Consumers Love Brands on Facebook – but Not for Research

There’s no question that consumers are using social networks as a form of information gathering when it comes to making purchases or trying new products/services. However, according to some interesting new data reported by eMarketer, social networks are NOT primarily being used to seek out data about products.  Yes, people are connecting with brands through Facebook, Twitter, etc., however, this is not the area where they are researching. Instead, this is where they’re accepting recommendations from friends and family, and connecting with brands for other reasons.

As eMarketer reported: “According to a study by PowerReviews and the e-tailing group, only 3% of online buyers said they sought recommendations from social network friends first, compared with 57% who started with search engines.”

The good news for brands is that consumers do want to connect with you on Facebook, however, their incentives for doing so are more about special offers, discounts and insider information – as opposed to die-hard purchasing research.

In another good piece of news reported by eMarketer, “According to a February 2010 survey by Chadwick Martin Bailey, a market research firm, 33% of Facebook users have become fans of brands on the network.” That’s a good chunk of the 450 million users who are amenable to brand connection on their favorite social network. So while they may not be looking for cold, hard facts while surfing your brand’s Facebook page – they are interested in looking in the first place. All the more reason to offer great incentives to your fans, and keep an eye on your presence in Google, consumer review sites and other information-rich portals for consumers.

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