Study: Blogs More Influential Than Social Networks When Women Buy Consumer Electronics

Sixty-nine percent of American women online say they rely on advice they find on blogs when making consumer electronics purchases, versus only 53 percent that say they rely on social networks. That’s the conclusion of a recent survey sponsored by BlogHer, the female-oriented blog network.

The largest number of respondents (74%) said they most preferred to get information about products by visiting stores, suggesting that educating retail salespeople would be an important part of a consumer electronics marketer’s strategy. Next up (61%) was manufacturers’ websites. Consumer electronics review sites (51%) and blog reviews (48%) followed those sources, with social networks (29%), CE magazines (19%), mobile phone apps (15%) and Twitter (8%) trailing.

Where Do Women Prefer To Get Information About Consumer Electronics? (Image via BlogHer)

The study found that 79 percent of women respondents cited their mobile phone as indispensable, and 77 percent felt the same way about their computer or laptop. Only 29 percent said they couldn’t do without their TV.

These finding suggests that marketers seeking to reach women online should consider mobile marketing strategies, and consumer electronics marketers in particular should seek to influence via blogs covering products in their category.

The study also asked respondents what type of marketing approach would be most effective in making them look favorably at a consumer electronics brand. Finding it on a website, blog or forum they visit was cited by 52% of the online women. Forty-six percent would find a discount persuasive; while 28% said they’d be swayed by seeing the brand reviewed by a blogger they read regularly. Twenty-seven percent said they’d look favorably on a brand that supported a good cause, and 17% found donations to schools impressive.

The study was conducted online in December 2011, and results were derived from 565 completed surveys from seven markets — New York, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, San Diego, Denver and Portland.