How Can You Avoid The Social Break-Up?
Breaking up is hard to do, or so they say. If true, then why do so many consumers 'break-up' with brands by unfollowing, unliking and unsubscribing via Twitter, Facebook and Email?
ExactTarget just released “The Social Break-Up,” a study that surveyed more than 1,500 consumers, exploring changing online behaviors and top motivations for ending brand communications.
Looking at a brand and consumer as a romantic relationship is an interesting way to view the dynamic. At the beginning of the relationship, the brand offers gifts and interesting conversation while the consumer reciprocates with engagement and telling friends about how great the brand is. As time goes on and the relationship continues, the consumer expects the brand to live up to expectations set at the start. If the brand fails, even just once, a 'social break-up' is more likely to happen.
Here's what consumers are saying about unsubscribing, unliking and unfollowing via Email, Facebook and Twitter:
Top 3 reasons people unsubscribe from emails:
- Emails come too frequently - 54%
- Content becomes repetitive or boring - 49%
- Receive too many emails and need to get off some companies' lists - 47%
Top 3 reasons people 'unlike' brands on Facebook:
- The company posts too frequently - 44%
- Wall becomes too crowded with marketing posts and consumer wants to get rid of them - 43%
- Content becomes repetitive or boring - 38%
Top 3 reasons people stop following brands on Twitter:
- Content becomes repetitive or boring - 52%
- Tweet stream becomes too crowded with marketing - 41%
- Company posts too frequently - 39%
With content being a consistent theme, we can gleam the importance of audience segmentation and dynamic content alignment based on audience preferences and behavior. So, how are you overcoming the challenge of delivering relevant content to your audience and avoiding a break-up? Please comment.
Comments
Good article with some great points. I try explaining the theory of “over-posting-status-updates” to my clients… Some people get it…... some people don’t
Eric/Joe - how often is too frequently on facebook and twitter? I know we should seek to be relevant first, I’ve heard people use that answer as a good punt, but any numbers you’ve heard for what is too frequently - every other day okay?
Great points. Tells a lot about when to talk and when to listen. Time when brands “survey” more before deciding on content and frequency of outreach. Again a cesspool thing where everyone wants to be heard.