[Date:04-26-2012] Social Media
Companies in China should decide how they want to harness the power of social media to drive their business, as the country has the largest and most active population of social media users in the world, according to a report released in Shanghai yesterday by global management consultants McKinsey & Company.
95 percent of the 5,799 Internet users surveyed by McKinsey had an account with a social media service. By December 2011, China had 513 million Internet users, and more than 50 percent of Chinese users spend more than 12 hours a week online.
Social media influences consumer purchasing patterns, and has therefore become a critical channel for companies looking to engage Chinese consumers more effectively.
