Where the Conversations Really Take Place

Where do conversations take place? You may be surprised to learn that 90 percent of conversations occur offline and the remaining 10 percent online. Despite the hype surrounding social media and the heavy use of Facebook and Twitter, the fact is that only a minimal amount of all conversations occur on social media sites! This research comes from the Keller Fay Group, a word of mouth marketing and research firm.

So why the huge gap in numbers? Studies reveal that although 83 percent of the online population says they use social media, less than 5 percent are frequent users and contributors of information.

Additionally, a study conducted by Sysomos found that 75 percent of all Twitter activity comes from only 5 percent of users. When you consider these numbers, the 90:10 offline-online word of mouth ratio makes sense.

Although social media channels remain an alternative venue for conversations, the vast majority of those conversations – and the ones that are highly influential in making purchasing decisions and sharing experiences – are really happening at the office water cooler or in the lunch room.