For the last century, brands have played a pivotal role in our shopping experiences. But now they are also playing a significant role in our online interactions, and this infographic from Planning Pod shows just how influential branding has become on the Web.

For example, 1 in 5 tweets is brand related. 65.5% of blog readers say a brand mention within the context of a blog influences their purchasing decisions. 22% of social media users bought a brand because a friend “liked” or followed the brand on a social media site or network.

And this doesn’t just apply to big brands but to smaller ones as well. However, small businesses often don’t have the resources to launch or support large online branding campaigns, so this infographic also provides some helpful tips on how a small business can build their brand presence via the Web.

Source: Planning Pod Blog