Poland has around 22.5 million internet users, almost 60 percent of the population Shutterstock

Polish internet users are the seventh-most active users of social media in Europe, with 63 percent of them now logged on to networks like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, according to a Eurobarometer report published in June this year. This number is expected to rise, making social media an attractive ready-made platform from which companies can reach out to potential customers and advertise their products.

Firms that interact with their customers through social media can provide added value to their clients by keeping them abreast of news and events, new products and services, and with special offers. In return, consumers can then comment, link or tweet about their experiences with the firm, giving companies the brand exposure they are looking for.

A growing market

According to statistics website Internet World Stats, there were some 22.5 million internet users in Poland as of March 31 this year. That’s 58.4 percent of the country’s population. With broadband access being expanded and smartphones gaining in popularity, internet use in Poland is set to increase and interest in social media will likely follow suit. Pyramid Research, moreover, recently predicted that smartphones will account for 35 percent of total handset sell-through in Poland for full-year 2011.

Smartphones make social networking easier by providing users with internet access wherever they are. Applications (or apps) – the hallmark of smartphones – can also be used to engage in e-commerce.

For example, bar-code scanner apps allow consumers to scan products to find out information such as cost. In Poland, mobile operator Orange is launching technology that will allow its Polish clients to utilize Near Field Communications (NFC) technology to pay for purchases directly using their smartphones.

Smartphones have fueled the rise of location-based social networks, such as Foursquare and Gowalla, through which users share their location with friends. The services have taken off in countries like the UK and the US, and are expected to catch on in Poland relatively quickly. These services allow businesses to offer users special deals as soon as they walk through the door.

“Basically, you could walk into a Gap shop in Poland, register your presence there by checking in and then you can get a reply offering you a discount or giving you advice on what kind of shirt or blazer would go with the black jeans you intend to purchase,” said Curtis Hougland, founder of Attention, a New York-based social media marketing firm.

New order

So how aware are Polish firms of the power of social media?

“It is already the norm in Poland that firms want to be present on Facebook and other social media to show that they are modern and active. It is a normal part of advertising today, as obvious as being in the yellow pages 10 years ago,” said Izabella Anuszewska, an internet market expert at advertising research agency Millward Brown SMG/KRC.

“Most firms just use these media to keep their clients informed of the latest happenings concerning their company and their products, but some are more inventive and hold contests or online surveys where you can win something – [firms do] anything just to involve the client,” she added.

Recent data suggest Polish firms are becoming increasingly aware of the commercial potential of social media.

In 2010, PR and marketing experts representing 71 Polish companies from various industries took part in a survey called the “Social Media Brand Index.” Eighty-six percent of those polled said they used Facebook as a promotional tool; 60 percent said that thanks to social media they had strengthened dialogue with their customers, and 67 percent said that social media had helped them build greater brand loyalty among their customers.

“An increasing number of marketers see real benefits in using social media: an increase in brand awareness, in brand loyalty and increased traffic on their website. I think the survey conducted in 2011 will show further growth of the trend in this direction,” said Piotr Krawiec, head of Praktycy.com, a public relations and marketing company.