Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Market factors
- Facebook introduces new ad-tracking feature
- Number of crime reports containing mentions of a social network remains high
- Social networks face digital services tax in the UK
- Social networks leverage connectivity during COVID-19 outbreak
- Impact of COVID-19 on Social Networking
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- Figure 1: Short, medium and long-term impact on Social Networks, IoI, May 2020
- Companies, brands and innovations
- The consumer
- Usage of social networks remains high
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- Figure 2: Social networks used in the last three months, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Consumers accessing Facebook daily
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- Figure 3: Frequency of social network use in the last three months, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Visual content being shared on social networks
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- Figure 4: Types of content shared on social networking sites, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Consumers using social networks to follow friends and family
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- Figure 5: Reasons consumers use social networking sites, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Consumers sourcing company information on social networks
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- Figure 6: Agreement with statements related to interacting with companies on social media, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Consumers believe mental health is being negatively impacted by social networks
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- Figure 7: Agreement with statements related to mental health concerns of social networks, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Easier access to social networks interests Irish consumers
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- Figure 8: Agreement with statements relating to new social network features, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Consumers using social networks less than a year ago
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- Figure 9: Agreement with statements related social networking sites, NI and RoI, January 2020
- What we think
Impact of COVID-19 on Social Networking
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- Short, medium and long-term impact on the industry
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- Figure 10: Short, medium and long-term impact on social networking, IoI, May 2020
- Opportunities and Threats
- Lockdown easing presents challenges for social networks
- Growing usage of social networks by older consumers
- Opportunities for social networks to grow usage of video call features post-COVID-19
- How the crisis will affect social networks key consumers segments
- Spent more time on video calls with family/friends COVID-19 question
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- Figure 11: How consumers have spent their leisure time as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, NI and RoI, April 2020
- Concern about COVID-19 exposure will drive social media use in 2020
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- Figure 12: How concerned consumers are about the risk of being exposed to the coronavirus (also known as COVID-19), NI and RoI, April 2020
- Consumers turn to posting about in-home lockdown activities
- How the crisis will affect key consumers segments
- Lockdown and shielding will see higher social network usage among older consumers
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- Figure 13: Total population, by age group, NI and RoI, 2019
- Lockdown has increased online quizzes popularity
- How a COVID-19 recession will reshape the industry
- High unemployment levels a boon for LinkedIn
- Financial concerns could see continued reliance social networks post-lockdown
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- Figure 14: How consumers think their personal finances will change over the next 12 months, NI and RoI, January 2020-April 2020
- Streaming services compete for usage during COVID-19 lockdown
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- Figure 15: Agreement with behaviour statements relating to streaming media, NI and RoI, June 2018
- Fake news continues to appear on social networks during COVID-19 crises
- Impact on the Marketing Mix
- Social networks will remain important channels for brands
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- Figure 16: Online advertising methods consumers consider most effective (noticeable), NI and RoI, June 2019
- COVID-19: UK & RoI Context
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Consumers notice ads on social networks
- Facebook launches new ad-tracking feature
- New digital services tax introduced in the UK
- Social networks take steps to improve information quality during COVID-19 outbreak
Market Drivers
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- News feeds effective in reaching consumers on social networks
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- Figure 17: Consumers who think advertisements on social networks are effective (noticeable), NI and RoI, June 2019
- New ad-tracking featured introduced by Facebook
- Social networks being mentioned in crime reports
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- Figure 18: Number of crime reports containing mentions of a social networking site, NI, 2016-18
- UK introduces digital services tax
- Social networks respond to COVID-19 outbreak
- Snapchat’s ‘Here For You’
Market in Context
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- Case study: Allied Irish Bank
- Background
- How it uses social networks
- Recent social networking activity
- Case study: An Post
- Background
- How it uses social networks
- Recent social networking activity
- Case study: Dalata Hotel Group
- Background
- How it uses social networks
- Recent social networking activity
- Case study: Dale Farm
- Background
- How it uses social networks
- Recent social networking activity
- Case study: eir
- Background
- How it uses social networks
- Recent social networking activity
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- TikTok launches family safety feature
- Dark mode available on WhatsApp
- Ephemeral posts being trialled at Twitter
Who’s Innovating?
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- FB Messenger slimmed down
- TikTok introduces new parental safety feature
- WhatsApp goes dark
- Twitter trialling ‘fleets’
Competitive Strategies – Key Players
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- Alphabet Inc.
- Key facts
- User facilities
- Recent developments
- Key facts
- User facilities
- Recent developments
- Houseparty
- Key facts
- User facilities
- Recent developments
- Key facts
- User facilities
- Recent developments
- Key facts
- User facilities
- Recent developments
- Key facts
- User facilities
- Recent developments
- Snap Inc.
- Key facts
- User facilities
- Recent developments
- TikTok
- Key facts
- User facilities
- Recent developments
- Key facts
- User facilities
- Recent developments
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Facebook and YouTube the main platforms accessed
- Social networks being used to keep in touch
- Consumers sharing visual content on social networks
- Consumers using social networks for company information
- Consumers believe social media has negative impact on mental health
- Consumers want easier access to social networks
- Consumers spending less time on social networking sites
Usage of Social Networking Sites
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- Facebook and YouTube popular among Irish consumers
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- Figure 19: Social networks used in the last three months, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Usage of TikTok tied to affluence
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- Figure 20: Consumers who used TikTok in the last three months, by social class, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Younger consumers the main users of social networks
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- Figure 21: Social networks used in the last three months, by age, NI, January 2020
- Figure 22: Social networks used in the last three months, by age, RoI, January 2020
Frequency of Usage of Social Networking Sites
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- Social networks accessed at least once a week
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- Figure 23: Frequency of social network use in the last three months, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Differences in types of platforms used by men and women
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- Figure 24: Consumers who accessed social networks daily in the last three months, by gender, NI, January 2020
- Figure 25: Consumers who accessed social networks daily in the last three months, by gender, RoI, January 2020
- Young consumers accessing social networks daily
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- Figure 26: Consumers who accessed social networks daily in the last three months, by age, NI, January 2020
- Figure 27: Consumers who accessed social networks daily in the last three months, by age, RoI, January 2020
Types of Content Shared on Social Networking Sites
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- Photos and images dominate content shared on social networks
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- Figure 28: Types of content shared on social networking sites, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Young consumers posting photos and images
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- Figure 29: Consumers who have shared photos and images on social networking sites, by age, NI and RoI, January 2020
Reasons for Using Social Networking Sites
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- Interacting with friends and family main reason for using social networks
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- Figure 30: Reasons consumers use social networking sites, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Consumers with improving finances following brands
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- Figure 31: Consumers who use social networks to follow the activity of a company, business or brand, by financial status, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Older consumers following family and friends’ activity on social networks
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- Figure 32: Consumers who use social networks to follow the activity of friends and family, by age, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Figure 33: Consumers who use social networks to post photos and videos of their recent activity, by age, NI and RoI, January 2020
Company Interactions on Social Networks
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- Social networks a source of company information
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- Figure 34: Agreement with statements related to interacting with companies on social media, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Social networks a source of company information for affluent consumers
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- Figure 35: Agreement with the statement ‘I think social media platforms have more information on companies compared to their websites’, by social class, NI and RoI, January 2020
Mental Health Concerns
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- Social networks seen as having a negative mental health impact
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- Figure 36: Agreement with statements related to mental health concerns of social networks, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Younger consumers worried about being ‘trolled’
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- Figure 37: Agreement with the statement ‘I worry about being cyberbullied/trolled/harassed online’, by age, NI and RoI, January 2020
Interest in New Social Network Features
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- Accessing social networks from a single app interests consumers
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- Figure 38: Agreement with statements relating to new social network features, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Under-45s interested in single app to access social networks
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- Figure 39: Agreement with the statement ‘I would be interested in a single mobile app that gives me access to all my social networks’, by age, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Accessing content via voice assistants appeals to men
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- Figure 40: Agreement with the statement ‘I would be interested in accessing social media content from a voice assistant or smart speaker (eg hearing posts, posting using my voice)’, by gender, NI and RoI, January 2020
Attitudes towards Social Networks
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- Consumers using social networks less
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- Figure 41: Agreement with statements related to social networking sites, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Affluent consumers spending less time on social networks
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- Figure 42: Agreement with the statement ‘I have cut down on my social media use in the last 12 months’, by social class, NI and RoI, January 2020
- Young consumers willing to pay to stop personal data being shared
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- Figure 43: Agreement with the statement ‘I would pay an annual fee to stop social networks sharing my personal data with companies’, by age, NI and RoI, January 2020
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Data sources
- Generational cohort definitions
- Abbreviations
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