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What Motivates Facebook Users To ‘Like’ A Brand’s Page?

Guest post by: Keredy Stott

Article Overview: The primary target for companies who have a presence on Facebook is to continually acquire new fans. It is hoped that through engagement with these followers, their friends may also be tempted to like the brand and all of the hard work will result in uplift in sales of the business' product or service. However, why do people choose to ‘like' a particular brand and how do you encourage Facebook users to follow your page? One of the UK's leading social media agencies, Punch Comms, has looked at some recent research and compiled the following advice to assist companies to develop a strategy for fan acquisition.

What Motivates Facebook Users To ‘Like’ A Brand’s Page?

The primary target for companies who have a presence on Facebook is to continually acquire new fans. It is hoped that through engagement with these followers, their friends may also be tempted to like the brand and all of the hard work will result in uplift in sales of the business' product or service. However, why do people choose to ‘like' a particular brand and how do you encourage Facebook users to follow your page? One of the UK's leading social media agencies, Punch Comms, has looked at some recent research and compiled the following advice to assist companies to develop a strategy for fan acquisition. A recent survey undertaken by ExactTarget and CoTweet found that the top reason people follow a brand's Facebook page is to receive discount or promotion information, with 40% of users liking a page for this reason. To capitalise on this public view, companies should consider developing exclusive Facebook promotions or regular offers, for example a weekly discount on a particular product if it is purchased by a particular date. It is important to note that competitions are a slightly different acquisition tool as this requires the follower to undertake an action and however simple this may be it may be one step too much for some users to be bothered with, often it depends on the prize on offer.

The research also revealed that 39% of people become fans to show their support for a brand to others. This is particularly interesting as it implies that some users may not follow a business' Facebook page because of their brand loyalty but it could be to pursue a trend or impress their social media friends. If this is the case, it poses a challenge to small companies who don't possess a big name. However, the statistic could also mean that Facebook users like a page because they want to share their knowledge of a particular company they have used and have been happy with the product or service. Businesses should take advantage of a loyal customer base and encourage these people to connect with them at any suitable point of contact. This could be via an e-shot, a leaflet given out in-store or included when a product is mailed to the customer, or telling people about the existence of the page in person or on the phone should always be considered. Highlighting the benefits, such as special discounts, could also sway existing clients or consumers to like a page.

Other findings include, 34% want to stay informed about the activities of the company, 33% want to get updates on future products and 21% want just to learn more about the company. It is therefore important to keep followers informed about these matters. Don't forget to publicise partnerships with other businesses, introduce your staff for a personal touch, reveal new product lines and incorporate teasers during the run up to big announcements if appropriate. Also, with the consent of clients or customers, boast about what they have to say about you and, of course, always ensure the company's profile information is up to date including a prominent link to the website and Twitter feed.

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Article Tags: Facebook, fan acquisition, social media
Referred by: http://www.punchcomms.com



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