Print Still Sparks the Influencers
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Steve Smith

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The onliners who gather and share information most, the “digital influencers,” are themselves most influenced by offline media. According to a new study from communications firm MS&L and Ipsos Public Affairs, 84% of these key word-of-mouth infleuncers go online to find more information about a product or topic after first reading about it in magazines or newspapers and 84% get their spark from TV as well. “These traditional media sources help shape public opinion in the complex world of online influence,” say MS&L researchers in a company statement.

The research also found that online sharing behavior varies by group and content category. For “beauty influencers,” for instance, product and brand Web sites are important in sparking word-of-mouth, and online community sites are the spots where this group tends to share material.

“Health influencers,” on the other hand, often reference government sites when sharing with others, and this group is among the most active when it comes to passing information along.

The study suggests that offline media play a key role in online sharing behaviors. Understanding the specific media-sharing patterns within product categories can help both advertisers and publishers shape print campaigns and editorial that push influencers in the right direction.

The MS&L research underscores an emerging principle of current multi-platform media usage. Media companies and business models continue to organize their media properties by silos that no longer exist in the consumers’ minds. The distinctions among in-print, on-air and online are fundamentally irrelevant to the consumer.

If you have breaking news to share please contact Steve Smith at ssmith@accessintel.com

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