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Social media influence on holiday sales greater than ever

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November 29, 2019

This holiday season will reveal a greater influence from social media when it comes to consumer purchases, according to a Dynata study commissioned by Smartly.io, a social media advertising automation platform. The research found 48% of U.S. consumers will consider purchasing products promoted in social media ads, according to a press release on the findings.

The study reported 57% of holiday shoppers believe social media ads help them source new gift ideas, and of those who plan to purchase, 40% are likely to spend at least $50.

"Brands have a tremendous opportunity to leverage social media ads this holiday season for authentic storytelling that will drive more revenue during the most critical time of year," said Robert Rothschild, VP and global head of marketing for Smartly.io, in the release. "Consumers are flocking to highly visual platforms like Instagram and Facebook as new marketplaces to find holiday gifts — and they expect digital ads they encounter there to blend seamlessly into their browsing and shopping experience."

Additional findings include:

• 61% expect to see the most relevant holiday ads on Facebook or Instagram, with Google's video giant, YouTube, in second place (15%).
• Of those who have purchased holiday gifts via social media ads, 76% have done so via Facebook or Instagram.
• Twitter and Snapchat are barely on the radar with consumers indicating they are least likely to find gifts on those platforms this year.