When the first consumer decided to become a fan of a brand on the first social networking site they set marketers a challenge. What was such friendship worth to the brand? How did it help marketers and was it worth providing such fans with bespoke deals and content? In the years that have followed that first act of friendship, many marketers have struggled to answer those questions….
Syncapse conducted research into the value of a Facebook fan, analysing the actions and behaviour of fans and non-fans of twenty top consumer brands on Facebook;
Their research indicates strong findings that Facebook fans are more valuable customers and spend more on average than non-fans. Across the twenty brands examined, fans reported spending, on average, $71.84 per year more than respondents who were not fans. Research across all 20 brands studied indicated that Facebook fans were more loyal to the fanned brand than consumers who were not fans. On average, Facebook fans are 28% more likely to continue using a brand than non-fan consumers. Their research also showed that 68% of Facebook fans indicated that they are very likely to recommend a product, contrasted with 28% for non-fans. On average, Facebook fans were 41% more likely to recommend a product than their non-fan counterparts.
This research suggests that a large base of fans would result in an increase in consumers willing to participate in brand-based recommendations and discussions.
Looking at the impact of recommendations, it is clear that ‘fanning’ has a demonstrable impact on others; 38% of respondents reported that they would likely become a fan of a brand if they saw a family member or close friend do so.
WARC research has shown that internet users in the US are increasingly using Facebook to show their preference for companies. Their survey found that 75% spread positive feedback to friends and another 20% chose to ‘like’ the organisation concerned on Facebook. More specifically, 40% of participants typically signed up as a ‘fan’ on Facebook.
‘Likes’ are trumping reviews when it comes to sharing feedback. But this does not translate to Facebook being the first or only place consumers turn when deciding to try something or somewhere new. ‘Likes’ should be encouraged but a part of rounded marketing efforts to reach consumers across a variety of touchpoints.
Although there is evidence of the value of gaining fans on Facebook, the number of fans a brand has is not necessarily an effective measure of consumer engagement. It is important that marketers look beyond the simple number counts at their content. Having ‘fans’ on Facebook doesn’t mean that those fans are engaged with them – that is where the marketing should start. It is important to engage or reward consumers not just let them click ‘like’ and forget about them.
So a successful Facebook brand page is not necessarily one with a high number of fans. The most successful brand pages are those with regular posts, trustworthy brand news, new information, contests and special offers. Brands that are innovative and interactive on their pages are most likely to stand out from others. The fan pages that are doing it right are the ones that are actively engaging with their fans. These pages have creative content, two-way communication, active discussion boards, videos and images, and a fun and casual tone to match the medium.
My tips to a successful Facebook brand page:
• Engage with fans – remember the marketing begins, not ends, when they click the like button
• Reward fans
• Maintain regular posts to create a more lively community
• Offer genuine brand news and information
• Prompt user interaction with contests and special offers
• Provide creative content with videos and images
• Ensure communication is two-way with active discussion boards
• Make sure the tone of the page matches the medium, so fun and casual
• Carefully consider the timing of posts and updates – adapt to your consumers schedules in order to optimise their engagement
• Encourage brand conversation from influencers and advocates to their family and friends
Sources
’Value of a Facebook fan’, Syncapse Corp,
‘Facebook likes prove worth’, WARC
‘How to improve engagement on your brand’s Facebook page’ www.mashable.com
