It's established that social networks are a major player when it comes to consumer outreach. The jury is still out, however, on the best way to wield these tools.
A study done by research firm Psychster suggests that sponsored content ads -- a page that is "brought to you by" a brand -- lead to the most consumer engagement, yet result in the least purchase intent. The study also found that viewers are more likely to purchase if they can become a "fan" and are allowed to add logos to their own pages.
Another suggestion was that viewers were fond of "give and get" widgets, in which they customize and exchange a digital item. Psychster considered this method to be more engaging than traditional banner ads, but said it did not improve consumer purchase intent.
Psychster designed a multivariate online experimental survey to produce its results, with participants ranking ads on a five-point scale, reports MediaPost. In terms of purchase intent, there was a tie between widgets and pages in which fans could become a fan. Both of these methods scored a 3.8. Sponsored content ads, which led the pack in engagement, scored a 3.3.
