Consumers in Southeast Asia Are More Influenced By Social Media Ads

As social media turns into the Internet’s new playground, brands and products are flocking there en masse in an effort to catch customers. And according to Nielsen’s latest study, consumers in the Southeast Asia region are highly influenced by such online advertisements, especially when ads are displayed on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The study reveals 73 percent are ‘highly’ or ‘somewhat’ influenced by ads in social media. The rate jumps to 80 percent if social context is factored in, showing who has liked or followed the advertised brand. (See chart below)

The research company also found that more SEA consumers ‘liked’ or ‘followed’ a brand or company (69 percent), a higher rate than the global average (52 percent). The rate is even higher in nations like Vietnam and the Phillippines with 79 and 75 percent respectively.

The study suggests a trend-shift in advertising for Southeast Asian consumers. As Nielsen’s managing director of advertising solutions in Asia Pacific Middle East Africa (APMEA), David Webb, explains:

As social media increasingly becomes a mainstream activity throughout the region, brands have been quick to ‘get on board’ with the practice of better understanding and connecting with their consumers when it comes to their advertising strategies, engagement and conversion.

However, the study does paint a picture of what strategy brands or products can take with social media users. Perhaps they might want to use quizzes to boost new followers on Twitter, something that has previously proven popular in Indonesia. Or if Facebook is the preferred advertising channel, then these tips on running a successful ad campaign surely will be of help.