GLOBAL: Seven in ten online consumers around the world have shared some sort of content on social media sites in the past month according to new research.

Ipsos OTX, the global innovation centre for market research firm Ipsos, polled 18,150 respondents in 24 countries and found that just 29% had not shared any content during the previous month.

By far the most popular item to share was pictures, with 43% indicating they had done so. This was followed by 'my opinion', status updates of what they were doing and links to articles, all cited by 26% of respondents

Likes and recommendations were mentioned by 25%, news items by 22%, while links to other websites and reposts from other people's social media posts were both referred to by 21%.

Some 19% had posted status updates of what they were feeling (19%), 17% had shared video clips, and 9% their plans for future activities.

Geographically, consumers in Turkey were the most likely to indicate they had shared content online, with 93% of respondents from there having done so.

Other highly engaged content sharers included Mexico (89%), Brazil (88%), India (88%), Indonesia (88%), Argentina (86%), South Africa (86%) and China (85%).

Among the mid-range content sharers were Russia (79%), Saudi Arabia (78%), Spain (75%), Hungary (83%), South Korea (73%), Italy (71%), Poland (64%) and Sweden (64%).

Further down were the most developed countries of Australia (63%), Belgium (62%), the United States (60%), Canada (59%), Great Britain (58%), France (49%), Germany (44%) and Japan (30%).

Ipsos OTX also broke the data down demographically. Global averages indicated that those under the age of 35 (81%) were most likely to share content, ahead of the older age groups of 35-to-49 year olds (69%) and 50-to-64 year olds (55%). Women (74%) were also more likely to share than men (69%).

A high level of education (74%) indicated a slightly greater propensity to share than those with low and medium levels (both 70%). Similarly income had a marginal effect with high income respondents (73%), sharing more than those on a medium income (71%) or low income (69%).

In a related development, Warc is currently accepting entries for the Warc Prize for Social Strategy, a global competition with a $10,000 prize fund, to find the best examples of social ideas that drive business results.

The Prize, which is free to enter and open to clients and agencies in any discipline, will look for examples of marketing or communications strategies that inspire social effects (conversation, sharing, participation or advocacy) and also a measurable business impact.

Data sourced from Ipsos OTX; additional content by Warc staff