Crack the Social Media Code

The Science of Facebook Marketing July 20, 2010

Here is some useful advice on how to enhance the content posted by a brand on Facebook. Here are some interesting facts and tips to help boost the quality and likability of your posts:

• When the word ‘video’ is in the title of an article or post it is 30% more likely to be shared on Facebook (and 30% less likely to be shared on Twitter!).
• Stats and numbers should be used as much as possible in your Facebook content. People like specificity, so content that includes numerical digits is more likely to be shared.
• “Sex” is the most shared word on Facebook while the word “negative” is the least shared word. Making your content language sexier can go a long way.
• The Facebook community likes simple and plain terms, so no flowery language is necessary. Content should be written with more nouns and verbs rather than adjectives and adverbs.
• Saturday is the highest sharing day on Facebook during the weekend and Tuesday is the highest sharing day during the week.
• Avoid using marketing buzz words like “leverage” or “optimize.” Facebook users are generally turned off by this type of language.

Here are some additional ideas on the mindset of the community and how to maximize the impact of your content:

• Facebook should be used to facilitate existing relationships- the platform gives brands the ability to strengthen these relationship and put their entire network in front of an audience.
• Emphasize social proof- people will not become your friend or fan on Facebook if they don’t have proof that you are great. Who wants to like a page that no one else likes or become a fan of a page with no fans?
• Ideas on Facebook do not spread because they are ‘good’- they spread because they are entertaining.
• Facebook is entirely performance based- people use the platform to portray themselves to others. Therefore, you should be offering them information and tools to make them look “cool” to their friends and fans.
• There is a hierarchy of Facebook contagion- in order for people to like your page, they need to be 1) exposed to it, 2) aware of it and then 3) motivated to like it.