nRelate: People aren't clicking on socially shared content

The Behavior Shift: Getting Content in Front of Consumers report finds that three-quarters of Americans aren't engaging with content because a friend shared it on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Instead, they are clicking onto search query results (48%) and links at the bottom or articles they're read (28%). This trend shift is also true for consumers looking for product information. Fewer are clicking because of links on Facebook while more are purchasing because of information on the manufacturer site (44%), because of search engine results (31%) or expert commentary (28%).

For both content consumption and product information, those who click because of Facebook links is 10% or under.

Researchers studied more than 2,000 content consumers (October 2012) to come to their results.

"No single search engine or website is the sole gateway to content discovery," said Neil Mody, CEO of nRelate. "Today it's a fragmented, highly contextual, often serendipitous process. Yet there's no arguing good content is in high demand: consumers spend more than seven hours a week actively looking for it, viewing up to four articles and three videos per session on average. Content creators and marketers should pay special attention to this evolving behavior to maximize their visibility and reach."

On the plus side, most Americans are actively looking for content. According to the report 92% of US adults spend at least 7 hours per week looking for content and these readers engage with at least three articles per viewing session.

What's a brand to do when people aren't engaging through social shares? Researchers' suggestions tomorrow from nRelate.

Tags: content consumption trends, nRelate, social marketing, social sharing