Women have influence over men, and are not as easily swayed by marketing, a new survey suggests. The research was published in the journal Science and tracked the use of a Facebook application.
Women sent friends the notification that they had used the Facebook movie-rating app, and about 1 ½ times more of their male friends acted on the information than their female friends. The study showed overall that:
- Women exert 46% more influence over men than over other women
- Women are 12% less susceptible to influence than men
- Men are 49% more influential than women
Other influence factors were relationship status and age. Those whose relationship status showed as “single” or “married” are more than twice as influential among friends compared to those whose status is “in a relationship” or “it’s complicated.”
As far as age, it seems people still believe with age comes wisdom: those who are older than 31 are 51% more likely to influence friends than those who are younger than 18.
This study will not only help companies improve targeted Facebook marketing, but can also help them analyze other marketing campaigns.
In a Bloomberg Businessweek article, Paolo Parigi, an assistant professor of sociology at Stanford University stated that if a company singles out a group of males they could expand the reach of a certain message they are broadcasting. But more research needs to be done, since having strong personal connections with Facebook friends was a key to referral sales.
So if you are a woman, especially single or married and above 31, you have power over what your male Facebook friends will go after. Use that power wisely.
When it comes to your place of business, this research could be helpful to your marketing campaigns. Fahrenheit Marketing will be doing our part to keep it in mind as we work to make your company number one.