Not All Social Web Users Are Created Equal

March 6, 2012

The social web boasts more than 1 billion users and each is unique in countless ways. However interviews with users and observations on their activities help us create four broad categories to think about the styles by which they interact and the influence they have as shoppers and more. Part 3 of the new report on social networking from the

Coca‑Cola Retailing Research Council provides countless insights into these groups. The four groups are: bonders, sharers, professionals and creators and each brings different motivations and characteristics to the web.

Bonders, as their name suggests, love forming groups and building relationships. They were the fastest adapters to social networking and today are the most likely to use mobile devices to keep in touch with their networks no matter where or what they are doing.
Sharers love spreading the word on what they are doing including their shopping patterns. This group loves talking about their experiences, which makes them extra influential when it comes to spreading the word about products, services and stores.
Professionals use the web to build their network for both personal and work issues. They are a little more careful with their posts, but still like to offer and spread their opinions in a timely fashion. Their work-life balance reflects itself in the social web, as they are just as likely to use professional sites like LinkedIn as Facebook and Twitter.
Creators use the social web to launch their new ideas and express their eclectic thoughts on a variety of topics. They post content, watch videos, read blogs and more in their daily path through the web.

Additional details on the social using habits of all four groups came through loud and clear in interviews conducted by The Integer Group, the Colorado-based group running this new study for the Council. Get more insights on the four personality types and more in section 3 of this new study, which you can download at www.ccrrc.org under the tab markedNorth America.

Michael Sansolo

Research Director

Coca‑Cola Retailing Research Council of North America