The research reveals that 69 percent of social media users agreed that it is now easier than ever before to be well-informed consumers on any market – with more access to research, compare information and communicate with companies.
Furthermore, the report reveals that 59 percent of users say a company's social media activity makes them more likely to see a brand as ‘accessible and responsive’ while 49 percent described a company as being more ‘transparent and open.’
Utilising social media for customer service purposes
According to the poll, more than half of American adults (51 percent) are on Facebook, 28 percent are on Google+, 13 on Twitter, 12 percent are on LinkedIn, 6 on Pinterest, and 5 percent are registered on MySpace.
When asked about what types of content they would like to see more of, 64 percent said they want to see companies using social media for customer service purposes while 53 percent say they want to see more discussion among their personal contacts about experiences with a product or service.
As this poll indicates, interest is clearly rising and as more companies turn to social media, the platform could offer a vast opportunity for cosmetic brands if utilised as a tool to enhance a business.
This was also a view of consultant Wendy Lewis who spoke with Cosmetics Design at the recent in-cosmetics show in Barcelona; “Whilst it is not vital for brands to be on every single social media platform, they do need to be on the main ones as a tool for interaction and pointing people towards different things.”
Companies that have succeeded in investing...
In the cosmetics industry, Lush are currently seeing the benefits of utilizing its Facebook page to interact with its customers and communicate news and product launches while packaging company Qosmedix opts for YouTube to sample its products and allow customers to see the internal operations of the company.