»  bytes from the bird

More than ever, shoppers are connecting with brands on social networks for reasons other than simply trying to save a buck through limited offer or special deal. Today's networked shoppers are are now following brands on Twitter or Facebook to learn more about new products and about the ethos of the brand, some consumers do so more often than to just get e-coupons.  

In fact, a December 2009 study from MarketingSherpa entitled Why Consumers Friend or Follow Companies separated the respondents into three categories: Max Connectors, Daily Users, and All Respondents. As shown in the survey, these three categories sometimes behave very differently from each other.

Of particular interest are Max Connectors, a new type of consumer demographic with 500 or more social network connections that is an especially valuable as MarketingSherpa explains, "for marketing, at least in theory, because they can spread a positive brand or product experience so widely." 

Here at birdsong gregory, we call these super networkers brand advocates, which denotes a consumer with favorable perceptions of a brand who will talk favorably about it and generate awareness or influence purchase intent.

Got that?