Burson-Marsteller Asia-Pacific Social Media Study reveals that only 40% of Top Asian Companies have a Branded Social Media Presence
Top Indian Companies experiminting with Social Media.
- (1888PressRelease) October 30, 2010 - New Delhi - Less than half of Asian companies listed on the Wall Street Journal's Asia 200 Index has a corporate social media presence, according to a new study by leading global public relations and communications firm Burson-Marsteller.
Of those corporate brands that do have a presence, more than fifty-five percent of social media profiles are inactive. Only eighteen percent of surveyed companies integrate their social media profiles into their corporate websites.
By contrast, Burson-Marsteller's Fortune Global 100 Social Media Check-Up study, conducted in February this year, showed that seventy-nine percent of major global companies use branded social media sites as part of their corporate communications mix.
"Asian companies need to take bolder steps to leverage the exploding use of social media channels in the region," said Bob Pickard, president and CEO of Burson-Marsteller Asia-Pacific. "Few companies are approaching this area strategically; most appear largely driven by short-term marketing considerations, or are hampered by concerns about resourcing, cost or lack of control over message and content."
In India, top companies are still experimenting with social media. While some have active accounts on Facebook and Twitter, corporate blogs and video are also increasingly being deployed. Corporate blogs are considered especially effective in communicating with the companies' many stakeholders, within India as well as in other English-speaking markets.
India's leading technology companies are using social media for both corporate and consumer outreach. FMCG companies usually have their product brands active in the social media space, while financial services companies often focus on providing customer support and product promotions.
"It is encouraging to find that some of the top Indian companies are adopting social media to tell their corporate stories. However it should now become a long-term strategic and not only a tactical tool for companies in India to communicate with their various stakeholders." said Prema Sagar, Principal and Founder, Genesis Burson-Marsteller.
Corporate use of social media in Asia tends to focus on pushing information rather than engaging stakeholders. Only twelve percent of companies surveyed maintained a corporate blog, compared to thirty three percent of global companies. Social channels are most frequently used to communicate corporate responsibility initiatives.
"True engagement involving two-way dialogue, as measured by the average number of third-party posts and the average number of corporate responses to their followers, remains limited," said Charlie Pownall, Burson-Marsteller's lead digital strategist for Asia-Pacific. "Instead, companies are using social media to portray a 'softer' corporate image in a way that is less likely to invoke interaction or negative commentary."
Of those companies that do take a more assertive approach to social media, the study suggests that they are predominantly those most focused on international expansion. Nevertheless, the extent of this engagement is in stark contrast to global companies, particularly in respect of the use of video and multimedia to support digital storytelling.
Only eight percent of leading companies in Asia have set up dedicated channels on top video sharing channels such as YouTube, Youku in China or Nico Nico Douga in Japan. This compares to fifty percent of global companies using such channels.
"Online social interaction is a fully mainstream activity that dominates media consumption in many markets and is a way of life for many consumers of information. Yet it is clear that top companies across Asia-Pacific lag their western peers in their strategic approach to these channels," said Bob Pickard. "To take full advantage of this trend, Asian's top companies must make social media a core component of their corporate marketing and communications, both at home and abroad."
About the Burson-Marsteller Social Media Study
The Burson-Marsteller Social Media Study is a review and analysis of social media activity by 120 major companies across 12 markets in Asia-Pacific; Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. The companies surveyed comprise the top 10 companies per country as ranked in the 2009 Wall Street Journal Asia 200 Index. The full Index can be viewed online at: asia.wsj.com
About Burson-Marsteller Asia-Pacific
Burson-Marsteller Asia-Pacific is the leading consultancy for organizations communicating in Asia-Pacific and internationally. With a presence in the region dating back to 1973, Burson-Marsteller Asia-Pacific today includes 30 offices and affiliates in 16 countries integrated seamlessly into a global network operating in 98 countries. Our Evidence-Based approach to communications provides our clients with effective, data-driven programs delivered through multiple channels and focused on tangible, measurable results. Our team of more than 600 professionals offers a powerful combination of local knowledge, sector expertise and global communications reach.
Burson-Marsteller, established in 1953, is a leading global public relations and communications firm. Burson-Marsteller is a part of Young & Rubicam Brands, a subsidiary of WPP (NASDAQ: WPPGY), one of the world's leading communications services networks.
About Genesis Burson-Marsteller
Genesis Burson-Marsteller is India's most trusted public relations and public affairs firm with 7 offices and a domestic affiliate network that reaches over 100 cities across the country. Genesis Burson-Marsteller is known for its insight-based strategies, innovative execution and strong focus on measurement of results.
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