The Japan Direct Marketing Association (JADMA) recently conducted a survey as to how influential social networking services (SNS) are in Japan when it comes to online purchasing decisions.The survey collected information from 1,000 people between 15-69 years of age and monitored how their online buying behaviour was influenced by the advertisements displayed on social networking sites.

JADMA’s research found that with 48.1% Twitter’s advertisements influenced users consumer habits the most of all social networks included in the study, with Facebook following a close second with 41.8%, and Line with 27.9%.

The study also identified a clear difference between the behaviour of teenage users and respondents in their twenties. Teenage users were found more likely to be swayed by Twitter, whereas those in their twenties are more influenced by Facebook.

The complete overview of the study reads as follows:

Most respondents surveyed are trusting consumers who have already brought the product advertised (69.8%) or who listen to the opinion of friends and people they know (46%). Only after these two factors were respondents found to refer to industry professionals (37.3%) or strangers on SNS (36.2%).