomenon is user-driven rather than brand-led. "They're forcing brands to engage," he said. "If you're a brand and you're not on social media, you're missing out."

The report was derived from the results of Nielsen's Global Survey of Digital’s Influence on Grocery Shopping, which was conducted from 10 to 27 February. The survey polled more than 28,000 online consumers in 56 countries throughout Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and North America. 

Brand presence on social media is also affecting users at point-of-sale, as around three in five users in Asia-Pacific are using their mobile phones to interact with social media—more so than the global average of 47 per cent.

Plus, more than 50 per cent of consumers in Asia-Pacific who intend to purchase items such as home electronics, entertainment and clothes are likely to make a purchase based on social media websites and online product reviews.

Mobile social media usage was particularly pronounced in Singapore and Indonesia (70 per cent and 65 per cent, respectively). Both nations have high mobile penetration and a younger demographic, noted Yousoff. 

"Mobile social media-use is also influenced by a predisposition to look for shopping trends or deals—Malaysia and Singapore, and to some extent Hong Kong, fall into this category," he added. 

Another trend noted by Nielsen is that close to half (47 per cent) of Asia-Pacific consumers interact with social media while watching TV, slightly more than the global average of 46 per cent. 

Filipino respondents are the most likely to engage in this cross-platform behaviour (69 per cent), followed by Hong Kong (62 per cent) and Indonesia (59 per cent).

This was noted by panelists at the recent Casbaa convention in Hong Kong who floated the idea that social media interaction should be factored into TV viewership numbers.