The ways social media is having an impact on TV -- and vice versa -- is a both a big deal here and a global phenomenon, according to a new study by Viacom.
In When Networks Network: TV Gets Social, Viacom says viewers have three main reasons for TV-related social media use. Those are: Functional, such as searching for show schedules; communal, such as connecting with others; and playful, spending time with games or entering contests.
In the U.S., those drivers lead viewers to engage in an average 11 TV-related activities on social media platforms weekly. Some of the biggest ones are interacting with friends and fans (69%), following and liking a TV show (59%), sharing or recommending (65%), watching clips and trailers (60%), searching for info on when shows air (69%) and playing games and signing up for free stuff (53%).
Our objective with this research was not only to understand what drives our audiences to social media, but also to see how their social media activity impacts viewing behaviors, Colleen Fahey Rush, executive VP and chief research officer of Viacom Media Networks. At Viacom, were focused on creating social experiences that continue the conversation off-screen and deepen the relationships between our fans and their favorite shows and characters.
According to the report, function trumps all other motivating factors, including socializing, when it comes to TV-related social media use. That was true of all the countries in the study, with viewers in Germany leaning the most towards the functional motivations. Viewers are more interested in the experiences and content offered by networks and TV shows than communicating with others on social media.
We found it intriguing that TV-related social media behaviors and motivating factors were consistent across all five countries that we looked at in this study, said Christian Kurz, VP of research, insights and reporting for Viacom International Media Networks. Globally, social media is becoming todays version of a TV guide for viewers -- it is really how they prefer to get their information about the shows they watch.
In addition to the U.S. and Germany, Viacom studied viewers in the U.K., Brazil and Russia.
Functional motives are stronger for teens and young adults. Viewers 13-17 years-old are most likely to use social media to search for show schedules and exclusive videos, while those ages 18-24 are most likely to search for the latest show news and to access spoilers, according to the report.
Social media ranked fourth (41%) as a source of show discovery, behind promos (59%), word of mouth (54%) and TV channel sites (45%). The exception was Brazil, where social media ranked even higher as a source of show discovery, second only to TV promos.
The research revealed that social media-fueled show discovery uniquely and positively impacts live tune-in, with viewers significantly more likely to watch a show premiere on live TV when that show is discovered via social media. According to the report, 71% said they are likely to watch the live debut of a show that was discovered on social media, versus 50% live if it was discovered elsewhere.
Drivers of live tune-in from social media include a Facebook friends comment, a shows post or a friend liking the show.
Viacoms networks see opportunities for its advertisers to take advantage of viewers use of social media.
Because viewers use social media predominantly for function information, its a great place for our advertisers to be, as they can easily integrate into experiences we provide and into experiences viewers value most, such as exclusive video, games and show schedules, Viacom said.
Also, when viewers are simultaneously watching Viacom shows and using social media, this usage is often related to the show, the company said. We think this affirms that there is a great opportunity for cross-platform advertising.
The global study involved social media diaries in the U.S., as well as online communities in the U.S., U.K. and Germany. International online surveys were conducted in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Brazil and Russia with more than 5,000 Viacom viewers ages 13-49 who use two or more social media platforms on at least a weekly basis.
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The ways social media is having an impact on TV -- and vice versa -- is a both a big deal here and a global phenomenon, according to a new study by Viacom.
