Why Facebook Platform?

Did you know 70% of marketers uses Facebook to target potential new customers? Also 47% say Facebook is the number 1 influence of purchases. (Pick, 2014). Moreover, the platform is free to post, engage to Facebook fans – gain unique selling proposition, content, competitions & surveys, interact with fans, target your market, and use of paid advertisement (Digital Marketing Institute, ND). Additionally, 76% of consumer prefers connecting to brands via Facebook than other platforms as shown in the table below (DeMers, 2015).

DeMers, J. (2015)

Kaplan and Haenlein (2010) explains how Facebook has been created to create social personal information profiles to connect with friends and colleagues to have access to these information. This social network platform has higher popularity with younger internet users. As of the platform size growing, companies uses Facebook for marketing research and promotion. An example given is, Adidas using Facebook to access product reviews. Also, some companies even uses Facebook as a distribution channel, as shown below, Clothes Candy uses this platform.

Why Customise?

The importance of customising social media marketing is valuable to all companies to aid digital marketing strategies (Schulze et al., 2015). As Schulze et al. states there are four decisions that must be taken into account before posting on Facebook:

1. Reach vs. Relevance – Broadcast messages or target friends individually? Schulze et al. study shows 64% favours broadcast messages. In order to do this, Facebook shows how to Broadcast Messages. E.g. meaning in relation to coffee beverages brands, Facebook friends would much prefer to receive interests to a group of friends with the same interest; Costa Coffee fans or Starbucks fans group. 
2. Strangers vs. Friends  – Only 7% aimed at strangers. Meaning Facebook friends prefer friends mentions. Kozinets et al. (2010) states this is known as Word-of-Mouth marketing (WOMM) and marketers spent $1.54 billion on WOMM iniatives in 2008.
3. Push vs. Pull – Push messages refers to messages that are unsolicited direct or broadcast messages. In contrast, pull messages are messages that consumers actively search for. There are almost two-thirds (64%) of Facebook campaign found uses the push method to reach consumers. E.g. shown Sweaty Betty using push method appearing on my time line feed whom I do not follow. However, it is a tailored message as I have previously searched for sports wear. Which is explained by Facebook, on Target Facebook Adverts to the correct audience, meaning companies only pay to target the exact audience.
4. Incentives? –  Providing incentives to consumers includes virtual or in-app goodies, coupons or rebates for psychical products or free premium service. This can draw in more first-time consumers to the brand. E.g. shown below is ASOS sponsored page using three strategies to draw me in; firstly, it is displayed I have 29 friends that likes ASOS which is WOMM. Secondly, this is a tailored push message. Thirdly, unlimited next-day delivery as incentive to attract me to their page to make a purchase. 

Facebook Live

This feature has been recently added onto Facebook, where it enables users friends and public figures that you follow to appear in your News Feed. Also allows users to find live videos on the Facebook live Map (Facebook, ND).

Davis (2016) demonstrates brands that had made use of Facebook live as a digital marketing strategy.

1. Airbnb and Disney – The Jungle Book livestreamed interviews from the red carpet at the premiere on an Airbnb treehouse; Engage audience for exclusive events featuring celebrities. 
2. Chevrolet – Showcased their new electric car at CES; Product launches entices super fans. 
3. Buzzfeed – shows notoriety videos of rubber bands stretches over a watermelon till it burst; Engages audience to unpredictable endings. 
4. Benefit Cosmetics- Live every week to show tricks for make-up application; Weekly features are engaging to Facebook fans to  keep fans involved. 

To watch the Facebook live videos, click here.

“1.4 million views” on live latte art video. Reason why they’ve repeated that format. – Tastemade (Katzeff, O. cited in Gesenhues, A., 2016)

Takeaway 

This concludes how useful social media platform is currently for marketers and companies to establish their consumers. Using Facebook in particular, it is clear that Facebook is not only used to connect with friends and colleagues. It has grown to be resourceful for companies; as seen consumers prefer to use Facebook to connect to brands. Expressing their opinions on their product purchased, consulting with the HR team on a poor quality product/experience and even participating in surveys/competitions for newest product launches. Not only can companies engage consumers through interactions. However, Facebook can be used to target the specific markets by using their profiles which enables companies to place the correct advertisement on the right pages. Furthermore, the latest feature of Facebook to allow live videos has gained another digital strategy for companies; this enable companies to build their brand, as DeMers (2016) states the videos give appeal, “in the moment” value, user engagement and instant feedback. 

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References 

Davis, B. (2016) 10 pioneering examples of brands using Facebook Live [Online] < https://econsultancy.com/blog/67808-10-pioneering-examples-of-brands-using-facebook-live/ > [accessed 5th April 2017]

DeMers, J. (2015) 10 Top Reasons Your Brands Needs To Be On Facebook [online] < https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2015/06/26/top-10-reasons-your-brand-needs-to-be-on-facebook/2/#47134e107d48 > [accessed 6th April 2017]

DeMers, J. (2016) 5 Awesome Examples Of Brand Using Live Videos For Marketing [Online] < https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2016/11/23/5-awesome-examples-of-brands-using-live-video-for-marketing/#50ca967bbcdd > [accessed 6th April 2017]

Digital Marketing Institute (ND) Trends & insights. The Beginner’s Guide to Facebook Marketing: Master Organic & Paid Reach [Online] < https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/beginners-guide-facebook-marketing-master-organic-paid-reach > [accessed 6^th April 2017]

Facebook (2017) How do I Chat With More Than One Friend At once on Facebook? [Online] < https://www.facebook.com/help/178565852203737/?ref=u2u > [accessed 6^th April 2017]

Facebook (2017) How do I find live videos on Facebook? [Online] < https://www.facebook.com/help/1468879913412530?helpref=uf_permalink > [accessed 6^th February 2017]

Gesenhues, A. (2013) How 3 brands are using Facebook Live to connect, engage & inspire their fans [Online] < http://marketingland.com/facebook-live-3-top-video-leaders-share-theyve-learned-facebooks-live-streaming-video-180373 > [accessed 6^th April 2017]

Kaplan, A.M. and Haenlein, M., 2010. Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of Social Media. Business horizons, 53(1), pp.59-68.

Kozinets, R.V., Valck, K.d., Wojnicki, A.C. & Sarah J. S. Wilner 2010, “Networked Narratives: Understanding Word-of-Mouth Marketing in Online Communities”, Journal of Marketing, vol. 74, no. 2, pp. 71-89.

Pick, T. (2014) 104 Fascinating Social Media and Marketing Statistics for 2014 (and 2015) [Online] < http://www.business2community.com/social-media/104-fascinating-social-media-marketing-statistics-2014-2015-01084935#zt1WGZczYbg1vSrw.97 > [accessed 5^th April 2017]

Schulze, C., Schöler, L. & Skiera, B. 2015, “Customizing Social Media Marketing”, MIT Sloan Management Review, vol. 56, no. 2, pp. 8-10.