Are social media icons impacting your online business’ bottom line? A joint study from the University of Miami School of Business Administration, Empirica Research and StyleCaster Media Group reveals that consumers are subconsciously affected by these ubiquitous buttons. Users who viewed items they would be proud to show off — such as sportswear or fragrances — were 25 percent more likely to purchase those products when a social icon was present. However, consumers who saw a social media icon near a product that might embarrass them — such as a weight-loss product or acne medication — were 25 percent less likely to buy the product. The buttons had the same impact on users regardless of whether or not they remembered seeing them, supporting the theory that the decision-making processes were subconscious rather than conscious.

Read more 'Net Briefs from the May 2012 issue of Website Magazine: New and Improved iPad - Mobile App Watch - Twitter Ads on the Go - Startups to Watch - Lost in Translation - Bing's Organic Phase  - Acquisitions and Milestones  - It's About Time(line)  - OpenStack Opens Up - A Patented Conflict - Girl Power - The Hacker Way