How do social media styles differ across cultures/nations?
This is part III of a blog series in which JC Giraldo and I try to provide answers to this question by surveying our world-wide networks.
Note: We make no claim that the results of our informal survey are statistically relevant but they represent insights from people who use social media regularly for business.
We asked the following questions:
- In your country (or region or culture, if you prefer), how does the majority of people view social media?
- What would you say is a unique characteristic about social media usage in your culture?
THE RESULTS PART III
AUSTRALIA
Adel de Meyer Social Media Strategist at Mammoth & HootSuite Ambassador for Australia
1 .- Australians are very social by nature, hence why Australian users are one of the highest users of social media worldwide. For every hour an Australian spends online 14 minutes are spent on social sites, nine on entertainment and four minutes shopping online.
- In fact Australians love social media so much that about one in 10 Australians (13 per cent) interrupt their love-making to check their social media accounts, according to a recent Galaxy survey commissioned by condom manufacturer Durex.
- Facebook is a giant in Australia with 13,200,000 users followed by YouTube and then WordPress.
- My opinion is that Australians love good entertainment, to give opinions and to make jokes. They have a great sense of humor and that shows throughout Social Media usage in Australia from comments, to advertising.
2.- Multi-screen behavior is now a daily habit for Australians
- Social Media are accessed mainly at home by over 96% of Australians and about 34% of Australians accessed Social Media at work in 2013.
- Aussies love photo and video sharing on Social Media as the second most done activity on Social.
- A lot of humor shines through on Social Media platforms used by Aussies .
GUATEMALA
Regina Maria Castrejón Asturias , Communications Department at Archdiocesan Caritas- Guatemala
1.- In Guatemala, a country with a high illiteracy rate, only a part of the population has access to Internet. This segment tends to be overwhelmingly young, and connects online more often via mobile than PC.
- The networks that are most used are Facebook and Twitter; Google as a social network (not as a search engine) is unknown by many. What is fascinating about this is that we get older, while sharing that growth develops on-line.
- LinkedIn is used ( socio-economic, segment A / B) to reach a labor market.
2.- Among the features to Guatemala in networks, we can say that it is a market with great growth (limitations of power (electricity) for a computer, are overcome with cell phones.
- Companies are beginning to make an effort to participate in social media (although there is much ignorance of how to do it, or optimize it; the only way to achieve real results). Digital marketing is in its infancy.
BELGIUM
Sofie De Beule , Community Manager at Engagor : Social Media Management & Analytics Tools
1.- Belgians believe it’s really important to have their voice heard on social media and take to social media for customer service.
2.- The use of social media is not really progressive in comparison to US users.
- Belgians view social media more as a “free zone”.
- They greatly appreciate transparency in any social media strategy / platform.
SPAIN
Mariangeles Berna , Social Media Manager , digital newspaper Alicante Press
1.- For the last two years, Spain has been experiencing a time of change through social media. Companies need to have a presence to give their products more visibility.
- Social media , also gives customers a way to contact companies directly for feedback.
- In Spain, companies have a greater presence on Facebook and Twitter than on other platforms.
- Google+ and Pinterest are most utilized by sectors such as hospitality and tourism. These sectors use marketing tools in order to reach a large audience and generate new ideas for their products.
- Many companies are beginning to share their profiles on LinkedIn in order to become better known.
2.- In Spain, people mainly use social media as a means to get support and help.
Find parts I & II here:
