$716 million question: Does Twitter spur sales? Research says yes, but some experts question numbers

摘要

It's a burning question for auto marketers on Twitter: Are our tweets influencing people to buy cars? Depends on whom you ask. Last week, for the first time, Twitter released data to quantify its total annual impact on sales. MarketShare, a marketing analytics company that has partnerships with global brands including Twitter, measured the direct and indirect effects that Twitter had on auto sales for more than 20 volume midsize and luxury compact cars. Twitter says the calculation also includes "broader media mix, and non-marketing factors that influence purchases such as vehicle price and the economy." So just how much are 140 characters worth? MarketShare concluded that in 2013 Twitter drove $716 million in auto sales among the measured nameplates through Twitter Ads, positive brand mentions, amplification of TV advertising and the Twitter activity of the automakers themselves. Luxury compact autos generated $17.80 in revenue for every $ 1 invested in Twitter promotion, while volume midsize cars generated $7.90 for each $1 invested, according to the research.