African-Americans hype brands offline.

Viral efforts need to include the real world.

Most people use word of mouth, either giving or receiving advice about brands. But influencers, who have sway over others and often engage with multiple audiences, are especially attractive to marketers who want to spread brand news quickly.

Consumer influencers from all sections of US society spend similar amounts of time online. However, African-American influencers appear to spend significantly more time than those from other demographic groups talking with family, friends and co-workers. This was one of the to conclusions reached in a December 2007 Burson Marsteller-sponsored study, conducted by MSI.

African-American consumers influencers are especially well-networked. According to the study, each individual in this segment speaks to an average of 56 people every day. That is 40% more people than the African-American population as a whole, and 20% more than US influencers overall.

The Burson-Marsteller study also revealed specific types of endeavor that were particularly appealing to African-American influencers. Philanthropy toward the African-American community rated very highly, as did well-regarded spokespeople.

African-American influencers were also more engaged by product placements and text messages than were influencers overall.

Influential African-Americans spent somewhat less time interacting online than influencers overall, but read more news online and shopped online somewhat more.

African-American consumers overall spend more time exposed to media than the general population, according to a Media Audit study conducted between January 2006 and April 2007.

The study, which examined time spent with radio, TV, newspapers, billboards and the Internet on a typical day, showed that African-American consumers spent an average of 692 minutes a day with these media, compared with the average of 608 minutes a day for the whole population.

Online African-Americans are also spending more time on the Web. The Media Audit found that, on a typical day in 2007, African-Americans spent an average of 117 minutes online, compared with 68 minutes a year earlier. That was a 72% jump.

So while African-American influencers may prefer to spread the word about brands in person, it makes sense to ensure they can find brand information online.

Courtesy of http://www.emarketer.com