Americans who use Twitter are more likely than the average adult to be highly active on the Internet and in their communities, according to new survey by Gfk MRI.

The survey found people who use Twitter are highly active when it comes to blogging, video sharing and posting reviews. They are 506% more likely than the average U.S. adult to write a blog, 451% more likely to upload or add video to a Web site, and 314% more likely to post a comment or review on a blog, online forum, message or bulletin board. These active Internet users are also 269% more likely to own an electronic book reader.

In addition to being active online, Twitter users are also socially and politically active. For instance, they index highly for all 17 of the public activities measured by GfK MRI. They are 209% more likely to have written something that has been published, 142% more likely to participate in environmental groups/causes, 141% more likely to be an active member of any group that tries to influence public policy or government, and 103% more likely to have attended a political rally, speech or protest in the last 12 months.

‘GfK MRI data clearly indicate that Twitter users are an influential group of people, engaged in a variety of public activities, and willing to share their thoughts through blogging and published works," said Anne Marie Kelly, SVP, Marketing and Strategic Planning at GfK MRI.

"This group of people is also probably interested in finding that next big trend, as illustrated by their higher-than-average ownership of electronic book readers."
 

More than one-third (34%) of Americans are "tuning out" social networking sites, with 39 percent doing so because of rude behavior, according to a new survey by Weber Shandwick and KRC Research.

"We prefer to communicate through social networks the same way we do in everyday social settings. We tend to congregate around shared interests. We want to know who we’re talking to. And if there is a difference of opinion, we expect respectful dialogue. If not we tune out," said Weber Shandwick’s President of Digital Communications Chris Perry.

"This reality should be top of mind as companies and institutions increasingly operate in social media. It’s a personal medium. Same rules of shared interest, transparency and respectful discourse apply."

Nearly half (45%) of Americans have defriended or blocked someone online because of uncivil comments or behavior, while 38 stopped visiting an online site because of its incivility. In addition, 25 percent have dropped out of a fan club or online community because it had become uncivil.

The survey asked Americans to rate the civility of 18 aspects of daily life. Blogs rated more uncivil than social networking sites and Twitter (51% vs. 43% vs.35% respectively). While half of Americans say blogs are uncivil, a much larger 72 percent view the political world and government as uncivil.

"Let’s face it. Incivility can be found everywhere today. Blogs, in particular, are mostly open terrain – practically anyone can comment to a post, often anonymously," said Leslie Gaines-Ross, Weber Shandwick’s chief reputation strategist. 

"On the other hand, social networks, such as Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitter, are usually tighter communities with little anonymity and greater accountability for who is speaking."
 

Not surprisingly, the majority (85%) of online consumers prefer free content, but some categories they would be willing to consider paying for access, according to a new survey from Nielsen.

Nielsen asked more than 27,000 consumers across 52 countries about what types of online content they would be willing to pay for. The survey found consumers are most likely to pay for online content they would pay for offline including movies, music, games, and television shows.

Consumers are least likely to pay for content on social networks, podcasts, consumer-generated videos and blogs.

The survey found consumers worldwide generally agree that online content will have to meet certain guidelines before they spend money to access it:

    *Better than three out of every four survey participants (78%) believe if they already subscribe to a newspaper, magazine, radio or television service they should be able to use its online content for free.
   

 *At the same time, 71% of global consumers say online content of any kind will have to be considerably better than what is currently free before they will pay for it.
   

*Nearly eight out of every ten (79%) would no longer use a web site that charges them, presuming they can find the same information at no cost.
   

*As a group, they are ambivalent about whether the quality of online content would suffer if companies could not charge for it-34% think so while 30% do not; and the remaining 36% have no firm opinion.
   

*But they are far more united (62%) in their conviction that once they purchase content, it should be theirs to copy or share with whomever they want.

Social networking and blogging have become more popular than sending email, according to a new report from Nielsen.

More than two-thirds (67%) of the global online population now goes online to visit social networks and blogs.

"Social networking has become a fundamental part of the global online experience," says John Burbank, CEO of Nielsen Online.

"While two-thirds of the global online population already accesses member community sites, their vigorous adoption and the migration of time show no signs of slowing. Social networking will continue to alter not just the global online landscape, but the consumer experience at large. This study explains why."

Facebook is the most popular social network and is visited monthly by three in every 10 people online in the nine markets that Nielsen tracks social networking use. Orkut in Brazil has the largest domestic online reach (70%) of any social network in these markets.

One in every 11 minutes online worldwide is accounted for by social networking and blogging sites.

The social network and blogging audience is becoming more diverse in terms of age. The biggest increase in visitors during 2008 to "Member Community" Web sites globally came from the 35-49 year old age group (+11.3 million).

Mobile is playing an increasingly important role in social networking.  UK mobile users have the greatest tendency to visit a social network through their handset, with 23 percent doing so, compared to 19 percent in the U.S. These numbers are a significant increase over last year- up 249 percent in the UK and 156 percent in the U.S.
 

Sandy Carter, author of "The New Language of Marketing 2.0" talked with WebProNews about the different aspects of using social media in marketing.

Should businesses be more involved in social media or less involved?

SC: "In today's economic climate, I would advise companies to be more involved in social media.  The ability to be nimble and move quickly in the market will be THE key element in successful marketing.  Marketing organizations need to ensure they are not reactive to change but driving and leading change in a proactive way.  Social Media allows your company to be more nimble."

How? 
SC: "First, it encourages free-flowing experimentation.  You can test an idea online at breakfast and by lunch see the response. You can get fast response and make changes on the fly.   It drives changes in how you listen to your customer.   Blogs for instance allow you to listen into water cooler discussions you never had access to before.  Social Media drives change in how you communicate to the customer as a dialogue versus a broadcast message." 

  "And messages meant for one type of audience, are being read by all audiences.
And finally, it cuts down costs.   I do not advocate for just using social media techniques however, but rather combining them into your marketing mix allows you to optimize the places where you can maximize their impact."

What are the best ways for companies to get their messages out using blogs?

SC:  Determine your goals for blogging.  "Is it to solicit input and co-create a new product?  For example, IBM's Project Zero used blogging to get product development direction involving our customers in defining the requirements needed in the marketplace. Make sure you know why you are doing a blog!" 

Be personal.  "Bloggers share personal tidbits about their lives.  Remember that your blog gets you closer to your customer.  It strengthens the relationship. Blogs espouse a world view with the voice of the author reflecting his/her ideas (either knowledge or a unique perspective) that may influence perceptions and position those opinions in the marketplace.   They foster discussion, debate and even a sense of community.  It is most important that you write from the heart."                                            

What do you see as some of the risks with company blogs?

SC: "There are 3 big risks with company blogs." 

"The first is not being honest.  Or pretending to be something that you are not.     There have been several examples where companies have paid others to blog for them.  Then it is exposed that they were sponsoring the site.  Make sure that your blogs reflect the honest facts and truth of your company values."

 
"Second is not listening.   I think not listening is worse than not even asking.   I have worked with companies who put feedback tactics in place but then ignored the feedback.  Businesses no longer hold absolute sway over the decisions and behavior of consumers."

"And finally, it is consistency.  Developing, planning and maintaining a good blog takes a great deal of time. You must be realistic about the number of posts needed to keep the online relationship with readers alive.   This is a commitment.  You need to understand how much time it takes not only to set it up but to keep it current and exciting. You must keep building your readership and online relationships"

.  "I spend as much time reading other blogs and finding out what's going on in the blogosphere as I do writing on my own.  To have something to say, you must know what's being said."

Top 5 Tips for Facebook for Marketing:
 

(Sandy has extracted the following tips from Chapter 10 of her new
book.)

  Use for Marketing 2.0 Intelligence:Jeremiah Owyang, senior analyst at Forrester Research, says profiles and network information, as well as the public groups, provide a way to seek insight online.  Learn about what your customers want!
 

Use for Advertising: There are a variety of ways to leverage the power of this community with banner ads, news feeds, social ads and flyer ads.  To reach a new audience:  Since neither those under the age of 25 nor those more experienced use email, according to MarketingSherpa Founder Anne Holland, leverage this new social networking tool in place of email.  It can extend your reach online where other means can't!
Experiment with Fan Pages: These fan pages can be used in place of sponsored groups.
Not a stand alone:   Integrate your Facebook tactics with your overall strategy.  If this is the audience that you need for your product and offerings, leverage as part of the overall go-to market plan. 

Do you think social media is here to stay?

SC: "Yes, social media is here to stay.  For sales it is a new channel, and for marketing it is now part of our marketing mix, forever to stay.  Why?   Marketing is all about relationships and all relationships have a set of common factors.   First, all relationships require listening.  Listening has become core to everything.  Second, in the best relationships, there is a lot of active communication and dialogue.  This dialogue is essential to growth in the relationship. Third, a great relationship is one that is built on honesty." 

"The best way to communicate isn't about using new media types to be hip and cool; it is about understanding your customers and how you can immerse yourself into their conversation."

How do you think social media and marketing will evolve? What trends do you see?

SC: "As all things change, I know that social media and marketing will evolve.  I think that marketers will have to be more business oriented and more technology savvy.  They will have to be able to show the value of what they are doing in language that the CEO and the CFO understand.  They will also have to be more technical.  This does not mean that marketers need to be technologists.  But they cannot be afraid of technology.   Every marketer needs a set of skills as a user of technology and the new Web 2.0 ways of social networking."

Anything else you would care to add?

SC: "I think social media is very powerful, not because it is cool, fun, and the hot topic right now, but because of the results it can achieve.  Marketers, especially in times of recession, get laid off faster than any other type of senior executive because they're seen as a cost center and not a value center.  Marketers need to be able to convince their peers and the management team that marketing is essential, as essential and important and critical as a CFO or a CIO.  Understanding the numbers can demonstrate the value."