Brands Struggle With Social Media At Work

Big brands continue to struggle to be an influential part of the social media scene in the office, according to a new study by Cleveland, Ohio-based WorkPlace Media.

The study, which polled office Internet users, found that 55% maintained at least one social media account, but of those respondents, just 43% access access their social media account at work and 78% of these workers spend less than 30 minutes a day at work on these sites.

Moreover, the overall effect of a brand's presence on social media sites was shown to be minimal in terms of impact and perception. Ninety-six percent of respondents said their opinion of a product brand didn't change if that brand had no presence on a social networking site, while only 11% of social media users said they followed any major brand through a social networking site, and just 12% said their opinion of a brand changes if that brand maintains a social media presence.

"When it comes to influencing brand perception and purchase decisions, the data shows that social networking still has a long way to go," said Stephanie Molnar, CEO of WorkPlace Media, a marketing solutions firm specializing in targeting people at work. "Most of our meaningful recommendations continue to be old-fashioned, word-of-mouth recommendations from friends, co-workers and/or family."

Additional findings from the WorkPlace Media survey:

• 89 percent of respondents have a Facebook account, as opposed to 40 percent on MySpace, 31 percent on LinkedIn and 18 percent on Twitter.
• When asked what appeals about social media, the top response, cited by 89 percent of respondents, was that it "allows me to stay connected to friends/family."
• Of office workers who use social media sites, 89% do not follow a branded account.
• 25% have recommended a business/product to friends via a social media.networking site.
• 33% have received a business/product recommendation via a social media site.
• 18% have acted on a business/product recommendation received via a social media site.

The Brand Impact Social Networking Survey was conducted in May 2009 by WorkPlace Media among 753 American workers with access to the Internet at work. For more information, visit WorkplaceMedia.com and click on "Complimentary Research."