by Dhara Naik
Today marks the last day of Social Media Week, a global effort where thought leaders from New York City to Tokyo come together and share best practices on emerging media. This year, more than ever, I found myself paying attention to events that discussed global strategy. As social media continues to pave the way businesses now communicate with their fans, there are three factors that brands should consider when creating a strategy to drive customer acquisition around the world.
Popular Social Networks
Once you decide that you’re taking your social media efforts global, you might think that Facebook is the best place to get started. Though you’ll reach a massive worldwide audience, it may not be effective in reaching the communities that love your brand. In Brazil, for instance, Orkut is more popular than Facebook; this is similar to Japan, where Facebook is not as popular either.
After you’ve determined which social networks are prominent among your brand’s audience, it’s important to understand what people do on these social networks and develop a strategy that’s unique to each region.
Pinterest is currently all the rage and might seem like a great social network to implement worldwide, but communities around the globe are using it differently. In a recent infographic comparing U.S. and U.K. Pinterest users, most Pinterest users in the U.K. are male while most users in the U.S. are female. What’s very interesting is how each country is utilizing Pinterest. While interior design and fashion are among the most popular topics in the United States, popular topics in the U.K. include SEO & Marketing and Venture Capital. So a fashion brand that might see great success engaging with fans in the United States may see completely different results in the U.K. market.
Mobile Use
We live in a very mobile world these days, and it’s important to understand how your fans around the globe engage with you. In India and China for instance, where mobile phone use is so prevalent, a mobile dominated social strategy is a great way to interact with 
your audience. Similarly, a recent study by Portland Communications and Tweetminster showed that 57% of tweeters in Africa are posting via mobile devices. In markets like this, much like the United States, it makes sense to invest more dollars in mobile advertising, applications, and- of course- social commerce.
Cultural Norms
The last and perhaps most integral part of developing your global strategy is understanding consumer purchase behavior via social media. For instance, do your neighbors purchase things based on a recommendation from a friend, or do they like to do their own research and then buy a product? In some cultures, shopping is a family affair, meaning that everyone plays a role in the decision making process. In other parts of the world, reading rave reviews on Amazon is the norm and purchasing decisions are made quickly. Depending on where your neighbors are in the consideration process, your strategy should be based on cultural norms.
Social media continues to give us access to real-time information from around the world, and with this growth, it’s important to think about your neighbors outside of the United States, as brands continue to acquire new customers around the world.
What are some other factors you consider when developing a global social media strategy?
