– In a recent study conducted by Reuters Institute, Facebook was found to be responsible for 55 per cent of the UK’s news sharing. These figures further highlight the many reasons why brands should be integrating social media into their PR campaigns, says social media agency, Punch Communications.
The study revealed that 43 per cent of users aged 16-24 receive news through sites like Facebook and those in the same age group also choose to share news and stories through Facebook.
Additionally, the study identified that Facebook was the preferred communication tool for announcing news, beating email and Twitter. The results illustrate how innovations such as frictionless sharing (the term used to describe the transparent sharing of resources using social media services) have encouraged more news to be spread through social networks.
Through the development of social plugins for news sites, and the launch of social newsreading apps, news organisations, such as the Guardian and Yahoo, have noticed significant increases in traffic to their sites. The Guardian reported at one stage that referrals from Facebook beat those from Google search.
Clearly social media is playing an increasingly important role in how consumers discover, research and share information about brands and products – be it amongst news sites or directly from the brand. This makes social networks important tools for brands to amplify their key messages to a wider audience.
Pete Goold, managing director for Punch Communications, said: “This recent survey reinforces the common knowledge that social networking sites, such as Facebook, have changed the way people communicate and share information.
“Social media has become a powerful, effective and cost-efficient news distribution network for organisations of all sizes. It should be a key element of a brand’s PR as it makes communicating so simple due to it being much more direct. If information is discovered on social media sites, then invariably more facts will be sourced from the company’s website for clarification.”
If you require more information on PR company, Punch Communications, or if you are interested in seeing what an integrated approach from an SEO agency can do for your business, please call 01858 411 600, or visit the Punch website at www.punchcomms.com.