Frequency of Posts, Unwanted Contact Discourage Likes On Company Pages on Facebook

A recent study by Lab42 found social media users who don’t like brands on Facebook are primarily deterred by newsfeed clutter (47%), while many don’t want to be contacted (36%) or are concerned about their privacy (30%). A total of 73% of users unliked Facebook Pages that posted too frequently since it 'filled up their news feed'.  March 2012 survey results from Chadwick Martin Bailey (CMB) and Constanct Contact similarly found that over communication was a leading turnoff for Facebook users.

Deals Drive Likes More Than Loyalty

Overall, the Lab42 study finds that 87% of the social media users surveyed like brands on Facebook. When asked their biggest motivator for doing so, these respondents cited promotions and discounts most often (34%), followed by free giveaways (21%). Loyalty and brand trust were cited by 14% and 11% respectively. 77% of respondents who liked brands reported having saved money as a result of their likes.

Still, 46% have liked a brand from which they had no intention of buying. Asked why, 52% of this segment reported having liked the brand for a free item, while 46% said they couldn’t afford the products, and 24% that they liked the brand to help out a friend.

Even so, most social media users appear to truly wish to connect with brands via Facebook. Of those who like brands, 82% believe that Facebook is a good place to interact with those brands. 3 in 4 feel more connected to the brand on Facebook, and 35% feel that the brands listen to them on Facebook. This preference for engagement on Facebook is supported by June results from an Allstate/National Journal survey, which found that 64% of social media users want to see an increase in companies using social media to respond to customer questions and complaints.

Embarrassment Discourages Likes

The Lab42 survey also finds that some product categories discourage likes. 22% of respondents reported having been too embarrassed to like a certain brand, most often in the categories of adult novelties, weight loss products and health and wellness products.

The results reveal that the leading ways by which brands can get users to like them on Facebook are through more giveaways; posting less often; and letting consumers hide the fact that they like the brand.

But, brands may see little value from that engagement, particularly from young social network users. April 2012 survey results from a group of professors showed that almost 7 in 10 Millennials who like a brand on Facebook rarely or ever return to the page, while a February 2012 report from Ehrenberg-Bass Institute revealed that just 1% of Facebook users who like big brands such as Procter & Gamble or Coca-Cola actually engage with those brands.

Social Marketing, engagement and optimization must be done properly to be effective.  Contact the Social Marketing Experts and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) consultants at Internet Builder Consulting and Social Marketing Builders to build better online marketing for your business 816-842-7774