Subscribers, fans and followers: The meaning of Like. Report 10 (Exact Target) - SEP11

INTRODUCTION OveRvIew: The meaNINg Of “lIke”
SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS is an Since the beginning of time, scholars and philosophers have searched for the meaning
ongoing research series that sets aside theories, of life. And for well over a year now, marketers have similarly been trying to unlock the
assumptions, and widely held beliefs to deliver meaning of “Like.”
new insights and actionable advice about
consumers’ cross-channel preferences and But first things first. What exactly is a Facebook “Like?”
behaviors. These unique reports draw on the When ExactTarget first began the SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS series in 2010,
experience of real consumers as they interact consumers could interact with brands on Facebook by becoming a “Fan.” In April 2010,
with brands through Email, Facebook, and Facebook replaced its “Become a Fan” functionality with “Like.” In rolling out this change,
Twitter, collected through extensive research, Facebook provided the following explanation:
focus groups, and online surveys.

To date, SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS Introducing the Like button
has explored why and how consumers engage– Starting today, people will be able to connect with your Page by clicking “Like” rather than “Become
and disengage—with brands across the most a Fan.” We hope this action will feel much more lightweight, and that will increase the number of
popular interactive marketing channels: Email, connections made across the site.
Facebook, and Twitter. We’ve identified the
unique characteristics of each channel and
shared key strategies for building an effective, Although the terminology changed, the core functionality remained the same. Whether
integrated marketing program. We’ve also consumers were becoming fans or simply clicking “Like,” the essential purpose was to
analyzed the “mobile revolution” and how it’s establish a connection with the brand, and the connection was announced through a story
changing the landscape of interactive marketing. in the consumer’s News Feed. This change also brought greater consistency to the site, as
consumers were already accustomed to using the “Like” button for status updates, links,
In this report, we’ll take a deep dive into and other content posted by their friends.
Facebook’s “Like” feature, including:

• How consumers use “Like” within
Facebook and on other sites

• What consumers expect after they
“Like” a page on Facebook

• How marketers are “getting it right”—
and wrong—on Facebook

Perhaps most importantly, we’ll explore whether
marketers should be interpreting “Like” as
permission to market to their fans, and provide
actionable advice for deepening the customer
relationship that begins with a simple “Like.”

2 © 2011 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com/sff

vs.

FAN VS. “Like” • Only 42% of active Facebook users agree that marketers should
interpret “Like” to mean they are a fan or advocate of the company
The flip side of this “more lightweight,” consistent terminology is
increased ambiguity. Being a fan carries a certain implication of • The other 58% are either indecisive (33%) or disagree with this
affinity, brand loyalty… maybe even a hint of devotion. It’s hard to statement (25%)
say the same thing about “Like.”
Ultimately, the usefulness of the Facebook “Like” will be measured
In fact, according to a Mashable report at the time of the switch, in terms of both the quantity and the quality of the brand interactions
people were clicking “Like” almost twice as many times each day as it drives. Brands are undoubtedly connecting with a larger number of
they were becoming fans—an indicator that “Like” was viewed as consumers on Facebook as a result of being “Liked,” but the value,
a less significant endorsement. Our own research in May 2011 also depth, and duration of those new relationships is questionable.
supports the idea that “Like” isn’t quite the same as being a fan.

Only 42% of active Facebook 58% are either indecisive
users agree that marketers should (33%) or disagree with this
interpret “Like” to mean they are statement (25%).
a fan or advocate of the company.
© 2011 ExactTarget | www.ExactTarget.com/sff 3

DO YOU “lIke” me?
The first stirrings of young love are confusing, fragile, and completely The most common of these are related to posts by friends, followed by
unique to each individual. Some adolescent couples spend days—or even clicking the “Like” button on sites outside of Facebook. Use of “Like” is
weeks—holding hands in the hallways and sneaking kisses in the coat less frequent with regard to company pages or posts made by companies.
room. Others are “boyfriend and girlfriend” in name only, enjoying the
At the time this report was published (September 2011), Facebook is
status that coupledom affords without any actual conversation or physical
in the process of phasing out the “Share” feature. Our survey results
contact.
indicate that use of the “Share” feature is relatively uncommon—
In much the same way, there is no universal understanding of “Like,” although some people would rather “Share” stories related to politics or
because it depends entirely on the individual user and the context in which natural disasters (when “Like” seems inappropriate), they find little value
the “Like” button is used. in having a separate button for sharing when it’s so easy to just copy and
paste these items into a status update. Thus the loss of “Share” will likely
Overall, 93% of Facebook users (or approximately 60% of the US online
pass without much notice.
population) engage in some form of “Like” behavior at least monthly.


mONThlY faCebOOk
“lIke” aCTIvITIes
52% ook “Like”
Wondering how consumers
use the “Like” button?

74%
Click a Facebother site
button on an blog, brand Here’s a snapshot.
(e.g. news site,, etc.)
website
“Like” something posted by
a FRIEND on Facebook

45%
44% “Like” a COMPANY
Facebook page
“Like” something posted
by a COMPANY
on Facebook

N=626 active Facebook users who say they have “Liked” at least one brand

“Sometimes it’s like saying to your friends, ‘I’m hip, I like cool
companies.’ Sometimes I ‘Like’ companies to get news about new
product releases. A while ago, I ‘Liked’ Apple iTunes because they gave
out free music. So discounts are also a big deal.” —Antoinette (Female, age 43)

The meaNINg Of “lIke”
fOR fRIeNDs
“Like” has many different meanings and can be used in different ways. The
meaning of “Like” is highly dependent on the context in which the “Like button
appears. Our survey respondents told us that, with regard to posts by their friends,
“Like” is a quick way to express approval for a specific piece of content (status,
picture, etc.)—it’s casual and doesn’t require any real thought or consideration.

“It’s only a vague way to communicate how I feel. If I have
something important to say, I write an actual comment.”
—Jeremy (Male, age 24)

The meaNINg Of “lIke”
fOR COmpaNIes/bRaNDs
“Like” becomes more complicated when it’s applied to brands. According to our
research, the consumer’s age is a significant factor in determining what “Like”
means in this context.

Younger consumers (aged 15-24) tend to use “Like” for purposes of self-
expression and public endorsement of a brand. They consider it a worthwhile
bonus when they receive coupons or deals from the company as a result
of their “Like,” but accessing these deals is not their primary motivation for
“Liking” companies.

Consumers aged 25 and up are more likely to expect something of value whO lIkes “lIke?”
in exchange for their “Like.” These individuals are less interested in general
company chit-chat, and are quick to “Unlike” companies that do not follow up Facebook users are clearly divided into two camps: those
with discounts, relevant product information, or exclusive offers—kind of like who “Like” company pages and those who don’t. In total,
breaking up with someone right after a disappointing Valentine’s Day. 45% of Facebook users say they “Like” companies at least
once a month, while 35% say they never “Like” company
pages on Facebook (although they may use “Like” for
The meaNINg Of “lIke” other purposes, such as friends’ status updates).
OUTsIDe Of faCebOOk
Our research shows that, among US Facebook users
Interpreting the meaning of a “Like” on content outside of Facebook can who have “Liked” at least one brand, the average number
be a major challenge for marketers. Consumers tend to view this as a way of of companies/brands they “Like” is 14. According to
bookmarking content and sharing information with friends—not a form of consent Facebook’s own statistics, the average user is connected
for marketing. to 80 community pages, groups, and events. (This
discrepancy is explained by the fact that Facebook’s
“Sometimes I ‘Like’ these things so I can refer back to them and alert
statistic includes more than just company pages.)
my friends about them.” —Bryan (Male, age 36)


NUmbeR Of COmpaNIes
“lIkeD” ON faCebOOk, bY age

69%
Zero 1 to 10 11 or More
55%
53%
51% 51%
46% 46%
39% 38% 41%

30%
26% 27% 27%
23% 24%
21%
16%
11%

4%
3%

15-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65 or older

N=970 active Facebook users


I “lIke” YOU…sO NOw whaT?
Consumers expressed a wide variety of expectations when asked what
should happen after clicking the “Like” button. But the most common
responses were, predictably, related to exclusive content, discounts, and
company updates.

People who “Like” a lot of brands (11 or more) are much more likely to expect
some type of reward for their “Like.” They are more driven by the prospect
of exclusive content, sales, and events (70% vs. 53% for those who like 10
or fewer brands), and by the possibility of discounts or promotions (69% vs.
53% for those who like 10 or fewer brands).

Frequent brand-likers also express a greater expectation of having the
company’s name appear in their profile, sharing brand information with
friends, and interacting with the brand. Clearly, these individuals—your core
Facebook “influencers”—have a strong interest in sharing information and
helping others find deals.

“I expect to be given advance
notice of upcoming deals, or an
‘insiders’ deal on products or
services that the normal public
will not receive.”
—Leif (Male, age 23)


expeCTaTIONs afTeR “lIkINg” a COmpaNY ON faCebOOk
I expect to gain access to exclusive content, events, or sales 58%

I expect to receive discounts or promotions through Facebook 58%
I expect to receive updates about the company, person, or organization expeCTaTIONs Of whaT
in my Newsfeed 47% shOUlD happeN fOllOwINg
a “lIke” alsO vaRY bY age.
I expect the company to be able to post updates, photos, or
video to my Newsfeed 39% FAcebook uSerS Aged 18-26
have the lowest expectations of
receiving something in exchange
I expect to share with friends, family, and/or coworkers 38% for their “Like.” For them, “Like”
is mainly a form of public self-
expression and brand advocacy.
I expect the name of the company, brand, or
organization to show up on my profile
37% AmoNg thoSe Aged 27-34,
expectations are somewhat higher.
They want something in exchange
I do not expect anything to happen 37% for their “Like”—most commonly,
the opportunity to receive updates
on new products, promotions,
I expect the company to send me more relevant content
based on the information in my public profile (e.g., age) 36% and savings.

FAcebook uSerS Aged 35-51
I expect to interact with page owner have the highest expectations.
(e.g., brand, personality, etc.) 28% They don’t just want “something”
in return for “Liking” a company—
they want something relevant and
I expect the company to be able to access information
in my public profile (e.g., age, gender, interests, etc.) 27% valuable, whether it’s information
or discounts. Moreover, individuals
in this age bracket don’t hesitate to
I expect the company to contact me through other
channels (e.g. email, postal mail, Twitter, etc.) 24% “Unlike” a brand if it doesn’t live up to
their expectations.


DOes “lIke” eQUal
peRmIssION?
If so many consumers expect to receive discounts
and exclusive content when they “Like” a brand,
then “Like” must be the same as permission to
market, right?

Wrong.

In fact, 39% of Facebook users who “Like”
at least one brand say that marketers should
never interpret their “Like” as permission to post
marketing messages that would appear in their
News Feed. The majority of these consumers think
that it’s “sometimes” okay to receive marketing
messages after they “Like” a company. And while
that’s not exactly the clear answer you were hoping
for, what is clear is that it’s important not to read
too much into a “Like.”

Marketers must walk a fine line with this issue.
Facebook users understand that they’re giving
some form of permission with their “Like,” as many
of them expect to see brand-related posts in their
News Feed. But for some, that’s as far as they
intend for the relationship to go. They aren’t looking
for highly-targeted, hard sell marketing messages,
and they don’t want their “Like” to be taken too
seriously. Deals are one thing—since they benefit
the consumer without asking anything of them—but
heavy-handed marketing tactics are inconsistent
with the use of “Like” as a casual expression of
general approval.


“‘Liking’ a brand is too casual an action for marketers to assume that I
have enough interest to justify accessing my personal information. If they
want that information, they should ask for it another way.” —Jason (Male, age 25)

From a broader CRM perspective, our research shows that accessing In short, “Like” is a form of permission, but it’s a
personal information through Facebook is viewed as inappropriate permission that’s extremely passive and
by the majority of consumers—and that there’s a great deal of limited in scope. People are clearly
confusion about what information is actually available to marketers. uncomfortable with the idea of having
marketers access information in
In reality, demographic information about Facebook fans (age,
their profile—and they’re even more
gender, location) is only available to marketers in the aggregate—
uncomfortable with marketers
no individual information can be accessed without the consumer’s
accessing information related to their
permission, typically though a custom Facebook app. But consumers
friends and family members. Marketers
are understandably protective of their personal information on
who do so risk alienating the very
Facebook. Marketers need to respect this caution and avoid any
customers whose business they’re
activity that gives the impression of violating privacy.
trying to attract.
Overall, 56% of our survey respondents indicated that marketers
To this end, “Like” does not equate
should not access even public profile information after they “Like” a
to permission for one-to-one
company on Facebook—but attitudes vary with age.
marketing, as articulated years
• Facebook users aged 25-34 are most comfortable with allowing ago by Seth Godin. Instead,
marketers to access their public profile information, but even it represents consent to
they are largely against the practice. Only 24% believe marketers receive broadcast marketing
should access their information, compared to 47% who think messages, while leaving the
they shouldn’t. (The remaining 29% are undecided.) door open (or at least unlocked)
for taking the relationship further.
• Users aged 45 and older are strenuously opposed, with
Marketers need to focus on ways
70% saying marketers should not access their public
to engage their community of fans
profile information, and only 10% raising no objection.
and seek permission to communicate
with them through other channels.


“I think I am giving them permission to market to me by “Liking” a company, in
that their posts will appear in my News Feed. But I’m not giving them permission
to email me, or post on my Wall, or post on my friends’ Walls.” —Judi (Female, age 31)

Is “lIke” peRmIssION?
Please indicate whether a company should interpret the following as
permission to post marketing messages to your Facebook Newsfeed or Wall.
AlwAys soMetiMes never

You go to a company Facebook page and “Like” the company

15% 46% 39%

You “Like” a comment/photo/video/article posted by a company on Facebook

9% 41% 50%

You click a Facebook “Like” button placed by a company on another site (e.g., news site, blogs,
brand website, etc.)

10% 42% 48%


CROss-ChaNNel eNgagemeNT DRIves sTellaR ResUlTs fOR Nasa
From 1981 to 2001, NASA’s space shuttle program captured the imagination of SucceSS Story: “imAge oF the dAy”
a nation. Spanning 30 years and 135 missions, the program concluded with the
While NASA already had a well-established following on Twitter, the final
final mission of the space shuttle Atlantis in July 2011.
shuttle mission presented a unique opportunity to drive deeper engagement
In the months leading up to the final shuttle mission, anticipation and public on Facebook. NASA’s social media team wanted to create a compelling daily
interest were gaining momentum. In order to more fully engage this growing “event” on Facebook, with the goal of drawing visitors back to its page on a
audience, NASA decided to launch a broad-scale social media campaign. regular basis and building a stickier brand experience.

Using ExactTarget SocialPagesTM and CoTweet Enterprise social media In collaboration with ExactTarget, NASA utilized SocialPages to create a new
management platform, NASA successfully translated attention from the final “Image of the Day” tab on their Facebook page. Content on this tab is auto-
shuttle mission into a larger, more engaged audience—with the potential for populated using photos and captions from an already-popular RSS feed on the
ongoing conversation beyond the shuttle’s final landing and ultimate retirement. agency’s website. Fans have a strong incentive for repeat visits, as the image
and caption are automatically refreshed each day.

Fans who “Like” NASA’s Facebook page receive “Image of the Day” updates in
their News Feed. Powered by ExactTarget’s CoTweet RSS Publisher, these daily
posts include a link to the updated content. “Image of the Day” links are also
posted to the @NASA Twitter feed, giving fans the ability to choose how they’d
like to interact with NASA.

As a result of this campaign, NASA has seen sustained growth in Facebook
engagement and interaction:

• Active users per month increased from 300,960 to 364,000 (up 21%)

• Impressions per day increased from 1,377,000 to 1,984,000 (up 44%)

• Interactions (“Likes,” comments, etc.) per day increased from 2,700 to
4,300 (up 59%)

“Before this campaign, our most compelling content was only available to users
who visited NASA’s website,” says Stephanie Schierholz, NASA’s social media
manager. “Using ExactTarget SocialPages and CoTweet, we now can drive that
information through our Facebook page and Twitter feed with minimal work—
and maximum effectiveness.”

CONNeCT wITh Nasa :
http://www.facebook.com/NASA
@NASA

whY NOT “lIke?”
As mentioned previously, fully 35% of Facebook users report
that they never “Like” company pages. And even those who do
“Like” brands exercise caution when clicking the “Like” button.
Why?

ReasONs fOR NOT “lIkINg”
COmpaNIes ON faCebOOk
coNScieNtiouS obJectorS
I don’t want to be bombarded with
54% messages or advertisements According to our research, 12% of these Facebook users avoid the “Like”
button either because they don’t understand what it means or because
they haven’t found a company worth “Liking.” That leaves 88% of users
I don’t want to give any companies
45% access to my profile information who understand what “Like” means and have affinity for one or more
companies, but consciously choose not to use the “Like” button.

One reason for this conscientious objection is consumers’ ongoing love/
I don’t want to push things into
31% friends’ News Feeds hate relationship with brands on Facebook. (As reported in SUBSCRIBERS,
FANS, & FOLLOWERS #8, 51% of consumers want to see marketing
posts on Facebook after “Liking” a company, while 40% don’t want to see

29% I don’t want companies to contact me marketing posts.)
through Facebook
Many people don’t want messages from companies clogging up their
Facebook News Feed—essentially “commoditizing” friendship, and
turning personal relationships into economic relationships. They find this
23% I don’t see the benefit of it idea distasteful and prefer to use Facebook as a way to connect with
family and friends.

19% I don’t want to impose my views or
interests on my friends
Another sentiment that was expressed frequently: consumers are
uncomfortable with the idea of marketers accessing information about
their friends—or even who their friends are. Fully 62% of people in our
survey group believe that information about friends should be off limits.
I’m indifferent — I haven’t found a
8% company worth “Liking” “I definitely do not want to share my friends list
with companies. That is infringing on my friends,
I don’t understand what it means to who have nothing to say about it. Most of the time I
4% “Like” a company on Facebook will deny access and ‘Unlike’ them immediately.”
N=626 active Facebook users who say they have — Bethany (Female, age 41)
“Liked” at least one brand


reLuctANt megAPhoNeS PriVAcy ProtectorS

Some Facebook users are simply uncomfortable with the idea of Lack of clarity around how marketers use personal information prompts
endorsing brands to their friends. They don’t believe Facebook many people to keep their private information private—and this includes
is a place to impose their personal preferences and beliefs on avoiding “Likes” on Facebook. In fact 62% of consumers say they know
others. According to a recent comScore report, “The Power of little or nothing about how information like age, gender, interests, and
Like,” Facebook users spend more time on their News Feed than location are used by companies, services, and websites.
anywhere else on the site. Sensitive to the fact that their Facebook
Additionally, 73% of consumers say they exercise some degree of
“Likes” will be shared through the News Feed, some users are
caution about what they share about themselves online because they
hesitant to “Like” brands and push content on their friends.
don’t know how that information will be used by companies.
This is a major philosophical difference between people who
don’t “Like” any brands and those who “Like” a lot of brands—as “I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I’m pretty unaware
mentioned earlier, those who “Like” 11 or more brands tend to view about how my personal info is used… I assume that bigger,
their sharing as a service to family and friends. well-known brands have measures in place to protect
Given the strong protective instincts expressed in our focus my information. I’m more leery of smaller, less-known
groups, marketers should be cautious about assuming that friends brands. The same goes for brands I ‘Like’ on Facebook.”
of their fans are “fans by association.” A misstep in this area could
— Nicole (Female, age 29)
lead to negative brand impressions and “Unlikes,” rather than an
expansion of your fan base.

73% of consumers say they exercise some degree of caution
about what they share about themselves online.

wINNeRs aND lOseRs IN...

LIKE
In the game of “Like,” the rules are complicated. Consumers make
up the rules as they go along—and they’re subject to change without
notice. The winners of the game are companies that successfully
learn to play by the rules.

So what can marketers do to land in the winners’ circle?

Set the right eXPectAtioNS… StAy iN touch, but doN’t reWArd FANS For
1 ANd deLiVer oN them
2 oVer-commuNicAte
3 their LoyALty

Marketers can win the game of “Like” by Facebook users want brands to post engaging Want to win the game of “Like?” Make your

ASK
making it clear what the consumer will content, but marketers can become losers in fans feel like winners! People who make the
receive as a result of their connection through the game of “Like” by posting too frequently, effort to “Like” your brand want to feel they’re
Facebook, and then following through on as your audience may start ignoring your special and that you value them more than the
that promise. This includes letting people posts or “Unlike” your brand. Consumers average consumer. They want to be set apart
know whether they can expect coupons, generally tell us that posting more than once as members of your exclusive “club,” with
deals, giveaways, and updates. This is further a day becomes annoying. It’s also important access to VIP deals and insider information.
supported by Nielsen Norman Group usability to post messages that are broad enough to
studies, which reveal that many users don’t engage a general audience, as hyper-targeted
“Give me information about sales and
events that are not broadcast to the
leverage social sharing tools because they posts will miss the mark with large segments D S
don’t know what to expect when they use of your fans. general public. It makes me feel Ar AN
them. Providing clarity and context are critical special and endears me e W F
in driving “Likes.” to the brand.” —Sue r Ur
“I ‘Like’ a lot of different brands,
(Female, age 26) YO
and if they’re all constantly
posting then it’s overwhelming.”

—Aaron, 23, Houston, TX N ’T
Keep YOUr DO OST
-p
prOmISeS O ver


AY
S T UA L
geT S
cA
permISSION!

reSPect SociAL mediA AS A keeP it doN’t ASSume
4 5 keeP it Light! 6 doN’t ASSume PermiSSioN
qUeSTIONS

tWo-WAy Street Light! PermiSSioN

Be a winner in the game of “Like” by letting Remember—it’s only a game! Facebook is As we’ve already discussed, failing to understand
your fans play, too! Engage your audience and a place where users go primarily for social the limited permission implied by a “Like” is the
encourage them to interact with your brand interactions with family and friends. To fit into surest way to be a loser in the game of “Like.”
by posing questions or asking for feedback. this casual, highly social environment, brands Appropriate marketing means respecting
According to an April 2011 report by Buddy have to keep it fun and entertaining—an idea consumers’ personal information as private—
Media, brands can increase engagement by that we explored in SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & even if you get access to that information by
15% by using posts that end in a question. Posts FOLLOWERS #5, Facebook X-Factors. default when the consumer “Likes” your brand.
that ask fans to fill-in-the-blank are also a great Early feedback on the impressive privacy
way to boost interaction. “I really like ABC Company, not only restrictions built into the new Google+ social
because they have coupons fairly often, network demonstrates just how important this
S “Brands get it right when they open a two- but because they don’t post too often and issue is to consumers.
way communication by allowing people to when they do, it’s usually something funny
post on their Wall. They blow it when they or light-hearted.” “Companies have to realize that it’s just as
do nothing but post.” —Bethany (Female, age 41) easy to ‘Unlike’ as it is to ‘Like,’ so if they
—Andy (Male, age 34) don’t approach the customer tactfully in
their marketing, they may scare them off
or lose their business for good.”
—Michael (Male, age 20)


shOUlD maRkeTeRs “Rather than offering incentives with some
monetary value, marketers should consider
OffeR INCeNTIves tactics that leverage common interests to
TO “lIke?” unite and expand their fan community.”
A recent blog post by Jay Baer of Convince & Convert
(www.convinceandconvert.com) explores the potential
misappropriation of social media efforts when companies
buy their “Likes.”

The post describes how a national restaurant chain recently
increased their Facebook fan base from 66,000 to more than
100,000 in a single day—a seemingly impressive feat, until you
realize that this promotion had a potential cost of $10 million! The
“fine print” of this success story is that each of the restaurant’s one
million eClub subscribers was promised a $10 gift card if 100,000
total “Likes” were tallied within the specified timeframe.

Since these individuals were clearly already fans of the restaurant—
as existing eClub members—does this promotion actually
demonstrate the power of social media? And more importantly, do
“Likes” gained through incentive marketing have the same value
as organic “Likes?” Given the relative ease of clicking “Like”—and
“Unlike”—the chances of buying quality “Likes” are pretty slim.

Perhaps more importantly, tactics like this—and there are many
examples—may be bad for both Facebook and its users. If people
know their friends’ “Likes” are given in exchange for some reward,
they’re less likely to be taken as honest expressions of brand loyalty.

Rather than offering incentives with some monetary value,
marketers should consider tactics that leverage common interests
to unite and expand their fan base. One great example of this is
Clarisonic’s recent campaign with “Look Good…Feel Better,” a
non-profit organization for people battling cancer. By adding a
charitable component to their efforts, Clarisonic not only increased
page views and “Like” activity, they also experienced heightened
brand engagement long after the campaign ended!


CONClUsION
“Like” is deceptively simple and infinitely complex, with subtle This last point is perhaps the most important take-away in this report.
variations in meaning that are highly dependent on context and As a public declaration of brand affinity, “Like” is relatively lightweight.
the individual user. And by modifying their functionality, Facebook made this even less of an
endorsement than being a fan.
“Like” is a form of self-expression. Especially among younger
1 consumers, ties to the right brands earn “cool points” among their Marketers should realize that “Like” is just the beginning of their relationship
peers—so give them something worth endorsing. with a consumer—not the end goal. Thanks to Facebook’s EdgeRank
algorithm, “Likes” alone won’t guarantee you a spot in the News Feed.
“Like” is a delivery vehicle for exclusive content. Many The initial “Like” must be followed by engaging content and two-way
2 consumers want some tangible benefit in exchange for their “Like.” conversations, or your brand is essentially invisible to the user on Facebook.
This may be in the form of deals, discounts, or exclusive information. Use your Facebook page as an opportunity to capture email addresses,
not just “Likes.” Ongoing engagement across channels is key to identifying
your true fans and prioritizing them above those who merely “Like” you.
“Like” is ambiguous. From the brand perspective, “Like” is a less clear
3 endorsement than becoming a fan. From the consumer perspective, it’s
From there, it’s important to take your engagement beyond Facebook.
often unclear what they’re committing to with their “Like.”
Expanding your communications to other, more personal, one-to-one
channels (like email) is a critical step to building a deeper relationship—but
“Like” is light-hearted. Time and again, consumers told only with permission! Crossing those lines without permission is likely to
4 us that brands shouldn’t read too much into a “Like.” It’s scare people off.
casual and fun—and users expect casual, fun posts in return.
Getting real value out of your Facebook “Likes” is a complicated, but
worthwhile, piece of the cross-channel marketing puzzle.


Give Consumers even more
reason to “Like” You!
Wouldn’t it be great if your company’s Facebook page could have
the same branded, creative look-and-feel as your website? With
ExactTarget SocialPagesTM, it can!

ExactTarget SocialPages allows for a fully branded Facebook
experience, using our Sites functionality to create “social landing
pages.” Create custom tabs on your company’s Facebook page,
host opt-in forms for your company newsletter, or display corporate
blog posts with real-time updates. You can even spice up your
Facebook page with videos, graphics, or other assets.

The possibilities are endless! If you can put it on a website using
HTML, you can now put it on your Facebook page with ExactTarget
SocialPages.

Want to see exacttarget SocialPages in action?
check out the exacttarget Facebook profile at
www.facebook.com/exacttarget.

This document may not be copied without the prior written consent of ExactTarget. © 2011 ExactTarget.


Subscribers, fans and followers: The meaning of Like. Report 10 (Exact Target) - SEP11

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