Millennials: Social media crucial; Instagram is ‘must-have’ app

New York -- Social media delivers more than wish-list window shopping — it is, essentially, a social-purchasing path for young women that leverages each platform's strength and point of engagement to enhance the shopping process, according to a survey by Teen Vogue. And according to respondents, the future belongs to Instagram. It is the platform most cited as the one that "everyone will be talking about next year," and the clear must-have app this year.



The “Seeing Social" survey reveals that for Millennials, social media is a path within a path to buy — the multichannel shopper now uses social media to do more than just share. She actively participates in the content created not just by peers but also by marketers to inform her purchasing decisions.



Eighty-five percent of respondents have been driven to purchase something after seeing it on a social media network — but the storefront of a posting is just the beginning. Young women take a three-part path on social before transaction:



1. See It: Instagram is the number one platform that inspires respondents to purchase.



2. Search It: When respondents find a fashion or beauty brand they like on social media, they search YouTube videos of how best to wear or apply the product (52%).



3. Shop It: Before purchase, they engage in "comparison shopping" on social media platforms. By platform, top behaviors include the following:



• Find additional product images: Pinterest (48%)

• Read reviews and recommendations: YouTube (43%)

• Seek out sales/deals: Facebook (36%)