CorpComms Magazine

Britons visit social networking sites more frequently than any other websites, and in January recorded more than 2.4 billion visits - or an average of 38.8 visits per man, woman and child - according to a new survey by global online intelligence service Experian Hitwise.

The record number of visits, which exceeded 'any other month on record', coincided with an increase in the time spent on social networking sites, with the average sitting lasting more than 20 minutes.

The survey also revealed that one in eight people leaving a social networking site will immediately sign onto another. But the likelihood is that their visit begins with a trip to Facebook, which recorded more than half the overall traffic to social networks.

But while social networking sites are seen as a fun way of communicating with friends, companies are increasingly looking to harness their powers.

One third of small businesses now use Twitter and Facebook as part of their communications and marketing campaigns, according to a Virgin Media Business survey of 5,000 companies. These findings are echoed by the Experian report, which advised: 'Successful transactional websites will be those that learn to harness the power of social networks.'

It claims that, if used correctly, social networking sites have the ability to direct traffic to their own website without relying on search engines.

An online study revealed that 70 per cent of consumers would rather receive customer support via social media sites and would have more confidence in the information provided through this channel than other more traditional methods, according to Yankee Group for Siemens Enterprise Communications. The survey highlighted the importance for businesses of making the most of the social media available

In addition to reaching out to consumers via social networks, companies benefit by being able to access direct feedback at all times as it gives them the option to adjust accordingly.

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