Who Runs the World [on Social Media]? Girls.

It’s probably not a surprise to anyone to learn the way men and women use social media varies quite a bit.  While men frequently turn to social media for business reasons, women often feel more comfortable revealing information about their personal lives online, leading to more expressive posts and interactions.  For businesses and dealerships who reach these consumers, this means women are open to sharing their experiences and recommendations with their online social circles.  According to brandwatch, 76% of women are online, which gives you a large audience when it comes to networking and getting your brand story shared.

Not only are men and women completely different creatures outside the social media world, they can also be generally broken into two distinct groups according to their online social behaviors as well.  While women tend to go online for social reasons—to stay in touch, to reach out, and to connect with family and friends—it’s important not to discount them as valuable online contacts for your business.  According to a recentPew study, not only do women spend more time on social media networks, they are also more likely to interact with brands online.  In fact, once online, 54% of say they have shown support for brands, and 53% have accessed a brand offer via social media.

What Women Want

This is the eternal question, and most of us would say we don’t really have the answer—however, when it comes to social media, we can come pretty close!  Not only do the myriad social media sites women are dominating today offer a reasonable amount of control regarding when, where, and to whom users are speaking, they also offer a platform for women to discuss topics that are relevant and interesting to them.  From business to shopping to childcare, and everything in between, today’s busy women are able to interact with friends, make purchases, and voice opinions in an efficient and relatively safe way.  They can connect with people both near and far, find their favorite brands, get great deals, and share what’s going on with their families—all in one convenient spot.  There’s no place comparable to social media that can offer all those things.

The Women of Social Media

There is strength in numbers, and the numbers prove that women in social media are a powerful force.  Those considered“The Women of Social Media” spend one hour or more every week on social media sites, with high-ranking enjoyment levels.  Highly influential, these women say they enjoy their activities on social media as much as—or slightly more than—other social activities.  When businesses work to gain the trust of these women, they can be the best online social brand advocates because of their influence and reach.

Just about every social media platform is dominated by women.  With Facebook and Pinterest leading the charge, there are many others that shouldn’t be ignored.  Although Twitter started off as a male-dominated platform, it is now tilting toward the woman-dominated side, with female users outnumbering males by 6 percent.  In looking at online social sites, it’s easy to let numbers and percentages pile up and blur together, but there is one number that can’t be ignored.  The spending power of women is astronomical and can’t be ignored by businesses that hope to be successful.  It is imperative that businesses know where women are shopping and what they are interested in.  If they are shopping online via social networks, and if they are getting their advice and information about products online, that is where businesses need to be.

Women currently account for 85% of all consumer purchases—everything from automobiles to printer paper is purchased by women, and smart marketers and businesses are studying their movements.  With a whopping $5 TRILLION in spending power annually, it’s time to pay attention to the ladies; so get online, make friends, and get noticed.

All of this is to say that although both men and women have a strong presence in social media, savvy businesses need to pay attention to the presence and power of women online.  An large group of influencers with mega purchasing power, women have the ability to spread the word about brand, share information regarding their preferences, and offer up opinions that reach substantial markets.  76% of women are using social media to get things done—and that’s what you should be doing, too!