Social media campaign can swing 3-4% of votes: IAMAI study

The vote swingers can be predominantly young men and non-working women whose affiliation towards social media is high

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | October 9, 2013

The number of social media users in urban India would reach 86 million in October this year and 91 million by the end of the year, according to the report 'Social Media in India – 2013' by the Internet and Mobile Association Of India (IAMAI) and IMRB released yesterday. Social media users in urban India are expected to grow by 19 per cent between June and December this year. The report further found that 19.8 million users use mobile phones to access social media platforms in urban India.

Based on the number of eligible voters, data of actual voter turnout from the Election Commission of India and field interviews, the report estimates that there could be a vote swing of 3 per cent to 4 per cent in 24 states where the number of internet users is sizeable. The vote swingers can be predominantly young men and non-working women whose affiliation towards social media is high.

Talking to representatives of major political parties in India, the report also found that parties have earmarked around 2-5 per cent of their election budgets for social media. While political parties are gradually investing in social media, the corporate sector has long realised the importance of the medium. The corporate sector is spending nearly 13 per cent of their digital advertising budget on social media in FY2012-2013 against only 10 per cent in FY2011-12.

Predictably, the report finds that the highest proportion of social media usage in the Top 4 metros and non-metros was among the demographic segment 'Young Men' with 30 per cent and 26 per cent penetration levels, respectively.

Source: IAMAI-IMRB. Click on the image to enlarge.

Interestingly, the report finds that younger women are increasingly using social media, whereas, in the other metros and small metros, 'College Going Students' show the highest proportion of social media usage. The 'Working Women' demographic segment is observed as having the lowest proportion of social media usage in other, small & non-metros whereas they show a moderate proportion of social media usage in the Top 4 Metros.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Info@BestMediaInfo.com