In April 2010, Facebook changed the terminology of becoming a “Fan” of a Page (Pages are Facebook profiles for companies, celebrities, groups –ie brands) to “Like”ing a Page. There was lots of discussion about the change, but the end-result is that if someone wants to stay in touch with a brand – they just click a “Like” button.
Is this worth talking about? *Consider that for people who “Like” a brand on Facebook:
- 51% – likely to buy from the brands they engage with
- 60% – likely to recommend the brands they “Like”
- 49% – customers of the brand
These people are customers. Actively thinking of buying. And open to recommending.
These are exactly the people brands want to talk with and by understanding the motivations of these people, brands have a much greater chance of successfully connecting with them.
So what is the primary reason people “Like” brands on Facebook?
*CMB asked this question of 1,504 adults (aged 18 and over) nationally representative within the United States in February 2010. As illustrated in the chart above, most people are seeking to save money by keeping up with discounts and promotions. This is followed by being a customer, showing support for a brand and being entertained.
KEY THOUGHT: Your Page content needs to authentically respond to what people are seeking on Facebook.
Women vs. Men…
30% of Women “Like” a Page to receive a deal from a brand vs. 18% of men. Two thoughts on this.
- Women shop differently than men. They tend to look for the right answer, while men will find an answer that will work. This may be a manifestation of that tendency, afterall the economy effects both genders. (Fascinating topic to learn more read Why We Buy by Paco Underhill).
- Women control over 90% of consumer purchasing decisions in the US across categories. They do the vast majority of shopping for the household. It makes sense they would use Facebook as a way to be more savvy in purchasing.
23% of Men “Like” a Page to demonstrate support and affiliation for a brand vs. 15% of women.
- This may speak to men using social objects to connect around more so than women tend to. For example, think of the classic backyard BBQ. Men gather around the fire and talk about the fire (…and then other things) as a way of socializing. Women will sit down and share feelings and experiences while looking directly at each other. (This phenomenon is actually one of the foundational premises behind Harley Davidson’s marketing these days)
- This difference of joining a community for men is also shown below in the graph illustrating ALL the reasons a person “Like”s a Page. With 28% of men (vs. 20% of women) including “To be part of a community of like-minded people”.
The Challenge: Smart marketers will be struggling with how to maximize engagement with their people on Facebook in terms of both content creation and executing an authentically engaging brand experience.
“Mailing it in” or “winging “ your Facebook marketing results in irrelevant, boring and/or insulting spam content will not be “Liked” by anyone involved.
Worth a Visit: http://blog.cmbinfo.com
HM-2 blog 
