The Outnet & Pulsar visualise how people share moments of “joy”

The Outnet's Social Media Study On Joy Provides Key Content Lessons For Brands

We teamed up with The Outnet to analyse 33 million social media posts related to the way in which consumers share moments of “joy” and “thrill”. One of the key findings was that we like to celebrate individuality, but also seek a sense of belonging and the ability to identify to a tribe or community.

The study covered The Outnet’s key markets; the UK, the US, Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the UAE, and found that people love to share their discoveries on social media, but want to belong within a digital community - with the main drivers of conversations being everyday beauty and personal growth.

As the world becomes more connected and the time spent on social networks increases, the way we use and communicate on these channels differs depending on your demographic make-up. In the study, we discovered the younger generations will turn to Snapchat to share open feelings, whereas older women will use different channels.

Selfies are the new status symbol

One-third of all the images we analysed were selfies, and often involved more than one person. What we found was surprising - rather than being solely about personal image or a means to draw attention to the creator, these images (when put in context) were about leaning towards individuals growth and development.

The idea of personal growth drove 49% of conversations: the way we talk about health no longer refers to dieting or exercise, but to mental and lifestyle choices. This is crucial as it can impact businesses at every level. Social media empowers and celebrates the idea of individuality, however, the study found that 31% of the conversations globally talk about the sense of belonging. The ability to connect with  digital tribes and communities on social media is just as important as individuality.

For brands or companies looking to find topics to connect with their audiences, the study shows that personal growth and wellbeing is a clear talking point. Organisations no longer need to just sell products, but they need to sell emotions, feelings, a lifestyle. As Andres Sosa, EVP of The Outnet, said: “Having these results available for the business will be a key focus point in helping to drive our communication strategy forward. We can create touch points in relation to these moments, ensuring what we offer as a brand truly replicates and resonates with [them].”

Experience vs material 

Our study also found that the idea of "joy" and "thrill" relates to experiences and discoveries. For example, people value the idea of travel so much more because they have greater things to share on social media.

We live in an era where for the first time consumers value experiences over material possessions. This is exaggerated when analysing millennials, who are the main drivers for experiences over material wealth.

The study is a reminder that consumers seek so much more than just a transaction, they want to be taken on a journey of discovery, experience new things and create meaningful relationships.

If you're interested in connecting with your audience by identifying their demographical make-up, understanding the main influencers, and knowing what the key topics of conversation are, we;d love to hear from you. Please send us an email on [email protected].