Social media guide for Ireland

Social Media Guide for Ireland
Social Media Guide for Ireland

Social media guide for Ireland

Internet penetration in Ireland is very high and in 2012 such as social media. It was estimated to be  about 80 %, with over 3,5 million internet users, according to Internet World Stats. In particular, use of the social sedia on internet by smart phones is high. According to a study undertaken by Accenture, Irish Mobile users are much more likely to use the social media on internet through their mobile devices than users in most other countries. Mobile devices such as phones, netbooks and tablets are used by over 77 % of Irish internet users, compared to a global average of 69%.

The people of Ireland are  amongst the heaviest users of social media websites in Europe. According to some polls, the numbers who use social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are not currently growing  – and may even be in decline. However, the overwhelming trend is that more people use social networks than do not.

Statistics at the beginning of 2013, suggest that the most popular social media website in Ireland is Facebook (53% have a Facebook account) followed by Twitter (15 %), LinkedIn (13%) and Google+ (also 13%).

Facebook, with over 2 million Irish members has the highest usage of any social media site, with 50 per cent of users saying they log in daily. The vast majority of people use Facebook to stay in touch with people they do not see daily. The second largest group of users are people who want to see friends’ photos, and the last group of about a third are interested in playing online games. Besides, on a more professional level, people in Ireland use LinkedIn to  stay in touch with their networks, to browse jobs and to recruit staff. Moreover, Irish recruitment is increasingly being carried out on Linkedin. Ireland currently does not have the skilled IT workforce to fill all available positions. Therefore, in order to find foreign employees, employers are using LinkedIn to recruit.

YouTube has over 1.3 million regular Irish users, which accounts for  about 400 million average views per month. Also, LinkedIn has about 600,000 Irish users and Twitter has nearly 200,000 with a third of users checking their accounts daily.

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Private people

The Passport to Trade 2.0 project survey had difficulties collecting primary data using social media in Ireland. This in itself suggests that people are less likely to share data online when asked to participate in online surveys. Therefore, the main recommendations given here are based on secondary sources and the observations of the Passport to Trade advisors. As with other European social media users, significant variations in their preferences of social media exist amongst the different age groups.

Over three quarters of adults (77%) in Ireland make use of the internet for personal purposes and there is almost a universal use of the internet from home. An overwhelming majority of those who use the internet for personal reasons , have a broadband connection (96%). DSL is the main type of internet connection used by those who subscribe to the internet privately. Nearly 3 in 10 people use a mobile internet connection, and 1 in 10 use cable or other wireless connection.

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SMEs

The Passport to Trade 2.0 project survey of  SMEs, had difficulties collecting primary data using social media, this was similar to the student survey.

Secondary sources suggest that the social media user for business purposes in Ireland is probably low given that two thirds of users do to maintain contact with friends and family. Surveys show that using these platforms for business is not something that as yet is being embraced by most social media users. Not many Irish business websites have integrated  social media share and action buttons on their main websites to encourage social media engagement with their consumers.

Candidate manager, the e-recruitment software solutions firm, conducted a survey which showed that up to 14% of people surveyed use social media sites to search for talent. Of those who use online options, LinkedIn was the most popular network at 92% while 43% use Facebook and 32% use Twitter. The research also indicated that more companies now create a company page on Facebook (77%) than on LinkedIn (66%). More than 90% of Irish non-profit organisations use social media, according to survey.

The SME & Corporate ICT research H1 2010 report indicated that in general, 92% of Irish businesses have internet access. There has been a small decrease in access among SMEs recently. The research also shows that Internet access is lowest among retail businesses and the hotels and restaurant sectors.

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Search and Social Media Marketing for International Business

Learn how to use social media for business from one of Salford Business School’s latest business management courses. The course was jointly researched by the Passport to Trade 2.0 project team and prepared in collaboration with some of the leading digital marketing agencies in the UK.

This Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) can help businesses and individuals to make the best use of search and social media platforms. The course is called Search and Social Media Marketing for International Business and is applicable to students looking for placements abroad as well as businesses thinking about new trade links; it comprises the following twelve topics:

Before you start the course please complete this short MOOC entrance survey.

How to develop a personal brand online (1/12)

  • Whether you are a student beginning a job search or a business person planning a new business venture, personal branding can make a difference.
  • Learn about personal branding and why it is important for you.

How to use Twitter (2/12)

  • Learn the basics of using Twitter to develop an individual or business profile.
  • Remember to use hash tag #SSMMUoS to share your learning journey on this course so far!

How to use Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) (3/12)

  • Learn the principles of SEO to ensure that your website and any social media profiles are found by individuals searching for your name, products and services.
  • These basic principles of SEO include keyword research, on-page optimisation and off-page optimisation.

How to use social media for international business development (4/12)

  • Social media networks break down the traditional country barriers, but do you know which networks are relevant for the country you are interested in trading with?
  • Find out in this video how to identify the relevant networks and what social media strategies you might be able to use on these networks.

How to use Facebook (5/12)

  • Facebook is currently the largest social media network in the world and it can benefit you as a business as well as an individual.
  • Learn how to develop a Facebook business page and see how other businesses use it and what strategies work for them.

How to use YouTube (6/12)

  • YouTube was identified as the second largest social network amongst younger internet users as part of the Passport to Trade 2.0 project.
  • Learn how to optimise your video content in order to reach wider audiences for your profile.

How to use LinkedIn (7/12)

  • LinkedIn is one of the three main professional social networks – the others being Xing and Viadeo which are also popular in several European countries.
  • Learn how to make the most of LinkedIn for your profile.

How to use Google+ (8/12)

  • Google+ is the second largest social network as of January 2013.
  • It is one of the fastest growing social networks and one that has the biggest impact when it comes to search engine results integration for anyone who uses Google as their main search engine.
  • Learn how to make the most of Google+ for you and your digital profiles.

How to use copywriting online (9/12)

  • Copywriting is a process of translating technical specifications and product descriptions into engaging and understandable customer focused text.
  • Learn about the basic techniques in structuring your online content here.

How to stay legal on social media (10/12)

  • Everything and anything you do and say online can be potentially viewed by anyone who has internet access.
  • Always respect the law and familiarise yourself with new options offered to you through a creative commons licence which is popular online.

How to use monitoring and reporting (11/12)

  • Whether you are an individual or a business spending time on social media – there has to be a return on your engagement online.
  • How do you justify your engagement on social media to your boss? Listen to the industry experts in this area and see what you might be able to measure in respect of your on-line engagements.

How to blog (12/12)

  • Blogging is a process of writing text and sharing content with others. It can help your customers or friends to keep in-touch regardless of social media platforms.
  • Think about the voice you might want to adopt and who your audience might be. Share your thoughts with us by writing a blog post about this MOOC.
  • Tweet us the link to your post on the #SSMMUoS Twitter hash tag.

Please complete the MOOC exit survey.

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