At 140 Proof, we help media buyers and brand advertisers reach their target audience in the social stream. Through the thousands of campaigns we’ve run, it’s become clear: some audiences are clearly more valuable than others. So which audiences are the hottest for 2012?
The Top 5 Social Audiences Major Brand Advertisers Are Buying
Tech Influencers
The original social stream audience
Tech influencers invented social, so what better place to reach them than the social stream?
Why they matter: Technology influencers are generally more educated and more affluent than the average American, and they tend to be among the first in their social groups to buy new technology (e.g., many tech influencers bought the first generation iPhone when it launched 5 years ago).
Who’s trying to reach them: Software brands (consumer and enterprise), big box electronics retailers, auto brands, anyone launching a product with cutting-edge technology
How to find them in social: Because tech influencers tend to be power users of technology and are endlessly customizing, they’re highly likely to be found outside the walled gardens and accessing the social stream via apps that are ahead of the curve, like Echofon for Mac.
TV Fans
Driving a surge in entertainment-related media buying
The social stream, as the de facto consciousness for 95% of the world’s population, is the water cooler for television.
Why they matter: With the rise of social as the second screen and a trend of media planners looking to scale their TV buys, we’re seeing more and more synergy between TV and Social. Citing 6 million checkins for social TV app GetGlue, AdAge called 2011 “the breakout year for social TV” — and we predict that TV campaigns in social will be one of the top 5 trends of 2012.
Who’s trying to reach them: Cable channels promoting show launches, Brand advertisers supporting their TV spend
How to find them in social: Brand advertisers reach TV fans in the social stream by tapping into the audiences of popular voices like @jimmyfallon, @GleeOnFOX, @RainnWilson, and @RachaelRayShow.
Moms
Influence and buying power, multiplied by family
The importance of moms transcends any one media channel, and as more of them get online, their significance to brands increases.
Why they matter: According to a 2011 report by Nielsen, women control the majority of household purchasing decisions. Moms are 56% more likely to download coupons and 81% more likely to follow a brand online. And brands are paying attention: iMedia’s 2012 iMoms Summit runs this April for a second year, exclusively for helping marketers reach moms.
Who’s trying to reach them: CPG marketers, retail, consumer software brands
How to find them in social: Moms are highly likely to become a fan of or follow brands online, so marketers can build an audience of moms via the interest graph through influentials like @ParentsMagazine, @BrookeBurke, @Momversation, and a host of CPG/retail brands who get social, like @WholeFoods and @Walmart.
College Students
A growing demographic, poised to shape the mainstream
Why they matter: Brand awareness at the college stage is an investment, a play for hearts and minds.
Who’s trying to reach them: Daily deal sites, brands promoting back-to-school pricing programs, political campaigns
How to find them in social: As one of the most on-the-go age demos around, college students are increasingly heavy smartphone and tablet users and can be found on popular, friendly Android apps like Plume. College students tend to have smaller spheres of influence, following mostly their friends and their favorite celebrities.
Small Business Owners
High-value, hard-to-reach targets
Why they matter: Over 27 million small businesses currently operate in the United States, making them a huge audience for business services.
Who’s trying to reach them: Business services like printing and shipping, software brands, telecoms, banks
How to find them in social: Extremely hard to reach via standard channels, small businesses self-organize in the social stream around influential entrepreneurs and leading publications like @IncMagazine, @garyvee, and @SmallBizLady.
Learn More About Social’s Top Audiences
Want to know more about how to reach 2012’s most important audiences in the social stream? Drop us a line at hello@140proof.com or ask a question in the comments.
Coming soon, we’ll also be talking about…
- The Most Underrated Audiences in Social
- What the Top Social Audiences Mean for Political Media Buyers
