Social Networking on the Horizon for Suppliers and Distributors: Study

A new study from The Advertising Specialty Institute has discovered that 53% of distributors and 48% of suppliers will be increasing the time they spend with social networking in the next two years.

Nearly 90% of respondents said social networking already is or will become a good way to promote their business, but there is no overall consensus about which site is most relevant today. 

LinkedIn, the online networking site for professionals, is used by 54% of distributor members and 46% of supplier members. The majority with accounts (93% of the distributors and 85% of the suppliers) use it for business purposes. About 25% of distributors noted that it is the most relevant social network for the future, ASI said.

Facebook, a more casual online site, has the greatest penetration in the industry overall, with 59% of distributors and 62% of suppliers having an account. Among those who have an account, however, 65% of distributors and 62% of suppliers say it is for personal use.

The study also found:

* 75% of distributors and 70% of suppliers have heard of Twitter, but do not have an account. Thirty-five percent of distributors and 44% of suppliers who have Twitter accounts use them for business purposes.

* YouTube is personal. About one-half of distributors and suppliers (49% and 51% respectfully) use YouTube, mostly for personal purposes. However, suppliers are posting more videos in general, with 28% having submitted videos or slideshows to social networking sites.