Survey finds that women value peer reviews while men look for factual information online

Providing the right content to the right consumers is key to marketing in the social media age. A new survey from market research company Usurv provides some insight into demographics and how different groups approach various digital platforms.

Women are twice as likely as men to be influenced by their social media contacts when making purchasing choices, the poll reveals. This is hardly surprising, as women are more inclined to discuss their shopping experience in general, but it still provides some food for thought for social media marketers.

Additionally, when asked which digital platform they would turn to if they wanted to know more about a product, one in four male respondents cited YouTube, compared to 15% of women, highlighting that men would rather see things with their own eyes. In addition, men prove much more likely to look for online publications when researching a product, suggesting that brands focusing on male consumers will have to direct their efforts towards search engine optimisation (SEO) and relevant content.

However, the good news is that men and women seem to be equally impressed with brand website content, as nearly two in three respondents say they find the content of the websites they visit “very good” or “good´.

According to the poll, the two things that consumers look for when they visit a brand website are user-generated content and factual information, with both of these cited as key factors by 32% of those polled.