There’s still much that we don’t know about the type of content that stakeholders expect to receive and what conversations they wish to have with organizations, on social media.
Recently, empirical data from an online survey of 4,054 members of the general population in 10 European countries and 1,346 communication professionals in the same markets, made the following five findings:
1. Stakeholders are more interested in product related news and information than in other company news on the social web.
2. Communication professionals overrate the general public’s expectations, especially in the case of information relating to Corporate Social Responsibility and crises that affect customers.
3. Information on product safety and origin is much more valued by the general public than by professionals.
4. Women and older individuals are more demanding with respect to the behaviour and content expected of organizations on social media.
5. Interacting with customers and other stakeholders is the behaviour most valued, both by professionals and the general public in Europe.
The idea that public relations professionals tend to overestimate their own social media skills has been demonstrated here, with the finding that the perceptions of those responsible for communication in organisations are out of tune with stakeholder expectations.
But there’s much marketers can do with the findings that on social media, stakeholders are interested in product related news and information - including information on product safety and origin, and that women and older individuals are more demanding with respect to the behaviour and content expected of organisations.