We are continually being approached by a multitude of data and studies on the impact of social media and social networks on business. Many of the small sellers and businesses are rushing not to lose the trail of this new trend increasing their investment in this type of media, and now that everything seemed to be an easier way to travel, new data point out that social media have almost no influence on the behavior of online purchases.

The study , jointly developed by Forrester Research and Comercio GSI, analyzed the data generated by several minorities during the period from November 12 to December 20 of last year 2010.

The results of the research show that social media rarely leads directly to online shopping. In this sense, the data indicate that less than 2% of the orders placed were carried out by buyers from a social network.

However, in return for this fulminant conclusion, the report points out that both email and search advertising were more decisive and effective in converting users and mariners into customers for businesses and advertisers.

Fiona Dias, executive vice president of strategy and marketing at GSI Commerce, revealed that purchase intent is perhaps the last of users’ priorities or goals when they use social networks such as Facebook. The role and potential of these media can be considered as an effective tool for the dissemination of information and news about promotions and offers, but really, only between 5% and 7% of purchases are influenced by the activity of the media. social communication.

However, according to this study, what seems to work is the most traditional online marketing, which includes email and advertising in searches. The study notes that the majority of consumers surveyed were exposed to some form of these forms of marketing of retailers before making any of their purchases.

77 percent of the purchases made in the ‘non-perishable’ product categories and 82 percent in the ‘soft products’ categories were carried out after consumers had participated in some interactive marketing action before their purchase . Forty percent of non-perishable product transactions and 60% of consumer soft-goods transactions reached direct sales websites through email and searches.

This does not imply that online advertising does not play an important role in purchasing decisions. In this sense, the report points out that consumers are continuously exposed to the impacts of advertising and display ads, which act as an influential factor in 13% of buyers of soft products.

Diaz said she was not surprised by the results of the study, because despite the fever and enthusiasm for social media, consider these can be a waste of time and money for many of the merchants and small retail businesses.